Nitrate and Phosphate - The Real Story

[@paulukreefer5012]

What a refreshing review of the pinnacle of the hobby… really love that you have catered for the “day trippers” early on and then satisfied us geeks with the rest 🙌👍

[@ReefNerd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@simonlockley-evans3925]

Firstly im glad you are talking about this. Corals do not consume inorganic nitrates and phosphate from the water column which are the compounds our test kits give us readings for. Corals, though, will always consume ammonium as their prefered nitrogen source. Also "Organic" PO4 is their preference, they absorb this in particulate form through polyp capture. Not disolved po4 in the water column. Inorganic No3 and Po4 in the water column in our tanks are stage setting molecules for corals to build up bacterial colonies that manipulate the chemisty of the surrounding water, either within their nucus layer or boundary layer eco systems, they do this through the release of hormones and enzymes. Im just scratching the surface here but the majority of reefers do not understand the processes occuring. Phosphate and nitrate are majorly misunderstood by pretty much everyone in the hobby. Go read the scientific papers on microbiology in a corals boundary layer or anything ive mentioned. Its reaally quite enlightening.

[@zulu09]

Not true. Bacteria can easily take up inorganics which can then be consumed by coral. If you artificially increase phosphates/ nitrates and then input a carbon source you can feed your coral while increase bacteria density in your tank.

[@simonlockley-evans3925]

@zulu09 please indicate the part of what I have written that isn't true? Be specific.

[@brenttello7781]

Love your videos brotha. Perfectly explained to newer enthusiast in the hobby. The amount of conflicting information thats out there is exhausting to digest , you dial it in without headache so thank you…quick question , after watching this video my tank falls into the matured system but I’m currently battling corraline die off. 100% rock coverage and now it’s blotching slightly on each rock . It will start to grow again and then die off again. My calcium is high and I’m working that but everything else including my dkh(makes no sense) is normal or normal to when my coralline was taking over . Have you ever experienced or heard of this before?

[@jbrown7277]

Just found your channel, 3/23... lot of great videos, tons of information, tank is amazing!!!

[@traianboala3798]

Thank you so much for this video, it is very informative. I would like to add some things, thou: concerning nitrate, it is good to mention the possibility of creating the anaerobic zones in your sump (areas with low flow) where the biological media can develop good condition for anaerobic bacteria that consumes the oxigen from NO3, turning it in nitrogen gas that evaporates from water. Also, for nitrate reduction biopellets are a good choice, especially the biopellets from Tropic Marin that are polymers made from seeweed and they don't promote cyanobacteria as other carbon dosing may do. For phosphates I would mention Fauna Marin Phos 0.04 - a GFO that never reduces PO4 below 0.04. It is more expensive than other GFO's, but it has the benefit of not striping your water of phosphates.

[@ReefNerd]

Yea biopellets are a good choice and also a form of slow release carbon dosing. I have seen fauna marin however its not too avaliable around me at the moment. I was also a bit put off by the price of their Phos 0.04 GFO product...

[@quoctruong4520]

Great video! So I have started using chemi pure blue to reduce nutrients recently and found that it has did a great job in bringing down nitrates but no change at all on the phosphate level. Any thoughts on why phosphate is not moving? I only have a small bio load and feed very little.

[@ReefNerd]

Chemipure blue is a resin that specifically target ammonia and nitrate, it will have no impact on phosphate. For that youll need something like GFO or lanthanum

[@Messier87_M87]

Great video!! Thanks for the beautiful view!

[@ReefNerd]

Thanks for watching!

[@isaactorres0512]

now this is the video I needed. keep up the awesome and informative work

[@stantan6130]

What are your thoughts on protein skimmers to remove organics vs letting the organics break down and corals consuming them?

[@insanity4224]

Great video Marcus, I would like to see a video on testing these values at aquarium relevant levels. Phosphate for example is difficult to test between 0-1ppm so how to do this would be great. Also a video explaining where nitrate and phosphate come from, for example the balance of N/P between frozen or dried foods and buildup of nutrients in sand beds etc. so that people can design their systems and feed in a way to make nutrient control simpler.

[@ReefNerd]

Great suggestion! I'll plan a testing video for phosphate in the future, I agree its a difficult one to test, there are a few options to go through.

[@insanity4224]

@@ReefNerd that would be great. Not many tests seem to be focused on that 0-1ppm relevant range so I would love to learn what the options are.

