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- Hello and thanks for tuning in.
Phosphate has always been a hot topic with reef-keepers.
It's in our tap water, it's in our fish
and invert food as well.
Phosphate gets the blame for algae problems.
Some say it even hurts our corals.
When starting out, you'll find a lot
of information about phosphate on the web,
but don't worry.
We'll break it down for you and tell you
everything you need to know about phosphate
and how to control it in your aquarium.
Phosphorus is an essential element needed
by all aquatic life.
It's a building block for cellular energy
and it's a component of essential hormones and enzymes.
Fish and invertebrates consume foods
like plankton, algae, and many foods
that are rich in phosphorous.
These foods are organic source of phosphate,
which are then broken down in the gut
for absorption by the organism.
Excess phosphate is then excreted as waste
in the form of inorganic phosphate,
which is what you'll be testing for in your aquarium.
Just about any organic substance can break down
and release phosphate into your aquarium.
Fish waste, coral slime, leftover food,
detritus, and dead algae cells are all
very common and natural sources of phosphorous
in your aquarium.
Your tap water is also another potential source
of phosphate.
Underground minerals leech phosphate
into most water supplies.
Water treatment plants also add phosphates
to protect pipes against corrosion.
This is one of the major reasons we really
stress the importance of an RODI system at home.
An RODI system will remove harmful impurities,
including phosphate, so you can be sure
your source water is clean and free of contaminants.
Just like nitrate, phosphate will build up
in the aquarium water if left unchecked.
But the good news is that phosphate is not toxic
and won't directly harm anything in your tank.
Scientific studies of reef rock and corals
reveal some interesting facts about phosphate.
Here's what we know so far.
Phosphate is one of the 17 essential elements
that algae need to flourish.
The general thought in aquariums
is that phosphate fuel nuisance algae growth.
Time and time again, we have witnessed nuisance
algae problems being resolved by simply reducing
phosphates to a point at which algae growth is limited.
On the other side, there are documented accounts
of thriving reef tanks that consistently test
with phosphate levels above their recommended range.
The likely reason here is that in these
reef tanks, phosphate is not the limiting growth
factor for algae.
Instead, the algae's being limited by a lack
of some other essential element.
The effect of phosphates on coral growth
is also something that is important to understand
when keeping a reef tank.
The science suggests that phosphate
is not directly toxic to coral,
but when phosphates are kept at higher
concentrations, it can have some negative effects on coral.
Symbionic zooxanthellae within corals
are stimulated by phosphate, providing more
energy for tissue growth.
If phosphates are high for long periods
of time, the zooxanthellae can overpopulate
and turn the coral brown.
Science has also documented that the density
of a stony coral skeletal mass is reduced
when phosphate's kept at levels above 0.05
parts per million.
The belief is that phosphate inhibits
the calcification process.
In conclusion, we can deduce that phosphate
is essential for your reef tank, but should
be kept at very low levels in order to avoid problems.
Naturally, the next question is what is the ideal
range for phosphates in a reef tank?
You'll find recommendations ranging from 0.02
all the way to 0.05 parts per million.
But we've all seen real-life reef tanks
thriving at levels much higher than this
at 0.1 parts per million or more.
So the real answer is it just depends.
Every tank is different.
I know you hate that answer, but let me explain.
If your corals are consistently growing
and nuisance algae is under control,
the phosphate level's okay for your aquarium.
If you've got algae problems, lower
the phosphates and see how the tank responds.
The idea's to bring the level down to where
algae growth is inhibited, then maintain
phosphate at that level.
The most convenient way to keep track
of phosphate is with an aquarium test kit
that measures the inorganic phosphate level
of our tank water.
Not all test kits are created equal, so be sure
to check out the range, resolution, and accuracy
of the phosphate test kit you choose.
This will ensure that the test kit gives you
the readings you're looking for.
The Hanna Instruments phosphate checkers
are an excellent choice, and here at Marine Depot
we stock two different models to accommodate
different situations.
The standard low range phosphate checker
was designed for soft corals and fish-only aquariums.
It can measure phosphate levels from zero
to 2.5 parts per million with an accuracy
of plus or minus 0.04 parts per million.
Then we have the ultra low range phosphate
checker, which was designed to provide more
precision readings within the lower range.
That is typical for mixed-reef tanks and SBS aquariums.
The ultra low range or ULR will measure
from zero to 0.9 parts per million
with an accuracy of plus or minus 0.02 parts per million.
Another option for testing is using one
of the very popular mail-in or ICP water testing
services that offer a phosphate or a phosphorous test.
A downside with all of these mail-in services
is that it takes much more time to get
the results compared to testing at home.
Mail-in services are also more expensive.
But the upside is that they're very accurate
and will provide a full analysis of your aquarium water.
I like to keep a few of these mail-in water
test kits on hand at all times.
This way, if I start to lose faith in any
of my home test kits, I can easily double check
using an ICP analysis or similar water testing service.
In order to control phosphates in a reef tank,
we aquarists have a variety of effective methods.
