Are Many Substrates a Cesspool of Continuously Leaching Phosphates?

HowardW · 07/16/2007, 11:51 PM

I have read somewhere that many tanks substrates (not DSB's) act as a storehouse of phosphates which are slowly and continuously released into the water column as they are taken in by phosphate removing medias.

Can anyone elaborate on this concept?

bertoni · 07/16/2007, 11:56 PM

Substrates can adsorb phosphate and then release it at a later time, for example, during a low pH event. I don't know how many substrates actually reach this state, though. If a substrate starts to look like a mess, sometimes it's useful to replace it.

07/16/2007, 11:51 PM	#1
HowardW Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,763	Are Many Substrates a Cesspool of Continuously Leaching Phosphates? I have read somewhere that many tanks substrates (not DSB's) act as a storehouse of phosphates which are slowly and continuously released into the water column as they are taken in by phosphate removing medias. Can anyone elaborate on this concept? __________________ Florida live rock addict Last edited by HowardW; 07/16/2007 at 11:58 PM.

07/16/2007, 11:56 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Substrates can adsorb phosphate and then release it at a later time, for example, during a low pH event. I don't know how many substrates actually reach this state, though. If a substrate starts to look like a mess, sometimes it's useful to replace it. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni