Angry Phosphate Man: Mitigating High Phosphates In Your Reef Aquarium

How concerned are you about high phosphates in your tank?

  • VERY Concerned

    Votes: 130 21.7%
  • Somewhat Concerned

    Votes: 334 55.8%
  • NOT Concerned At All

    Votes: 129 21.5%
  • Other (please explain in thread)

    Votes: 6 1.0%

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RazorRamon

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One word; Rowaphos. I also run my tank bare bottom. makes it easy to keep nutrients on the lower side.
 

Dennis Cartier

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A timely topic. I am just about to start up my Lanthanum Chloride reactor as I type this. My phosphate is at 0.28 and I will pull it down to 0.18 and let it rebound back up a bit and then pull it down again in a few days.

ACtC-3fOrPgK29xN_E5OJrPwd0sE9Ls4A7GndGk98rmlEIvExrVTXpN7La64Dpy3VUvHevEb4IviBkkAcrwK4wlVdb7et_AgM6dsT9QGSe9MXK8t2a-nqiPgTISalx0HiQptv4-bjgQAat8PTWYNp7wXaVCh=w1275-h957-no


I have a build thread on the reactor. I have since added a 10 micron and 5 micron filter canister on the output. I use pleated filters and rinse them out after each run of the reactor. LaCl Dosing Reactor (No Socks!)

Dennis
 
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radiata

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Whats LaCI and how do you dose it?

LaCl is Lanthanum Chloride. It precipitates phosphates out of the water. I dose it too. I dose with a Coral Box WiFi Dosing Pump (https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/coral-box-wifi-dosing-pump/). I use SeaKlear Phosphate Remover, which I buy on Amazon. It is more cost effective than reef hobby versions. Be sure it is SeaKlear's 90207 Halo Source 1040105, and not the one that also contains a pool clarifier.

Caveat (1): Calibrate your doser(s) at least monthly. All but the most expensive stray on the actual volumes being dosed. I dilute mine to a 10% SeaKlear and 90% RO/DI water solution.

Caveat (2): If you overdose and take all of the phosphates out of your system you'll probably wipe out all your corals, because they need minute quantities of phosphate for their metabolisms.

Caveat (3): Since you'll need to be constantly monitoring your phosphate levels and adjusting the dosage based on test results, you should consider using the Hanna Marine Phosphorus ULR test kit.
 

chaoticreefer

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A timely topic. I am just about to start up my Lanthanum Chloride reactor as I type this. My phosphate is at 0.28 and I will pull it down to 0.18 and let it rebound back up a bit and then pull it down again in a few days.

ACtC-3fOrPgK29xN_E5OJrPwd0sE9Ls4A7GndGk98rmlEIvExrVTXpN7La64Dpy3VUvHevEb4IviBkkAcrwK4wlVdb7et_AgM6dsT9QGSe9MXK8t2a-nqiPgTISalx0HiQptv4-bjgQAat8PTWYNp7wXaVCh=w1275-h957-no


I have a build thread on the reactor. I have since added a 10 micron and 5 micron filter canister on the output. I use pleated filters and rinse them out after each run of the reactor. LaCl Dosing Reactor (No Socks!)

Dennis

Holy butterflies, Batman...what is that?!?!? I used to dose LaCl into a 5 micron sock.
 

Popkorn0407

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Im runing my 200g sps tank at 0 po4 ( from test kit) alot of fish alot of feeding alot of cheato and big skimmer and big gfo. Test kit always say 0, but icp say 0.01, so im no more testhing for po4
 

chaoticreefer

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I have tried all forms to drop my phosphates. My phosphates are by far, oh boy...by far the hardest thing to control, compared to nitrates, etc. Nitrates are easiest to drop and there are times where I had/have to dose it to get them up.

The most easiest way has been LaCl, GFO or carbon dosing (vodka). Of course none at the same time. I trust LaCl the least so I wanted to wean away from using it. GFO works but more expensive. Vodka is cheap, while there's danger in it I dose by a doser so its accurate and only small increases at a time when needed to. I am constantly testing....at least once a week, if not, twice a week.

I have tried other techniques too. Chaeto grows for a month or two and then does a complete stop. I have tried adding additives (such as iron, etc) doesn't help. Bio Pellets, harder to control compared to Vodka, but they do the job.

