[gnovince]

I'm just curious how much everyone doses Phosphate? How much per dose? How many times a week if multiple and maybe an overall weekly amount they add? Not sure how accurate my Phosphate test kit is but usually reads around 1-2 ppm. I just read a post from Tom Barr where he said he doses 5 ppm 3 x week, curious if others dose this much? I want to increase mine and see what happens. I've been adding about .15 grams which the calculator says 1.38 ppm 3 x week. I'm thinking I should be dosing more.

 

[Zorfox]

I dose the same as you, 1.3 ppm of PO4 3 times a week. That's plenty in my opinion. In fact, that's plenty in Tom Barr's opinion. That 1.3 number comes from his method of dosing, the EI method. The amounts he stated in the article were used by Carlos Flores (aka Wet) who wrote the first online nutrient calculator. I communicated quite a lot with Carlos before his death about the calculations and programming points of view. I had written a Windows based calculator based on many ideas he "pioneered" so to speak. The doses listed for EI, EI daily and EI weekly were approved by Tom Barr based on what Carlos had told me. Is it true? Probably, but you would have to ask Tom Barr about that. If you choose EI the dose amount is... drum roll... 1.3! lol

Here is a link to my Windows based Calculator

Here is a link to an online version based on Carlos' first calculator.

 

[gnovince]

Awesome! Thanks for the info! I will just continue with the 1.3 then. Haven't had any problems just got me thinking when I read that. I guess the ole' "If it's not broke why fix"

 

[Zorfox]

Haven't had any problems just got me thinking when I read that. I guess the ole' "If it's not broke why fix"

Probably the best advise in ANY situation. Although, I'm from the south. Saying that here sounds a little different, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is the way we say it round these parts. ya hear? lol

 

[gnovince]

Haha For sure! I swear I said it that way in my head though. LOL

 

[PerfectDepth]

Yep, 1.3 ppm 3x per week is all that is needed for good growth. Or just round that up to 2 ppm, it doesn't matter. The only reason for pushing it up to 5 ppm 3x per week is to help combat green spot algae.

 

[jr125]

I try to dose to hit a target ratio of one part phosphate to 15 parts nitrate. I never tested for phosphate level until I read(on this forum) a thread about GSA possibly caused by low PO4. I really doubted I had low levels until I tested and they came in at barely above 0. Did some research online and found several articles and forum discussions advocating this ratio concept for algae control. I started dosing small amounts of PO4 until I got in the ratio range and the GSA has al but disappeared. No increase in other algae noted. I'm currently dosing about 1/16th teaspoon in solution 1-2 times a week in a 125g tank. Happy with the results.

Free of algae with Redfield Ratio | Aquariumpagina's van Charles Buddendorf

I have to make an additional comment that this phosphate/nitrate ratio does not seem to have much of an effect on BBA. I am becoming convinced(along with many others here) that the primary cause of BBA is high organics.