High phosphate

Daniel225

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Hi quick question is it normal to have high phosphate in new tank? Been running for a few months almost cycled still waiting on cyano to make appearance

i tried weekly water changes of %10 and doesn’t want to budge source water is fine 2 hydra lights running on really low light im rinsing the frozen food before feeding and only feeding lightly

im wanting to try a treatment for high phosphate so I can Put some of my softies in but don’t want to spoil the cycle if phosphate will just deplete on its own after cycle
 

Rmckoy

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High phosphates in a new system can come from many sources . Did you use live rocks from a established tank to seed ?

what are you feeding ?
How high ? What kit are you testing with ?

water changes have little effect on phosphates and in most cases a phosphate removal media is required but ….. it can be a double edged sword .
you don’t want to use too much media that will remove all phosphates this early .
It’s best to find the source for the high introduction prior to battling removing
 

Quietman

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There are many right ways to manage phosphate. Recommendations depend on amount and source as well as your nutrient mgmt method. That's why heavy on questions.

A long term low amount source such as heaviet feeding will need long term mgmt such as algae or phosphate media in installed reactors.

Short term high source, old rocks or some issue may lean towards dosing lanthanum chloride for a quick fix. Although some use it long term as well. Perhaps a bag of phosphate media in sock holder for a few weeks.

If you have/plan a refugium or ATS already then the recommendation might be different than if you desire/use skimmer and water changes.
 

dk2nt9

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If you will be using lanthanum chloride, read about collecting fine sediment before attempting this. From milder phosphate media, GFO has own specifics of use, see explanations at BRS website. Phosguard is different, follow instructions too.
 

Quietman

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My experience is that I've used lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) - brand name PhosphateRx very successfully for almost a year prior to changing to ATS. But start at half dose, it's very effective and you don't want to overshoot. I would dose once or twice a month when PO4 climbed to .1 ppm and then it took it down to .01-.03 ppm.

Also dosing too much at once (beyond instructions) can cause issues with some fish. That's true of almost everything but LaCl3 seems to get an undeserved bad rap because people dose too much too fast.

I also used Phosguard previously and while it acts slower than GFO (IMO) which I like, my levels at the time just didn't require continual removal. There is some possible question on aluminum oxide leaching if I remember right although I never saw it and used that for almost year as well.

Lastly I suppose you could count carbon dosing (NoPoX) my initial desires were to run NoPoX and a skimmer. That worked really well. Too well it turns out. Drove my nutrients to near 0 ppm too often and I never could get the dose fine tuned. Lasted for maybe 6 months. Ended up with dinos - which drove me to the LaCL3 above so I could better control PO4 levels.

Now I run an ATS without a skimmer and do not have any nutrient issues.

As you can see...it's a journey depending on how your individual tank develops.
 
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Daniel225

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It’s at 1ppm testing with salifert

only feeding frozen food and it gets rinsed and mixed with DT water Before feeding

I have a refuigm with cheato and good sized live rock from my lfs that got set up running after the diatoms cycle

I run Skimmer 24/7 I don’t have ATS

and both the sand and rock in DT was dry

and source water is 0ppm from Tap and storage and both phosphate free
 

jda

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The dry rock was probably bound with massive amounts of terrestrial phosphate which is now unbinding into the water column. I would look to LC to get it down... have a sock and a good skimmer. Go slow - this could take a few months.

Also, invest in a quality tool like Hannah Ultra Low Checker. Once you get down to .1, or so, then you might need to switch to GFO, but maybe not if the LC is still working. I would stop when you get to 5-10 ppb and see how it shakes out. Once you get it lower, spend a few hundo on a real live rock kit to seed your tank and stuff.

Remember that you use add LC or GFO, it will remove from the water column quickly, but the rock and sand will unbind a bit slower and raise the water level again.

This is one of the unmentioned pleasures of dealing with dry/dead rock that too few want to tell you about.
 

Pistondog

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+1 @jda, likely rock is leaching po4.
Need 5 micron sock to catch lc precipitate, and skimmer.
Dose it diluted over a few hours into your over flow.
 

nereefpat

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1 ppm is 10-100x higher than I would want it. That means that the rock is full of phosphate. You could change 100% of the water several times, and it would just come back.

I agree with using LC or GFO
 

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A local with a 180 or 240g needed almost two 5 gallon buckets of GFO to get his down, but he had a LOT of dry rock with several hundred pounds. I would use the LC unless you are just too uncomfortable with it.
 
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Daniel225

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Was looking at phosphate RX earlier would that be effective tank is approximately 100gal
 

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Hi quick question is it normal to have high phosphate in new tank? Been running for a few months almost cycled still waiting on cyano to make appearance

i tried weekly water changes of %10 and doesn’t want to budge source water is fine 2 hydra lights running on really low light im rinsing the frozen food before feeding and only feeding lightly

im wanting to try a treatment for high phosphate so I can Put some of my softies in but don’t want to spoil the cycle if phosphate will just deplete on its own after cycle

Water changes should be 20% per week and FAITHFUL. How big is your tank?

Also, I always try to avoid bottled solutions to a problem. Try to ID and correct the source of your P04.
 

Quietman

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Yes LaCl3 is feasible for larger tanks. Take a look at Melevsreef YouTube videos on this topic. He uses it regularly on his very large tank.

I didn't use the fine filter sock when I dosed, just my normal blue white sponge and skimmer. Worked like a charm.

You're going to have to go in stages at that level, don't try to get it to spec all at once.

Once you have it managed at the level you wish then you can assess how fast it increases and determine if further action is needed or if it's normal build up for this stage in tank maturity.
 

Little c big D

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Is it possible the kit is in error? I've heard anything less than a hanna can be wildly inaccurate. Could you call an lfs and see if they can test? Given they use a hanna. I know some don't. Just to verify the reading?
 

homer1475

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A local with a 180 or 240g needed almost two 5 gallon buckets of GFO to get his down, but he had a LOT of dry rock with several hundred pounds. I would use the LC unless you are just too uncomfortable with it.
This x1000. GFO is good, but it gets plugged up rather quickly. Meaning you will go through a ton of it before you even see a dent.

LC is the way to go on larger tanks.
 

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Water changes should be 20% per week and FAITHFUL. How big is your tank?

Also, I always try to avoid bottled solutions to a problem. Try to ID and correct the source of your P04.
I thought water changes do nothing in bringing down phosphates?
 
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Daniel225

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I used phosphate rx perfect fixed it in 3 days done half a dose first time and then done a 2nd round to get it to 0.25 some may say it’s too high but I dont want to starve it all from tank rather air on the side of caution
 

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