High phosphates

[Kapachuka3]

Just tested my water with a good test kit for the first time. Turns out I have high phosphates which I think is the reason for why my clownfish is acting weird. Any idea of how to get phosphates out of my tank, I have heard phosguard works. Opinions?

 

[dstockwell]

Phosphate-E

 

[Kapachuka3]

Phosphate-E

I also does carbon would this affect it at all?

 

[Big G]

What ever you do decide to lower your phosphate levels, when it is this high don't lower it too fast otherwise your tank and critters could suffer. No more than 1.0 ppm per day.

- Water changes
- over feeding, especially frozen fish foods. The liquid should be strained out and not put into the tank.
- check your RODI equipment

 

[Kapachuka3]

What ever you do decide to lower your phosphate levels, when it is this high don't lower it too fast otherwise your tank and critters could suffer. No more than 1.0 ppm per day.

- Water changes
- over feeding, especially frozen fish foods. The liquid should be strained out and not put into the tank.
- check your RODI equipment

What do you mean by strained out?

 

[Lavey29]

Just tested my water with a good test kit for the first time. Turns out I have high phosphates which I think is the reason for why my clownfish is acting weird. Any idea of how to get phosphates out of my tank, I have heard phosguard works. Opinions?

You may want to get a second opinion test done at your LFS.

 

[Coolcasino]

What do you mean by strained out?

Place frozen foods in cup. Let it thaw out. Strain the water. Feed just the food. I place frozen mysis in a cup with some tank water. Then I strain it thru a very fine net.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Place frozen foods in cup. Let it thaw out. Strain the water. Feed just the food. I place frozen mysis in a cup with some tank water. Then I strain it thru a very fine net.

Oh I thought he meant the phosphat treatment stuff.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Just tested my water with a good test kit for the first time. Turns out I have high phosphates which I think is the reason for why my clownfish is acting weird. Any idea of how to get phosphates out of my tank, I have heard phosguard works. Opinions?

The Salifert test is not a particularly useful test for reef tanks as it is too dificult to distinguish the colors under 0.1 ppm.

In order to read the test you should take off the cap, place the vial on the chart, and look down from above under daylight lighting, preferably outdoors.

If you intend keeping sensitive coral, you will need either the Red Sea Pro Test, or preferably the Hanna ULR Phosphate checker.

To slowly reduce phospates (if necessary) you could use an aluminium based remover such as Phosguard in a bag in your filter/sump, or GFO in a reactor in the sump.

 

[Big G]

What do you mean by strained out?

A "brine shrimp" net makes an excellent strainer. Let the frozen fish food thaw in the net. You can also rinse the remaining food with a bit of tank water to further remove the phosphate rich liquids from the thawed food.

 

[Coolcasino]

Phosphate-E needs to be dosed very slowly and into a very fine filter sock. And you need to test frequently. Some dose it in the skimmer neck. Others use a dosing pump.

 

[Kapachuka3]

The Salifert test is not a particularly useful test for reef tanks as it is too dificult to distinguish the colors under 0.1 ppm.

In order to read the test you should take off the cap, place the vial on the chart, and look down from above under daylight lighting, preferably outdoors.

If you intend keeping sensitive coral, you will need either the Red Sea Pro Test, or preferably the Hanna ULR Phosphate checker.

To slowly reduce phospates (if necessary) you could use an aluminium based remover such as Phosguard in a bag in your filter/sump, or GFO in a reactor in the sump.

Ok thank you. I only intend to keep hardy soft corals, I am however worried that my clownfish is not getting enough oxygen, so is phosguard like carbon kind of? Coudl they both be in the tank at the same time?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

.

 

[Coolcasino]

Yes they can. Just in different media bags.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

A "brine shrimp" net makes an excellent strainer. Let the frozen fish food thaw in the net. You can also rinse the remaining food with a bit of tank water to further remove the phosphate rich liquids from the thawed food.

Or, just use tweezers to pick out the thawed "meat" and add it to your tank...

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Ok thank you. I only intend to keep hardy soft corals, I am however worried that my clownfish is not getting enough oxygen, so is phosguard like carbon kind of? Coudl they both be in the tank at the same time?

Excess phosphate would not cause low oxygen... Why do you think your clown isn't getting enough oxygen?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Ok thank you. I only intend to keep hardy soft corals, I am however worried that my clownfish is not getting enough oxygen, so is phosguard like carbon kind of? Coudl they both be in the tank at the same time?

Okay, the Salifert test is perfectly fine for Soft Coral and most LPS, you just want something close to 0.1.
The barest hint of blue is all the tank needs - I used one of those tests for a long time with a nano.

You can use Phosguard and Carbon at the same time - just not too much phosguard - I used a teaspoon in a 10 gal nano. It's better to use less and change it when required than overdo it and strip all the phosphate from the water.

Put the carbon and phosguard in separate bags and change when needed.

Neither will affect oxygen levels as long as you rinse and soak them in RODI before use.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Excess phosphate would not cause low oxygen... Why do you think your clown isn't getting enough oxygen?

Because he is breathing heavy. I have another thread about this problem.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Because he is breathing heavy. I have another thread about this problem.

I also read that carbon can increase phosphate levels, should I remove my carbon bag?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I also read that carbon can increase phosphate levels, should I remove my carbon bag?

I'm not sure how carbon itself could increase phos, but if the carbon bag/filter material is catching a lot of waste material, then leaving it in the system too long will allow that waste to break down into nitrate, phosphate, etc.