[@sixfootfourwarrior]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@simmo56able]

A great video Marcus, I chased low numbers for a long time but found as our tank matured (now 5 years old) the numbers wanted to be higher, I eventually gave up and let them settle on their own (within reason) and our 940lt system now sits around 0.06 PO4 and 18ppm NO3 and that's with a sulphur reactor running.

[@ReefNerd]

Great approach, and those numbers are really well within a range many people shoot for. If your tank matures and settles on those numbers thats perfect!

[@garrycole9187]

Hi, I ran upon your episode here and found your evaluation for a mature tank really informative. I have a tank that is 12 months old and I have very little coralline algae at all. I have a lot of lps and soft corals in there and most are doing well. I have added microbacter 7 every week since the third month. How can I mature my tank more? My numbers: alk =8.9-9.4, ca=390-420, Mg=1320-1400, po4= .09-.05, no2= 8-10 ppm.

[@Shane-dy7ct]

Perfect timing ,im having a low nutrient issue ATM, how many times a week would you suggest target feeding lps corals in a low nutrient system?

[@ReefNerd]

Larger LPS up to twice a week. Smaller mouthed LPS once a week is a good starting point. Do not feed every day, they need a chance to clean themselves and expel waste.

[@Shane-dy7ct]

@@ReefNerd thanks mate

[@andrew5762]

Hi my nitrate is is 6.2 & phosphate is 0.224 ppm quite high yes , but my corals look well ( mixed reef) What would you drop phosphate to 🤔

[@ReefNerd]

I’d slowly half it over about 2-3 weeks. Then half it again over about 4-5 weeks

[@ReefandDive]

Amazing video!

[@SB-ju4yf]

Hi Marcus, i always have too high nitrate compared to phosphate. I can control both together by feeding more or less. But when i m at lower end, i have 0.02 phosphate and 5 nitrate. And if i m higher I have 0.07 phosphate and 15 nitrate. So i m never close to the 1:100 relation. Would more bio media help? Or how can i improve?

[@timjohnson3913]

You can dose phosphate directly

[@stenhome7187]

Beautiful and interesting video!!thank you🙂👍

[@ReefNerd]

Thank you too

[@bobbyknox9258]

Excellent vid. 👍

[@ReefNerd]

thank you

[@joshmuldoon9622]

But what do you do when the Nitrate and phosphate additives don't work? Current parameters, N03 2.5ppm PO4 0.015. Tried Brightwell and Triton phosphorous products, no change in PO4....

[@ReefNerd]

I assume your trying to increase your phosphate readings? 0.015 is on the low side. Those product need to be dosed daily, a single one of dose will likely be immediately consumed as there is a phosphate deficit in your tank. It may take a week or more for levels to increase, and if they dont, slowly increase the amount you are dosing until they do. However take it slow and dont do anything drastic, the levels you stated are not exactly "bad" infact many reefers will kill for those numbers

[@joshmuldoon9622]

@@ReefNerd Yes, that is correct. Dealing with the usual algae issues and Euphyllia panacora is closed up. Acro's doing ok (colour could be better but they are a relatively new addition), haddoni carpets and everything else looking good...I'll keep adding 1ml Triton phosphorus per day and keep testing. Cheers

[@insanity4224]

@@joshmuldoon9622 Liverpool Creek Aquariums sells Monopotasium Phosphate crystals. You can purchase this to mix with RO water according to the website James’ Planted tank calculator. This is by far the most cost effective solution and working great for me. You can mix to the strength of your choice using the calculator. LCA also sell Calcium Nitrate crystals if you need to raise N03.

[@garydsouza2335]

Great video thank you

[@ReefNerd]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rudra7615]

Quantum does quantum phosphate and quantum nitrate, so there is a nitrate solution for chemical filtration. However this will raise alk. I'm more a proponent of using bacteria to increase, eat nitrates and be turned to food for the corals. Aquaforest -NP pro and Pro Bio S are these solutions, it's natural but, you would have to dose your tank

[@ReefNerd]

Quantum phosphate product is lanthanum and their nitrate products are carbon sources just like the one I featured. It wont only target nitrate but phosphate too (impossible for bacteria to consume one and not the other). I also use AF -NP pro and Pro Bio S, I really like them, -NP pro is a carbon source as well, Pro Bio S is a strain of nitrifying bacteria, so ideally they work well together.

