How bad is it...

[Reefkeepers Archive]

For some context, I have a 120 gallon 7 month old tank with no fish at the moment and lps/sps colonies. I recently checked the phosphates, they are high, 0.2 to be exact. Normally I'd just add more GFO or turn on my skimmer but the sump water level is too high for the skimmer and my LFS is closed until Friday. Going to do a water change tommorow, though I'm really concerned about the long term effects this will have on the SPS, I have a leptastrea and a cyphastrea, the cyphastrea has been in there for about 10 days and the leptastrea over a month, the last time my phosphates were this high it killed half of said leptastrea and I don't want a repeat of that, they are also wild colonies. I have no idea what caused this, I do broadcast feed but I haven't had a problem previously, like I said there are no fish so nothing decomposed, I recently turned up the WaveMaker which disturbed the sandbed so that's one of the possibilities, also picked up some saltwater from my LFS to top off the sump, which could have disturbed the detritus layer. I'll check again this morning to see if anything has changed but for now I'm not feeling too good about this, also the tempature raised a degree or two over 2 hours, now sitting at 80°F, also concerned about the effects on that. I'm doing a 25 gallon water change if you wanted to know, i have not checked the nitrates as I've always been struggling with low nitrates. Thank you for your help.

 

[Pod_01]

I recently checked the phosphates, they are high, 0.2 to be exact.

I would say in the upper range but not high. High would be over 0.75.
IMO I would do nothing and just monitor the level and do get your skimmer online.

My PO4 goes up to 0.3 and corals are ok.

Quickly dropping PO4 with use of GFO I ended up with dead SPS on few occasions. I would say no to GFO.

Good luck

 

[boacvh]

My advice is don't overreact. The quick changes are worse than the high level in my opinion. Change everything slowly. Your corals will likely be fine with those phosphates for a few days until you go to your LFS. 80F also nothing to be worried about either IMO. My tank runs at 81-82 in summer with no ill effects. If you want to bring temp down a little put some ice in a ziplock and float the bag in your tank or sump, but I think not neccesary

 

[Gtinnel]

also picked up some saltwater from my LFS to top off the sump

I would be more concerned about this than the phosphate level. When you say topping off your sump do you mean you’re replacing evaporated water with saltwater?

Your phosphates are a little high but nothing I’d be concerned about. Your degree or two temperature swing up to 80 isn’t any issue either. Most people’s tanks fluctuate a degree or more as their heaters cycle on and off.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I would be more concerned about this than the phosphate level. When you say topping off your sump do you mean you’re replacing evaporated water with saltwater?

Your phosphates are a little high but nothing I’d be concerned about. Your degree or two temperature swing up to 80 isn’t any issue either. Most people’s tanks fluctuate a degree or more as their heaters cycle on and off.

Not replacing evaporated water, I have an ATO for that. The water level in the sump b was getting low, probably from all the testing and maintenance, just needed go raise that so the return pump wasn't exposed

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I would say in the upper range but not high. High would be over 0.75.
IMO I would do nothing and just monitor the level and do get your skimmer online.

My PO4 goes up to 0.3 and corals are ok.

Quickly dropping PO4 with use of GFO I ended up with dead SPS on few occasions. I would say no to GFO.

Good luck

Would you still recommend a water change?

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I would say in the upper range but not high. High would be over 0.75.
IMO I would do nothing and just monitor the level and do get your skimmer online.

My PO4 goes up to 0.3 and corals are ok.

Quickly dropping PO4 with use of GFO I ended up with dead SPS on few occasions. I would say no to GFO.

Good luck

My advice is don't overreact. The quick changes are worse than the high level in my opinion. Change everything slowly. Your corals will likely be fine with those phosphates for a few days until you go to your LFS. 80F also nothing to be worried about either IMO. My tank runs at 81-82 in summer with no ill effects. If you want to bring temp down a little put some ice in a ziplock and float the bag in your tank or sump, but I think not neccesary

The phosphates were normal this weekend, at .02, how would you recommend lowering the levels without using GFO and shocking the system. I'm thinking live phyto, water change and 3 more tests just to be sure. Do you think using GFO and rapidly dropping the phosphates is what caused the leptastrea to strip last month?

 

[boacvh]

Personally I have had nothing but trouble using GFO so I stay away from it. For a 7mos old tank I'd just stick to water changes and maybe some chaeto. Bring them down slowly over a few weeks. I don't think your level is anything to be worried about. Make sure you are not over feeding.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Personally I have had nothing but trouble using GFO so I stay away from it. For a 7mos old tank I'd just stick to water changes and maybe some chaeto. Bring them down slowly over a few weeks. I don't think your level is anything to be worried about. Make sure you are not over feeding.

CHAETO! Forgot the sump I'm using has a huge, unused refeugium compartment. Though I'm wondering, the corals seem to be doing better?!? They're more open and extended, don't know if this is just their feeding response from high pho4 and could quickly turn south but I don't know...

(The white spots on the leptastrea is old recession and is starting to re-colonize it)

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

UPDATE! Faulty reading from my part, the vial was dirty which caused an incorrect reading, the corals look great today. Thanks for the help everyone! I'll use this advice the next inevitable time my po4 is high

 

[exnisstech]

Not replacing evaporated water, I have an ATO for that. The water level in the sump b was getting low,

My ATO prevents my water level from getting low. Was your ato empty? Just wondering if I'm missing something

 

[Lavey29]

UPDATE! Faulty reading from my part, the vial was dirty which caused an incorrect reading, the corals look great today. Thanks for the help everyone! I'll use this advice the next inevitable time my po4 is high

Glad everything is OK but you do understand .2 phosphate is not high only slightly elevated. My tank thrives consistently in this range and many other incredible tanks run much higher phosphate levels too. It's all about the biome balance and stability. Your tank is still quite young at 7 months and will have fluctuations.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

My ATO prevents my water level from getting low. Was your ato empty? Just wondering if I'm missing something

Lol i can see how that sounds concerning, let me explain. The ato replaces the evaporated freshwater, though through maintenance and enough testing, water removal, splashes, testing samples remove saltwater, so despite the ATO the water level drops without the salinity increasing, you have to move the sensor down to keep the salinity stable. I added the saltwater simply because the water level was getting close to the return pump. The salinity hasn't changed because of this, I did move the sensor to accommodate the new water level, otherwise I'd have a tank crash on my hands!

 

[Gtinnel]

Lol i can see how that sounds concerning, let me explain. The ato replaces the evaporated freshwater, though through maintenance and enough testing, water removal, splashes, testing samples remove saltwater, so despite the ATO the water level drops without the salinity increasing, you have to move the sensor down to keep the salinity stable. I added the saltwater simply because the water level was getting close to the return pump. The salinity hasn't changed because of this, I did move the sensor to accommodate the new water level, otherwise I'd have a tank crash on my hands!

That explains it better. I think the confusion was because most people don’t move their ATO sensor. So if they remove a cup of saltwater the ATO will add a cup of fresh water in its place. The amount of water that you remove for testing and other reasons probably isn’t significant enough that having it replaced with fresh water is a problem.