Alexander1312
Supporting Member
I am not sure how many had a chance to read this article in the print or only a couple of days ago released digital edition, but I found it very interesting.
Unfortunately, it is not an easy read (and at the end of the article he recommends two of their products
), and it does assume certain context.
I would be curious if folks with a deeper understanding of biology can extract more content from this article than I was able to, but here are some of my takeaways:
- Phosphate deposit in the skeleton - one way path (in addition to CA, carbonate, traces), can no longer be accessed by the coral after storage. Therefore, needs regular supply.
- Very low phosphate concentrations strongly inhibit SPS growth.
- The mention of the relationship of low phoshpate and high PH and dkh leading to significant stress for the coral is mentioned (but I assume this is common knowledge already).
- Phosphate is a necessary skeletal component.
- Phosphate uptake limitation range of the coral - 0.02 ppm to 0.2 ppm. No higher uptake above 0.2 ppm.
- Importance of the N ratio of 4:3:1 to 7:2:1 - negative impact of phosphate absorbers on this ratio.
- Elevated nitrogen promotes algae growth (!) - found this interesting - vs common statements regaring elevated phosphate - algae flourishes under low phosphate (we knew that point).
- Benefits of higher phosphate levels when starting a new tank reducing the ugly phase (somewhat known too).
- Sand and rock being effective phosphate buffers - difference between absorbing phosphate quickly by rock and sand and releasing phosphate slowly - stabilizing phosphate levels effectively.
- Nitrogen vs phosphate rich fish foods - crude protein vs crude ash (with a less readily available amount of phosphate). This is the part where he seems to make a case for two of their products, which contain insoluble inorganic phosphates, as the preferred (but not yet validated) method to supply phosphate to corals.
Unfortunately, it is not an easy read (and at the end of the article he recommends two of their products
), and it does assume certain context. I would be curious if folks with a deeper understanding of biology can extract more content from this article than I was able to, but here are some of my takeaways:
- Phosphate deposit in the skeleton - one way path (in addition to CA, carbonate, traces), can no longer be accessed by the coral after storage. Therefore, needs regular supply.
- Very low phosphate concentrations strongly inhibit SPS growth.
- The mention of the relationship of low phoshpate and high PH and dkh leading to significant stress for the coral is mentioned (but I assume this is common knowledge already).
- Phosphate is a necessary skeletal component.
- Phosphate uptake limitation range of the coral - 0.02 ppm to 0.2 ppm. No higher uptake above 0.2 ppm.
- Importance of the N
ratio of 4:3:1 to 7:2:1 - negative impact of phosphate absorbers on this ratio.- Elevated nitrogen promotes algae growth (!) - found this interesting - vs common statements regaring elevated phosphate - algae flourishes under low phosphate (we knew that point).
- Benefits of higher phosphate levels when starting a new tank reducing the ugly phase (somewhat known too).
- Sand and rock being effective phosphate buffers - difference between absorbing phosphate quickly by rock and sand and releasing phosphate slowly - stabilizing phosphate levels effectively.
- Nitrogen vs phosphate rich fish foods - crude protein vs crude ash (with a less readily available amount of phosphate). This is the part where he seems to make a case for two of their products, which contain insoluble inorganic phosphates, as the preferred (but not yet validated) method to supply phosphate to corals.