High Phospate

[Jono562]

Looking for some advice from the forum on my phosphate issue. I had been checking my No3 & Po4 with Red Sea Algae Control kit for the past month. My Po4 was pretty steady at 0.12 & No3 undetectable. Since the Po4 wasn't off the charts but steady I let it go. Upon purchasing a digital Hanna tester for Po4 to my surprise my first test was 0.68 did another with similar results. Tested again with RedSea same 0.12. Did a 50% water change and got it down to 0.14 next day back up to 0.29 and sitting at 0.35 now pretty steady. My tank is only about 12 weeks in. I cycled it with live sand, dry (previous live) rock from my LFS, and added live bacteria. Roughly 2 week cycle. I've tested everything multiple times. The only thing I can assume is the dry rock I used is leaching the phosphates.

 

[acesfull44]

I run mine between .08 and .12, so I don't feel like you have a phosphate issue at all, however, depending on your live stock, other parameters, some may prefer a much lower number.

Less feeding and shorter photo periods are a potential solution. I dose 10ml of NoPox daily so that helps me maintain mine so feeding a lighting are not a terrible issue. Obviously running GFO would be a + if your trying to lower it. There are way more qualified people than I to give you advice here, so I will be interested in seeing what people have to say. GL.

 

[ReefGeezer]

.12 is not terrible particularly if you tank is well established. You are probably right about the leaching. Lanthanum Chloride used carefully can help you lower the level over time. GFO would help too but would be more expensive.

 

[Jono562]

.12 is not terrible particularly if you tank is well established. You are probably right about the leaching. Lanthanum Chloride used carefully can help you lower the level over time. GFO would help too but would be more expensive.

0.12 was a false reading. My current reading 0.35

 

[ReefGeezer]

0.12 was a false reading. My current reading 0.35

Crap... sorry I just scanned the post. So... new tank, high phosphate. Old live rock can be the worst for bound phosphate. .35 is high but not anything to get excited about. If it's the rocks it will take time to reduce the level. Water changes, GFO, lantanum chloride, Cheato if it will grow, and time can help reduce it to a more desirable level.

 

[Jono562]

0.12 was a false reading. My current reading 0.35

I dont

Crap... sorry I just scanned the post. So... new tank, high phosphate. Old live rock can be the worst for bound phosphate. .35 is high but not anything to get excited about. If it's the rocks it will take time to reduce the level. Water changes, GFO, lantanum chloride, Cheato if it will grow, and time can help reduce it to a more desirable level.

Thanks appreciate the advice. I was told I could I could remove my rock durring the next water change and do rinse in the bucket with tank water to remove all the loose crap. My worry is to kill bacteria or crash the tank.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I dont

Thanks appreciate the advice. I was told I could I could remove my rock durring the next water change and do rinse in the bucket with tank water to remove all the loose crap. My worry is to kill bacteria or crash the tank.

It's not the loose crap that is the problem. It is the phosphate bound to the internal and external surfaces of the rock . The bond is weak and the phosphate will leach into the water until equilibrium is reached. When you lower the phosphate level in the water, more phosphate leaches. There is a limit to the bound phosphate, if you keep reducing the level in the water it will eventually stop rising.

 

[Jono562]

It's not the loose crap that is the problem. It is the phosphate bound to the internal and external surfaces of the rock . The bond is weak and the phosphate will leach into the water until equilibrium is reached. When you lower the phosphate level in the water, more phosphate leaches. There is a limit to the bound phosphate, if you keep reducing the level in the water it will eventually stop rising.

I also had zero nitrates so I'm doing potassium nitrate to get some nitrates back in the water column. Thanks I really appreciate the info

 

[bpro32]

If it makes you feel any better, my phosphate was over 2.5ppm (yes, you read that right) for idk how long. I just started testing ~2.5 months ago and have slowly reduced it to .24 with gfo and an algae reactor growing chaeto like crazy. I only keep softies, but I’ve never had any major problems with algae other than it growing faster than average on the glass.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I also had zero nitrates so I'm doing potassium nitrate to get some nitrates back in the water column. Thanks I really appreciate the info

For what it's worth, I'd say your tank is too young to worry about low nitrates. That'll change soon enough.

 

[AngelFly]

Same issue had phosphates off chart, nopox helped lower to .08-.12 can I use GFO in addition to nopox to lower phosphates ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Same issue had phosphates off chart, nopox helped lower to .08-.12 can I use GFO in addition to nopox to lower phosphates ?

Yes, but you may do more harm than good if you are not careful to not lower it too far. 0.1 ppm is typically OK.

 

[HB AL]

I keep a couple bags of Seachem Phosgaurd in my sump and it keeps levels relatively low in my heavily populated fish and coral mixed reef.

 

[AngelFly]

I'm also using the kent phosphate sponge but have no idea how long to leave it in and replace. Instructions say 8 hrs to 2 days, reheat twice then disguard. Way too expensive and difficult to maintain this schedule. So is Phosguard different? Also used NP-Active Pearls at one time. Believe I had some luck with those.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm also using the kent phosphate sponge but have no idea how long to leave it in and replace. Instructions say 8 hrs to 2 days, reheat twice then disguard. Way too expensive and difficult to maintain this schedule. So is Phosguard different? Also used NP-Active Pearls at one time. Believe I had some luck with those.

Seachem Phosguard and Kent phosphate sponge are both aluminum oxide. Both are different than GFO (iron oxide).

 

[Rmckoy]

I’d personally try being nitrates up a little above 0 or another test to confirm .
What are your other parameters ?
alk , cal , Sg ?

 

[AngelFly]

I added phos guard other day along with sponge. Still .12-.14 phosphates. However my alk is 18.2 dkh , cal 350mg/l and mg 840mg/l. My test kit is yr expired so not sure how accurate numbers are. Would the high alk explain why I lost my sebae anemone ? Ideas on how to lower it ? I have used the c-balance b-balance from Two little Fishies but that would seem to increase all three.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I added phos guard other day along with sponge. Still .12-.14 phosphates. However my alk is 18.2 dkh , cal 350mg/l and mg 840mg/l. My test kit is yr expired so not sure how accurate numbers are. Would the high alk explain why I lost my sebae anemone ? Ideas on how to lower it ? I have used the c-balance b-balance from Two little Fishies but that would seem to increase all three.

How did you decide how much TLF C-balance to add?

I'm skeptical that the numbers are accurate. magnesium is almost certainly not that low.

Try those kits on some new salt water made with any decent brand and let's see what you get.

Are you using tap water for salt mix and /or evaporation replacement?

 

[AngelFly]

So I dropped my sg to 1.023 per triton test support. However the Coral pro salt says mix to 34sg which should provide 450cal 1350mg, 11.5kh. I lowered it by simply doing 5% water changes a week for months and not adding salt. So guessing I need to water change and increase sg to add mg and cal and stop with the reef buffer which may balance out the kh. I was also using reef buffer which increases ph but also kh according to Seachem support. My ph is 8.2

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So I dropped my sg to 1.023 per triton test support. However the Coral pro salt says mix to 34sg which should provide 450cal 1350mg, 11.5kh. I lowered it by simply doing 5% water changes a week for months and not adding salt. So guessing I need to water change and increase sg to add mg and cal and stop with the reef buffer which may balance out the kh. I was also using reef buffer which increases ph but also kh according to Seachem support. My ph is 8.2

Why did you lower the sg initially?

How are you measuring sg?

FWIW, all chemicals purporting to raise pH are alkalinity supplements.