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High Phosphates need help!!
- Thread starter rudyrizzo
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
As you can see no algae at all I did another water change and put some meds in my tank to get rid of phosphates. I took water to my LFS and had it tested today phosphates were still high everything else was perfect. As you can see in the pics my acans went from great to ****! I’m sending my water in to get tested for everything need to figure out what’s going on.
EmdeReef
2500 Club Member
And are you sure PO4 is causing the trouble? I’ve just had an accident where the feeder dumped all food in and my Hanna ULR flashed 200 meaning my phosphates were out of their testing range but higher than 0.6 for as long as 2 weeks...nothing died but I got cyano...
I don’t know that 1.5ppm would necessarily kill corals... There are people who ignore their PO4 and run their tanks even at 1 and seem to do ok.
Also, some studies would indicate that at least in the short-medium term elevated phosphates would not result in coral death but rather increased growth with, as expected, lower skeletal density...
I don’t know that 1.5ppm would necessarily kill corals... There are people who ignore their PO4 and run their tanks even at 1 and seem to do ok.
Also, some studies would indicate that at least in the short-medium term elevated phosphates would not result in coral death but rather increased growth with, as expected, lower skeletal density...
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
That’s just it I’m so confused all my numbers are excellent except my phosphates, thinking about dipping my acans.
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
Down to 1.10 after a water change
mcarroll
10K Club member
Too superlative – can't possibly be that good.
Can you list the rest of your tested parameters?
What all are you doing for filtration or media? (GFO and...?)
How old is this tank?
Was it ever OK or "normal" or has it always been like this?
If it was normal, what changed about the tank? Maybe something added or removed? Maybe lights adjusted?
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
ALK is at 9Too superlative – can't possibly be that good.
Can you list the rest of your tested parameters?
What all are you doing for filtration or media? (GFO and...?)
How old is this tank?
Was it ever OK or "normal" or has it always been like this?
If it was normal, what changed about the tank? Maybe something added or removed? Maybe lights adjusted?
Mag 1600
Cal 460
Phosphate is at 1.09
Took GFO out
Just running carbon now
ORB is at 38 according to my Apex Fusion
Nitrite and ammonia are perfect
Nitrate is at 5.00 ppm
temp is at 78
Everything looked perfect until 3 weeks ago when my Acans and some brains started looking bad I've lost 3 acans colony's so far.
Run 2 gyre 250s one at full blast and on pulsating medium blast.
Tank is 3 years old
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
Nope have the API Saltwater Master test kit
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
for ALK, MAG, CAL use RedSea pro multi test kit
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
Thanks I've lost a $300 Acan colony and some other Acans. Can't figure out why, was thinking it was my high phosphates. But from reading replies i'm guessing that's not why they died.Your tank looks great to me, I wouldn’t worry about numbers if there’s nothing wrong with your corals
mcarroll
10K Club member
If nothing else happened around 3 weeks ago, then I wonder if this would be better looked at as an acclimation issue for the specific corals in question?
Were any of those acans or brains in the tank prior, or were all of them new additions? Did you take any precautions to acclimate these corals? Too much and too little acclimation can potentially be a problem, depending on your case.
If they were all new, then nutrient, light level and chemistry differences between the tank where they came from and your tank would possibly be significant.
Not too sure what to make of your ORP of 38. Does that seem good/normal for you? I thought that ORP always read in triple digits on a reef tank, but that's just from memory of reading a few other people's experiences.
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
I dip all my corals in bayer, my acans were some of the first corals i added and looked great color and extension was amazing, Then bam!!! I cant find anything on Acan pests that could kill them. I was thinking about adding bacteria to boost my orps back up they went down with the GFO.
mcarroll
10K Club member
Are there other corals in the system from before, and if so how are those doing? Or is the population just these new corals that are ALL having issues?
(Making sure I understand...correct me if I'm wrong.)
If that's all you did for acclimation, then it's possible that light-stress (=tissue damage) played a part. Any idea what the light levels are where these corals came from, or what your light level may be?
@Randy Holmes-Farley might know if there have been any known cases of super-high PO4 causing an issue with acclimation. Not too many folks have probably added corals with PO4 that high.
My experience with acclimation problems and PO4 is at the other end of the spectrum where new tanks are systematically stripped of PO4 and then corals added have problems. Pretty common, but not the same at all.
(Making sure I understand...correct me if I'm wrong.)
If that's all you did for acclimation, then it's possible that light-stress (=tissue damage) played a part. Any idea what the light levels are where these corals came from, or what your light level may be?
@Randy Holmes-Farley might know if there have been any known cases of super-high PO4 causing an issue with acclimation. Not too many folks have probably added corals with PO4 that high.
My experience with acclimation problems and PO4 is at the other end of the spectrum where new tanks are systematically stripped of PO4 and then corals added have problems. Pretty common, but not the same at all.
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rudyrizzo
Active Member
I have a para reader coming soon. All my other corals are doing great one scoly and a brain started looking bad but have rebound. Only corals that have died are most my acans. The acans that died have been in the tank for close to 2 yearsAre there other corals in the system from before, and if so how are those doing? Or is the population just these new corals that are ALL having issues?
(Making sure I understand...correct me if I'm wrong.)
If that's all you did for acclimation, then it's possible that light-stress (=tissue damage) played a part. Any idea what the light levels are where these corals came from, or what your light level may be?
@Randy Holmes-Farley might know if there have been any known cases of super-high PO4 causing an issue with acclimation. Not too many folks have probably added corals with PO4 that high.
My experience with acclimation problems and PO4 is at the other end of the spectrum where new tanks are systematically stripped of PO4 and then corals added have problems. Pretty common, but not the same at all.
GSPClown94
Active Member
Find out how the phosphates are entering your aquarium and try to eliminate the source. RODI water should be 0 TDS, replace the filters. Try testing for phosphates after mixing fresh saltwater in a bucket, it is possible that the salt mix is the culprit. Some foods contain phosphates so be mindful of what goes into your aquarium. GFO is great for removing existing phosphates but try to focus on reducing phosphates entering your aquarium.
It is important to know where the phosphates are coming from. They could also already be quite a reservoir in your aquarium. If you started with dry/dead rock or of you have neglected water changes and other maintenance for a long period of time, then the rock and sand can have quite a bit of phosphate bound to them. This is usually the case when a water change or some GFO lower the phosphate in the water column, only to have it climb right back up again a few days later - the rock and/or sand is releasing some of the bound phosphate.
Can you measure, do a 20-25% water change and measure again a few hours afterward. Then, measure again 48 hours later?
Whatever you do, do not lower this too fast.
BTW - TDS measurement does not mean that it is phosphate. It could be salt or carbonate or any number of other things. Use a ultra-low hannah to check fresh RO.
Can you measure, do a 20-25% water change and measure again a few hours afterward. Then, measure again 48 hours later?
Whatever you do, do not lower this too fast.
BTW - TDS measurement does not mean that it is phosphate. It could be salt or carbonate or any number of other things. Use a ultra-low hannah to check fresh RO.
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