Help, Very High Phophates!

[reefandreptileautomation]

So I have a Large 300 tank with fish only and live rock. I have been struggling with high phophates for a long time. I have adjusted my feeding schedule to less per day. I also have an ATS that isn't doing much probably due to the high phophates. I have a large skimmer and rollermats.

My phophate read today 4.20ppm! I tested twice to make sure. I did a 30% water change just this week and it is still high. I have been doing NoPx for 2 weeks now and still not a dent. My nitrates are not super high at around 20-30ppm. Everything looks happy and healthy but the tank continues to get tons of algae build up. I am trying to convert this system into a reef but I am not sure what to do.

Any suggestions? I have tried GFO and that seems to also not really work.

Thank you.

 

[road_runner]

Did you test using diffrent kit?
Was the jump sudden? Or you always had high po4?
Btw it's not recomended to use gfo with carbon dosing but that is not your current problem so we can discuss that later.

 

[reefandreptileautomation]

This has been a consistent problem for years. I have a ton of fish! I tried with a Red Sea and with a Hanna LR kit diluted on both. I am not using any GFO however I am using NoPx and ATS.

 

[road_runner]

Ok can you give me full details of your system please
Parameters all you know
Filtration and equipments
What's your rocks situation?
Bio load?
Do you keep coral?
How long your system been high po4?

 

[road_runner]

Also some pictures of main tank and sump area would be helpful

 

[reefandreptileautomation]

So I have lost count how many fish I have. I want to say 30 or so. I do not test anything on this tank except the major elements.

- Salinity 32PPT
- Nitrate 20-30ppm
- Phophate 4.20ppm
- Nitrite 0
- Ammonia 0
- Alk - N/A
- Ca - N/A
- Mag - N/A
- pH - 8.0-8.1
- Temp 77-79

I have no idea how much live rock I have but it fills the tank. I have 2 Clarisea SK-5000s, Regal 250 Reef Octopus skimmer, Clearwater Scrubber CW-300, and a chiller. I have 3 pumps (1 open loop, and 2 closed loops with a 40w UV sterilizer. All my decorations are fake. I have 1 Bubble tip anemone and 4 chocale chip starfish. I have attached pictures. I have ZERO coral. This has been this way for probably 5-7 years. All fish are happy and healthy as can be.

 

[reefandreptileautomation]

I also have a Carbon reactor that I put carbon in. I have tried using Chemipure Blue with no success lowering phophates either.

 

[road_runner]

Ok before we start debugging holly smoke you setup is very nice...

Now the question is, if your system fish only, why you think this po4 is very high? I guess I want to understand why you want to bring down po4 in the first place since you run fish only...your ranges should be good enough for FOWLR...

 

[reefandreptileautomation]

I completely agree (everything is super happy) but if you read my initial post I am going to attempt to convert this into a reef and move all my corals from my 65 into it. Furthermore the cleaning on this tank is a full day process with all the fake corals and glass cleanings. If I can prolong them that would be a major benefit but I am cleaning every week.

 

[reefandreptileautomation]

Oh and thanks for the props. Love this tank.

 

[Hemmdog]

I also have a Carbon reactor that I put carbon in. I have tried using Chemipure Blue with no success lowering phophates either.

Chemipure elite is the one the handles phosphate better. I swear by the stuff. I also dose Nopox.

 

[reefandreptileautomation]

I was thinking of trying Elite as well.

Blue is supposed to last longer. Then again I have an ATS that I would think would allow me to not have to use anything else but nope.

 

[road_runner]

I completely agree (everything is super happy) but if you read my initial post I am going to attempt to convert this into a reef and move all my corals from my 65 into it. Furthermore the cleaning on this tank is a full day process with all the fake corals and glass cleanings. If I can prolong them that would be a major benefit but I am cleaning every week.

Ok here is what you need to be ready for.
Your journey to lower po4 will be long. Since system been running with high po4 for so long. All the nutrients are in the rocks the sand..etc.
To treat this properly it will take time because what you are seeing now..I think...is that your rocks and sand are saturated with po4 that's why you think po4 is not getting lower while I think it is, you just not seeing it cause what you taking out of the system the rocks is leaching and fill it back again. So the right way if to keep on the treatment until rocks and sand get rid of all its po4.. this is if you want to use the existing system without ripping it apart or at least start with new rocks and substrate...I know this is not what you want to hear but i really believe that any quick temidy to lower po4 will be temporary.
So, either you are ok taking out the rocks treat it outside the tank then start with new sand..which basically restart. Or you need to be super patient...it will be months...

So let me know what you think, I can out a plan for you if you like...

 

[Hemmdog]

I was thinking of trying Elite as well.

Blue is supposed to last longer. Then again I have an ATS that I would think would allow me to not have to use anything else but nope.

Yea blue lasts a little longer but is different. I run them both at the same time. However, your phosphates are super high and you don’t have a reef so I would look to more drastic measures. Put some phosban in your reactor, you will have trace phosphates in 2-3 days. That stuff works dangerously good, to good for me to trust it in a reef. But short term fix in a fowlr, why not. Your rocks have most likely absorbed a ton of phosphate too, so after you use the reactor the first time, the rocks will leech more out, so you may need to run the reactor a few more times until your rocks are not harboring excess phosphate. That’s what I’d do anyways.

 

[reefandreptileautomation]

I am willing to take my time. Taking every rock out and sand would be quite a process!

Any advice whether it takes a long time or not I’m willing to try.

 

[Matt Carden]

I have been battling high PO4 as well 6ppm. Watching for possible fixes. Good luck

 

[road_runner]

I am willing to take my time. Taking every rock out and sand would be quite a process!

Any advice whether it takes a long time or not I’m willing to try.

Ok. Will put a plan together for you soon. Just give me till am back home. Gonna be one heck of a journey but it's not impossible.

 

[road_runner]

Oh one last thing.
Would taking some of the rocks outside for treatment then putting it back an option?

 

[KrisReef]

Agree with what's been said so far, Tank is beautiful and feeding for 7 years has made your substrate a phosphate sink.
2 questions:
Is that black sand in the tank?
Have you ever had an ICP test for this tank?

Because black (volcanic) sand has been known to leach heavy metals into the water and so you might have another issue beyond Phosphate. You might want to get an ICP test to find out what all the elements you have are sitting at before you start trying to solve (only) phosphate.

 

[NY_Sea]

Water changes, cut back in feeding, removing sand and seachem phosguard put in a bag in a high flow area of my sump worked wonders for me. Just replace the phosguard every week and blow off your rocks with a turkey Baster every few days. Thats what i did until phosphates lowered.
Beautiful tank btw