Phosphate test=2

[Lady Hobbs]

Checked all my tanks today for phosphates. Have a reading of 2 in all of them after large water changes yesterday. I have added the phosphate/silica remover to the planted tank but really, what should the phosphate level be? Doesn't tell you much in the phamplet but I figured 2 was up in the scale so I just added the removing pellets.

[Spyder]

Phosphate levels should be between 1 - 2. However, high levels of Phosphates will not harm anything, a lack of phosphates would be more of a concern.

[Lady Hobbs]

My main concern was too high of silica but I have no test for that yet. I'm rather quessing that I do because of the brown algae I always seem to get. The only thing I see to reduce silica is the phosphate remover that does both.

Stabbing in the dark.

[Dave66]

Phosphate levels should be between 1 - 2. However, high levels of Phosphates will not harm anything, a lack of phosphates would be more of a concern.

That's .01-.02 mg/l, Spyder, as in nature. High levels of Phosphate is cyanobacteria and algae food.

Dave

[Spyder]

That's .01-.02 mg/l, Spyder, as in nature. High levels of Phosphate is cyanobacteria and algae food.

Dave

Wrong, Phosphate is not cyanobacteria and algae food otherwise I would be filled with it. My phosphate levels run between 8 - 10 ppm without BGA or other algaes.

[Chrona]

It depends on the tank really. If you have an imbalance in nutrients, ie a ton of phosphates and very little nitrates, blue green (cyanobacteria) will take over simply because the plants run out of nitrates, whereas cyano can get nitrogen by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. You will usually be fine at 0.5-1 ppm phosphates (that's what most people dose till), but 8-10 ppm phosphates is pretty extraordinarily high.....

Here's one of Tom Barr's reponses to it (Plantbrain):

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Somewhat cyptic (as usual), but I hope you get the point.

Here's another post on what happens when you OD on phosphates:

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2 ppm should not be a problem though.

[Lady Hobbs]

My phosphate color chart starts at 0.0,0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 abd 10.0. Acccording to the test chart, 2.0 is on the high end so that's why I used the phosphate remover.

But I also run very, very low in nitrates so somehow am getting an imbalance but don't think I can really know more until the silicate can be tested. 8 hours after adding the phosphate sponge, I am at 0.25.

And now apparently too low!!!!! Planted tank=4 years of chemistry!

[Chrona]

I would dose some nitrates. Seems like that's the limiting factor in plant growth now.

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I would get one of the combo pack. Will last a loooong time. Or maybe just nitrates, CSM, and potassium.

[Lady Hobbs]

Good prices there. Thanks. I have it added to my favorites.

What I probably need first is about 30 test kits so I can test for everything. LOL

Here's another planted site I found tonight that has some interested reading.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.] Maybe something there you might be interested in.