Posphate Question

[Redneck]

I tested the phosphates from my tap water today and it read about 7 or 8 ppm. Is this normal, or unussually high? I know ya'll say it is normally high, but this high?

Also, if I was to use RO water or the phosphate filters and removed all the phosphates, would the good algea still be able to survive and spread?

Thanks,
Red

[g. mcclean]

Phosphate should be undetectable. When it is, the good stuff will still do well and the bad stuff should not grow. Ro water should eliminate the phosphate.

[always learning]

well, I know that phosphates are the main contributer of algea, especially bad algea.
However, I've read that the zooxanthelea
inside that give the corals the energy need phosphates. So besides strong light
they need phosphates and nitrogen to thrive so theoretically, if you had a tank of pure nitrogen and put in lots of phoshpates ito to a reef tank then it would thrive. right?

always learning.

[OrionGirl]

No...Because the coral, not just the zooanthellae, must be kept alive. With hobbyist test kits, you are not able to get readings accurate enough to detect all nitrogen or phosphates. If it is undetectable by our tests, it is most likely still present (especially nitrogen) in levels adequate for the minute amounts needed by photosynthetic creatures.

[mogurnda]

Zooxanthellae need nitrate and phosphate, but these are provided by the coral. On a reef, NO3 and PO4 are undetectable, and they should be extremely low in the tank.

[M-pire]

Is there any way that phostphates get into the water other than through the tap water?

IOW, If I switch to RO water, will this slowly get rid of phosphates completely or is there somewhere else that I have to watch or controll?

[OrionGirl]

Check your food, but otherwise that's pretty much it. In FW tanks, many of the 'beneficial' additives people use, like pH Up/Down contain phosphates as well, but their use is not as common in SW.

[mogurnda]

Probably the biggest source of PO4 input to a tank is in the food. It's made up of animals and plants that are full of it, and ultimately ends up in the tank.
However, given the whopping amounts of it in your tapwater, that's probably the biggest source for your tank.