I like to keep my phosphates at 0.03-0.07, but I don't panic if they hit .1 ppm.
 

Dennis Cartier

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Holy butterflies, Batman...what is that?!?!? I used to dose LaCl into a 5 micron sock.

That is a reactor I built to allow me to dose LaCl without having to use socks. I go through the construction and theory in my thread LaCl Dosing Reactor (No Socks!), but the 10,000 foot view is that it is like a mini pool filter using glass beads to capture the reacted LaPO4 particles. It hooks to the drains and house water supply for back flushing the bead filter and flushing stale water from past runs.

Dennis
 

725196

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I am somewhat concerned. I say somewhat because I have been dealing with phosphates of .2-.7 for 7 plus months now. Up and Down, up and down...UGH! However, there have been no ill effects noticed...yet.

I just upgraded my algae reactor and I am hoping this will help, but that could take some time. I guess I will just need to wait and see.
 

GMay

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What me worry? Algae in the refugium eats nitrates and phosphates all night. I rarely test for either as most of the time I only find trace amounts using Red Sea kits or Salifert. There some there but not enough worry about.
 

GillMeister

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My phosphate had been stable at .09 but now that I have chaeto in the refugium it's dropping quickly. It's under .07 after a week of running chaeto. I'm charting on my Apex.
 

sidney109

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I dose nitrate, the phosphates then drop, never could keep nitrates up enough to naturally consume it.
 

MnFish1

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1. What can you do to keep phosphates under control and at levels that you are comfortable with? What are some things YOU do?
There are a lot of things possible - I have a skimmer, a little chemipure, water changes and I guess good luck (perhaps things in the tank that utilize the PO4).
I check it about every 3 months unless something looks off

2. What is a comfortable level of phosphates for you in your aquarium?
.05 ppm as an optimum - but I dont care if everything looks ok.
 

NanJ

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Using the Hanna Checker the phosphates on our 300g DT run 0.25-0.35 ppm. We have lots of LPS corals as medium to large frags and several colonies. Corals have been in the tank since February this year.

Our refugium has a basketball sized chaeto and some red ogo, too. We use Seachem Phosgard in a reactor and run the skimmer 24/7. AWC is 3 g a day. Once a month about a 20% water change.

Since our corals seem happy, we are okay with the phosphates as they are.
 

Sherrya62

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I’m very concerned but for a different reason. I use the Salifert test to test and I can’t get a reading. I read zero and this is after dosing almost a full Bottle of phosphate From brightwell. Ugh
 

chaoticreefer

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I’m very concerned but for a different reason. I use the Salifert test to test and I can’t get a reading. I read zero and this is after dosing almost a full Bottle of phosphate From brightwell. Ugh

Where are your nitrates?

Also, it could be your test kit. While Salifert has a good rep when it comes to their test kits, but for phosphates, I recommend the Hanna ulr checker.
 

X-37B

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My p04 runs .02-.06 since startup and now 16 months in.
Nitrates run 5-10.
Proper sized skimmer.
I do carbon dose a small amount 4ml a day.
My carbon source is vinegar, sugar, and iron.
Started when po4 went to .09.
Tank looks good even at .09.
Bare bottom, live rock, good cleanup crew, and the right amount of fish.
Feed frozen and a very small amount of pellets.
Pellets will raise my po4 pretty quick if I feed to much.
20201016_190535.jpg
 

chaoticreefer

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My p04 runs .02-.06 since startup and now 16 months in.
Nitrates run 5-10.
Proper sized skimmer.
I do carbon dose a small amount 4ml a day.
My carbon source is vinegar, sugar, and iron.
Started when po4 went to .09.
Tank looks good even at .09.
Bare bottom, live rock, good cleanup crew, and the right amount of fish.
Feed frozen and a very small amount of pellets.
Pellets will raise my po4 pretty quick if I feed to much.
20201016_190535.jpg

I understand vinegar and sugar, but why iron for carbon dosing? Is there literature on that? Or do you mean for macro algae?
 

Sherrya62

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Where are your nitrates?

Also, it could be your test kit. While Salifert has a good rep when it comes to their test kits, but for phosphates, I recommend the Hanna ulr checker.
My nitrates are high. Too high. Again using the salifert test it reads 25 to 50. Ive been trying to bring it down to no avail
 

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