We'd recommend employing a combination of methods.
Generally speaking, we will not be able to rely
on water changes alone.
The reason we can't rely on water changes alone
is that phosphate enters your aquarium
at a much faster rate than which regular
water changes can remove it.
Even a weekly 20% water change will not suffice
in keeping phosphates below 0.05 parts
per million for a majority of reef tanks
that contain fish.
Using a good protein skimmer will strip out
organics before they can release phosphate into the water.
An efficient skimmer will remove, dissolve,
and particulate organic matter.
This will improve water quality and also limit
phosphates and nitrates.
An algae scrubber or a refugium with macroalgae
are both excellent options for phosphate control as well.
A refugium with macroalgae will remove phosphate,
nitrate, and other nutrients via
the fast-growing macroalgae.
Chaetomorpha is the most popular and safest
species of macroalgae, but Coulerpa
and Gracilaria are also very popular options.
Macroalgae grows very fast, so you can easily
find other local hobbyists who are willing to share.
Join your local reef club, or hop on one
of your favorite online forums such as Reef2Reef
to meet other hobbyists in your area.
Algae scrubbers work on a similar principle,
but instead of macroalgae you're growing turf
or microalgae on a screen.
Tank water flows over an illuminated screen
that holds the turf algae.
Just like a refugium with macroalgae,
harvesting the turf algae from your scrubber
is very important.
This physically removes the absorbed
phosphates and keeps the algae growing aggressively.
There are a variety of phosphate-removing
filter media that work well in reef aquariums.
The most popular is granular ferric oxide or GFO for short.
GFO binds inorganic phosphate as water flows
through the media.
GFO's also available in a wide variety of different brands.
It works slowly when compared to other medias
and is best used inside a fluidized media reactor
to maximize the media exposure.
Seachem PhosGuard is another option.
PhosGuard employs fast-acting alumina oxide
to absorb phosphates.
Alumina oxide is fast-acting and is best used
passively inside a media bag or canister filter.
Blue Life USA just released Phos FX,
which is a new resin-based phosphate removal media.
It's getting excellent reviews online
because it can be regenerated and used
over and over again.
It is fast-acting and is best used inside a media bag.
If using a media reactor, just be sure the media
is enclosed in a media bag so as to not spread
the tiny resin beads throughout your whole tank.
Lanthanum chloride is another option,
and it comes in the form of a liquid,
which is dosed directly into your tank.
The lanthanum binds with phosphate,
forming microscopic and soluble lanthanum
phosphate particles.
Inert particles then it remove via
mechanical filtration and protein skimming.
Lanthanum chloride causes a little cloudiness
but works instantly.
You will need to change out your filter socks
and empty your skimmer cup a few times
during the treatment to be most effective.
A clever and unique approach used by public
aquariums is using GFO media alongside
lanthanum chloride.
The lanthanum chloride liquid can be used
to drop your initially high levels of phosphate
to an acceptable range.
The GFO then can be employed to keep it within this range.
This brings up a good point about phosphate
control in general.
A drastic drop in phosphates will really stress
out your corals and invertebrates.
An aquarium that is already accustomed
to high levels of phosphates is especially sensitive.
So be sure to test your water carefully
and drop your phosphate levels slowly over time.
In situations where both elevated nitrate
and phosphates are a problem, you might consider
using something that is designed to target both.
A product like Red Sea's NOPOX algae management
supplement works by stimulating bacteria
to consume phosphates and nitrates.
The bacteria, now packed with phosphates
and nitrates, are removed from the water
through protein skimming.
Choosing the right phosphate control method
should be aimed specifically at your tank's needs.
The first priority for everyone is to limit
the input of phosphate to begin with.
Get an RODI unit and only use phosphate-free
water for top-off and water changes.
Don't overfeed your tank and be sure
to turn off your pumps when feeding.
Use a quality protein skimmer at all times
to remove organics before they break down
into phosphate.
If you have the space, add a natural filter
like a refugium or turf algae scrubber.
When phosphate levels are continually
problematic, only then would I recommend
a regular use of a filter media like GFO
or a liquid remover containing lanthanum chloride.
In this case, I will also recommend you reduce
your stocking levels or improve your filtration
system to help maintain a more acceptable
level of phosphate long-term.
Relying on chemicals or a media at all times
can be a slippery slope and will get expensive.
The main point to understand about phosphate
control is that you should not be chasing
a number, rather a clean and healthy reef.
When your tank services and rocks are clean
and algae-free, your phosphate level's likely
safe and should only be monitored alongside
all of your other major water parameters.
If yoU start to see nuisance algae growing
in your tank or notice your corals are just not
looking their best, start testing your phosphate
levels more often.
If you notice rising or elevated levels
above 0.05 parts per million, you should then
begin working on removing phosphate
and establishing a system to maintain it
at a lower level.
If you have questions about phosphate control
or simply wanna talk tank, give us a call
or send us an email anytime.
I appreciate all of you for watching today.
Until next time, take care and happy reef-keeping.
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