[@AdityaKumar-Make]

Very good sir

[@garydsouza2335]

hi on a red sea test kit, what level is this for nitrates.. 5 and 10

[@ReefNerd]

sorry not sure I understand your question? nitrates at between 5 and 10 parts per million is good.

[@garydsouza2335]

@@ReefNerd I am struggling with high nitrates, 47 2 on hanna and 0.09 phosphates on hanna .using red sea test its high..25/30

[@masiehmitra8273]

I have fully grown tanks for years without purple rocks.. I have (asterina) starfish armies that keep them clean. No purple rocks doesn’t mean immature tank. You could also be having ultra low light reef tank without purple rocks.

[@jwar3235]

Thanks for the great advice would you mind sharing the salt that you like Cheers Tim Keep up the great work

[@ReefNerd]

Aquarium Systems Reef Crystals is the salt I use

[@andywidjaja8056]

thank you so much

[@andrewstrutt6048]

Thanks for another well presented informative video. I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on vodka dosing. I am running a rain 2 and a reactor with AF life biofil in an immature tank. Nitrates and phosphates are steady and within your recommended parameters but like the idea of adding additional bacteria for the coral to feed on and would like to incorporate this into my system. Cheers

[@danieltipsord9385]

😊😊 1:56 😊 2:01 2:01 2:01 😊😅😅😊

[@akvasvet]

👍 👍👍

[@aaronfitz2892]

wow in the first 4 minutes of this video i knew exactly why my tank is a algea producing made house atm. Its 8months to

[@diogohemmer5268]

O had a Big dyno outbreack with ULN. I dosed Brightwell Nitrate and Phospate for couple weeks and theu are gone. All the the corals Had back to life. Never more ULN….thats a desaster

[@ReefNerd]

yea i agree, 0 N and P is just as bad as really high levels

[@Dariusdoesreefing]

What did you raise your levels too and about how long before the Dino was gone ?

[@diogohemmer5268]

@@Dariusdoesreefing 0,04 PO4 and 10 NO3. About 15 days o notice they started to go away

[@Dariusdoesreefing]

@@diogohemmer5268 awesome thanks for responding. I’m trying to get ahold on the red field ratio just about everyone I’ve asked with experience in handling Dino/cyano all are shoot for the same perm’s 10 No3 & 0.03-0.05 Po4 and all have great results. In my case after a few months of having corals they always always always dull out in color and don’t look near as puffy as they did when I get them that was a sign to start test and sure enough both were Undetectable

[@diogohemmer5268]

@@Dariusdoesreefing estability is better then look after numbers

[@robleigh14]

I've found long as the tank is stable high or low nitrate phosphate don't chase numbers just look in the tank that tells you what you need to know if corals fish happy don't play with it 😊

[@subhra_s_das]

worth spending 26 mins . Thank you

[@ReefNerd]

thank you!

[@MACNTOSFAM]

lol. no thanks on the purple stuff. i’ve had tanks running for 2-3 years without coraline algae. i just don’t get why people push to have coraline algae. as long as your nutrients are stable. dosing the macro & micro nutrients appropriately, you’ll get growth & coloration

[@diogohemmer5268]

Nice.

[@ReefNerd]

Thanks!

[@felixneo3836]

My NO3 is 100ppm no matter what I use to lower it.

[@dobermanguy9437]

No algae Turf scrubber lots of Coraline algae in my tank I don't believe you need all this stuff all I have is a sump and a protein skimmer I'm even having a little bio balls in there my tanks have been running smooth nothing but beautiful Coraline algae I have a little bit of phosphate and a little bit of nitrate everything's running smooth no problems I have a 16-year-old blue hippo Tang and a 9-year-old yellow thing I always say do what works for you everybody got their own opinion I dripped calc washer in my tank 24/7 my alkalinity remains very stable about 8.5 dkh as far as nitrates go it also depends on your bio load of your tank the more fish you put in there the more bi-load you will have been in this hobby since 1986 and have always had a saltwater tank a lot of people try and tell me different ways I use what works for me I'm a little bit on the old school I tell people I still use calcwasher they look at me why don't you use two part well why kalkwasser works great

[@ReefNerd]

I agree, there are many ways to do things, some simple some not. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. Kalkwasser is great, I use it too. For tanks with medium to low coral density it can be absolutely all you need! Once you get high coral density though it will struggle to keep up and other solutions usually need to be added.

[@oscargalicia5807]

You are wrong mi friend