Phosphate level for LPS?

fullmonti · 03/11/2017, 05:47 PM

When I had a SPS tank I was told phosphate should be .04 or less. I have a smaller LPS tank now I wondered what phosphate level is best in general for LPS?

Thanks
Jim

Bpb · 03/11/2017, 06:03 PM

They're more tolerant of a wide range of parameters. But much like sps type corals. If you can keep them fed on food rather than phosphate they'll grow faster and inflate bigger. I tend to think high nutrients but low waste is good for any corals regardless of flesh amount or polyp size. Varying light levels will make a big impact too. Many lps will ideally thrive under much lower par at around 100. Rather than the 300-500 a lot of sps like

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fullmonti · 03/11/2017, 08:27 PM

I had quite a few NPS corals that I fed a lot. Enough that even though the ammonia and nitrate was 0 the phosphate got up to .4 once. Some of the corals started not opening so much which is when I checked everything out and got the phosphate back down. I sold some of the NPS so I can feed less but phosphate crept back up to .2. Things seem happy enough but I wonder if it would be better to have a lower level of phosphate or not?

Bpb · 03/11/2017, 08:44 PM

Yes but bring it down slowly. Rapid reduction is worse than keeping it high as I'm certain you already know. Just gotta say it

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fullmonti · 03/12/2017, 08:49 AM

I know like everything there are many variables but I like to have a target to shoot for. There may not be a generally accepted perfect phosphate level but there must be a range between the best low and high levels to maintain. This is what I was hoping to find out. I'm sure there are others who would also like to know this.

UKMarineGuy · 03/13/2017, 05:19 AM

Run mine at 0.3 to 0.5

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03/11/2017, 05:47 PM	#1
fullmonti now is the time Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chattanooga tn Posts: 1,097	Phosphate level for LPS? When I had a SPS tank I was told phosphate should be .04 or less. I have a smaller LPS tank now I wondered what phosphate level is best in general for LPS? Thanks Jim

03/13/2017, 05:19 AM	#6
UKMarineGuy Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 92	Run mine at 0.3 to 0.5 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Using Tapatalk

03/11/2017, 06:03 PM	#2
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	They're more tolerant of a wide range of parameters. But much like sps type corals. If you can keep them fed on food rather than phosphate they'll grow faster and inflate bigger. I tend to think high nutrients but low waste is good for any corals regardless of flesh amount or polyp size. Varying light levels will make a big impact too. Many lps will ideally thrive under much lower par at around 100. Rather than the 300-500 a lot of sps like Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/11/2017, 08:27 PM	#3
fullmonti now is the time Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chattanooga tn Posts: 1,097	I had quite a few NPS corals that I fed a lot. Enough that even though the ammonia and nitrate was 0 the phosphate got up to .4 once. Some of the corals started not opening so much which is when I checked everything out and got the phosphate back down. I sold some of the NPS so I can feed less but phosphate crept back up to .2. Things seem happy enough but I wonder if it would be better to have a lower level of phosphate or not?

03/11/2017, 08:44 PM	#4
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	Yes but bring it down slowly. Rapid reduction is worse than keeping it high as I'm certain you already know. Just gotta say it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/12/2017, 08:49 AM	#5
fullmonti now is the time Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chattanooga tn Posts: 1,097	I know like everything there are many variables but I like to have a target to shoot for. There may not be a generally accepted perfect phosphate level but there must be a range between the best low and high levels to maintain. This is what I was hoping to find out. I'm sure there are others who would also like to know this.