Will Absolute Zero Phosphates Stave Zoanthids??

[Kleko]

With my big gfo change I have absolutely zero phosphates. My zoanthids are suddenly skinny, and starving. IS there a connection here or is it another issue I have. IF it is Po4 Is it possible to keep zoanthids in an true sps tank? I assume not.
Thanks

 

[Poseidon]

With my big gfo change I have absolutely zero phosphates. My zoanthids are suddenly skinny, and starving. IS there a connection here or is it another issue I have. IF it is Po4 Is it possible to keep zoanthids in an true sps tank? I assume not.
Thanks

i have 0.00 p04 in my system and i have several different types of zoa and paly doing great.

 

[AdInfinitum]

There is a balancing act required...

Phosphates are essential building blocks for all soft tissues.  However excess amounts interact with calcium and inhibit calcium carbonate formation.  Our ideal zero reading for phosphate should not be due to the system being absolutely stripped of phosphates, but rather that all bio-available phosphates are being consumed.

Simply....fleshy things need more available, stone things need a little but not too much.  That's why even in an SPS system you wouldn't want to have a huge amount of GFO running, stripping out all of the phosphates.

 

[Reef Hero]

Will Absolute Zero Phosphates Stave Zoanthids??

This is a very interesting topic.....I have researched the heck out of this during the last year......
I use the Hanna ulr phosphorous checker and have read undetectable po4 for the last year or more..... All my corals are doing quite well....lps, zoas, chalice, and sps....
I do however get the odd maricultured coral in that just does not do well but I'm sure many have experienced the same losses....
I also read undetectable nitrates using the salifert test kit.....
What is even more interesting is that I grow Caulerpa as well as Valonia quite well....I have recently acquired a foxface just for this exact issue.....he is starting to put a good dint in it.....
During my research I found many who are experiencing the same and a lot of reefers who tend to think that it is not the readable po4 or nitrates in the water column that our corals need to thrive....I'm still researching and would love any articles others find on this topic.....I am starting to lead myself to believe that this topic is open ended and perhaps something we have yet to fully understand. Because if we need po4 and nitrates for our corals to live and grow then how am I growing mine without any detections of such?



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[Salty Cracker]

I have low P04 and will attest to the fact that some softies can shrink away.  I have lost several colonies of zoas, while one has thrived.  I think maybe zoas come from different regions of the world and possibly they are not interchangeable...some will live in low PO4 and some won't.  I know my lps sits stagnant if I don't spot feed.  I've started them up and made them stop.  Maybe zoas are the same.

 

[teebone110]

I have low P04 and will attest to the fact that some softies can shrink away.  I have lost several colonies of zoas, while one has thrived.  I think maybe zoas come from different regions of the world and possibly they are not interchangeable...some will live in low PO4 and some won't.  I know my lps sits stagnant if I don't spot feed.  I've started them up and made them stop.  Maybe zoas are the same.

I have had some zoas melt away for no reason, where others are tried, tested, and true. What I do notice is when i feed my tank regularly and keep up with water changes my zoas look the best.

 

[Reef Hero]

Will Absolute Zero Phosphates Stave Zoanthids??

Consistency is very important.....your tank needs consistent maintenance and feedings.....any changes should be done one at a time so you know what happens and why it did.
Zoas are very unpredictable IMO...... A lot of reefers will agree with me on that.




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[GirDance]

Is it not most likely that you do have phosphate in your system but that it is just being consumed by your corals etc instead of lingering in the water column, which is why you are testing at zero.

 

[Poseidon]

Re: Will Absolute Zero Phosphates Stave Zoanthids??

Consistency is very important.....your tank needs consistent maintenance and feedings.....any changes should be done one at a time so you know what happens and why it did.
Zoas are very unpredictable IMO...... A lot of reefers will agree with me on that.




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+1

 

[reefin]

[quote author=Salty Cracker link=topic=5162.msg48710#msg48710 date=1366324009]
I have low P04 and will attest to the fact that some softies can shrink away.  I have lost several colonies of zoas, while one has thrived.  I think maybe zoas come from different regions of the world and possibly they are not interchangeable...some will live in low PO4 and some won't.  I know my lps sits stagnant if I don't spot feed.  I've started them up and made them stop.  Maybe zoas are the same.

I have had some zoas melt away for no reason, where others are tried, tested, and true. What I do notice is when i feed my tank regularly and keep up with water changes my zoas look the best.
[/quote]

I read 0 on both nitrates and phosphates using the red sea testing kits and my zoos are growing very well. I'm using GFO and pellets. But also have chaeto in my sump it grows but not that fast and that's because of the GFO. I do feed micro plankton to all my filter feeders once / week and I also spot feed my LPS 2X weekly. I change 25% water every 2 weeks religiously!  I have often wondered about getting one type of coral from one ocean and another coral from way across from another ocean if it would have any bearing on how well it would do and so far so good 5 months in.

 

[Reef Hero]

Will Absolute Zero Phosphates Stave Zoanthids??

Is it not most likely that you do have phosphate in your system but that it is just being consumed by your corals etc instead of lingering in the water column, which is why you are testing at zero.

Very likely..... My tank is quite mature and has probably found its balance. This is why I do stress consistency....in feedings, water changes, media changes, etc.....
And also why I believe we should strive for low readings on these parameters but continue to feed consistently. I personally strive for zero..... But do not lack in feeding to accomplish this....


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[AdInfinitum]

Salty and Reef hero are dead on... Most things have the ability to adapt to change, some things better than others, but adaptation requires energy and that energy is then no longer available for growth or reproduction.

I have had many things that were well adapted to my old high nutrient system that struggled or died as I made my water cleaner and "better". The changes need to be made but things that had adapted to absorbing nutrients from the water were forced to return to getting them from their foods.

BTW...The most adaptable creature in our tanks is Cyano-bacteria, which is why almost any change results in at least a temporary bloom.

 

[Reef Hero]

Will Absolute Zero Phosphates Stave Zoanthids??

With my big gfo change I have absolutely zero phosphates. My zoanthids are suddenly skinny, and starving. IS there a connection here or is it another issue I have. IF it is Po4 Is it possible to keep zoanthids in an true sps tank? I assume not.
Thanks

What was your po4 reading before you did the big GFO change??


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[AdInfinitum]

I am fairly certain that I got too aggressive with the GFO at one point and it caused a bit of a die back in many of my LPS and softies.

Reef zone seawater generally tests out at 0.07ppm PO4 combined organic and inorganic. (many reliable references agree)  Averaged values with surprisingly large time of day and depth variances.

Phosphate kits will do inorganic only.  Pure phosphorous test would give a combined number.