Is there a post Dino safe phosphate control?

homer1475

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FWIW....

2.3 I don't consider high at all. I would ideally like to keep them around 5 in a new tank. In my well established tank I run them between 15 and 20.
 
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CoralClasher

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Hard to say how much to use. I found my optimal amount through trial an error.

If your using it in a media bag just placed in your sump, it looses it effectiveness pretty quickly. GFO really needs to be tumbled or it clumps together making it useless.

Only way to know is to try it and find out.

Put some in. run a test to get a baseline. Test in 24 hours to see how much has been removed. then test again in another 24 to see if it's still being removed.

Your fears of getting dino's again shouldn;t be an issue unless you drop
Hard to say how much to use. I found my optimal amount through trial an error.

If your using it in a media bag just placed in your sump, it looses it effectiveness pretty quickly. GFO really needs to be tumbled or it clumps together making it useless.

Only way to know is to try it and find out.

Put some in. run a test to get a baseline. Test in 24 hours to see how much has been removed. then test again in another 24 to see if it's still being removed.

Your fears of getting dino's again shouldn;t be an issue unless you drop phosphates to 0.
Okay 24 hours with 1/2 cup GFO dropped phosphate from 0.84 to 0.78.
 
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CoralClasher

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Yesterday and today phosphate is 0.66. Do I wait for phosphate to go up before replacing the GFO or replace it now or add another bag with a 1/2 cup? How long should GFO last?
 
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So I’ve been changing the GFO every 4-5 days. I’m still at 0.69 phosphate. I want to try this stuff from PetCo but I need help with how much to use.
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Crustaceon

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Yesterday and today phosphate is 0.66. Do I wait for phosphate to go up before replacing the GFO or replace it now or add another bag with a 1/2 cup? How long should GFO last?
You’re on the right path here. When you see an increase in P04, that’s when you change media. You’ll know the GFO is exhausted and you can get a better idea of how much GFO (Kent) is going to reduce Po4 in your system by a certain amount. You don’t want to get into a pattern of replacing things based on time. It’s better to do things based on necessity and seeing a gradual reduction of Po4 is going to give you a far better outcome than if you switch media weekly and end up overdoing it. I’d take that slight bump in phosphates for the security of knowing it’s time to swap in fresh media and having better control of how quickly your phosphates are being reduced. For the Kent stuff, i’d start with 1/4 of what they recommend and if you see an increase in Po4, add a little more until you see a controllable decrease.
 
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CoralClasher

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Well so far I’m not happy with the Kent stuff. It took almost five gallons of RODI to get 1/2 cup to run clear. I hope this stuff works wonders on Phosphate.
 

vetteguy53081

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Well so far I’m not happy with the Kent stuff. It took almost five gallons of RODI to get 1/2 cup to run clear. I hope this stuff works wonders on Phosphate.
Neither was I why I use ChemiPure which is in a pouch
 
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CoralClasher

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So I’ve been changing the GFO every 4-5 days. I’m still at 0.69 phosphate. I want to try this stuff from PetCo but I need help with how much to use.
399672CB-7F7B-4631-AA51-7B3156437E87.jpeg
BDB4E64D-CE1D-49C0-949C-FF3CE161834A.jpeg
Update: I’ve been using this stuff 1/2 cup per day. Phosphate today is 0.33. Would it be a good idea to chill on phosphate removal for a week to let things adjust? Or is this slow enough and keep doing what I’m doing?
 
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CoralClasher

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Finally got phosphate down to 0.14. I wanted to see what’s growing on the glass so I left one side for five days.
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Okay one more question before I use GFO. If I add more No3 will my tank use more phosphate?

To drop phosphates with nutrients you will need more nitrates and more dissolved organic carbon, the plus side with this is that it will reduce your organic nutrient and most likely change the film in the glass from green to white/clear ish colour.
you will also need a skimmer to extract the bacteria
 
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CoralClasher

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To drop phosphates with nutrients you will need more nitrates and more dissolved organic carbon, the plus side with this is that it will reduce your organic nutrient and most likely change the film in the glass from green to white/clear ish colour.
you will also need a skimmer to extract the bacteria
My No3 has been 6.5-7.9 for the last week or so. I have a feeling that my DON is pretty high. I just sent in a ICP and DOC triton tests and should have results soon. My LFS has a massive used skimmer but they said if I can keep No3 low I don’t need it. I’ve been watching your phytoplankton dosing thread and thinking of trying it on this tank. Do you think I could control nutrients without a skimmer? My tank has really been liking the dead phyto-feast but live sounds better.
 

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My No3 has been 6.5-7.9 for the last week or so. I have a feeling that my DON is pretty high. I just sent in a ICP and DOC triton tests and should have results soon. My LFS has a massive used skimmer but they said if I can keep No3 low I don’t need it. I’ve been watching your phytoplankton dosing thread and thinking of trying it on this tank. Do you think I could control nutrients without a skimmer? My tank has really been liking the dead phyto-feast but live sounds better.
The simple answer is yes, it will take time but live phytoplankton dosing aids the depletion of DON that is the cause of algae blooms and other nuisances in my opinion, it’s not the only way there is also other effective ways to achieve similar results the usage of Doc will also aid to achieve similar results as the increase in Doc will reduce Nitrogen and phosphorus not just nitrates and phosphates. If I was to recommend a source of Doc I would say np bacto balance or reef actif from tropic marine that is made from seaweed ( may be similar to phytoplankton carbon source) according to tropic nuisances have more trouble in processing this forms of Doc.
 
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The simple answer is yes, it will take time but live phytoplankton dosing aids the depletion of DON that is the cause of algae blooms and other nuisances in my opinion, it’s not the only way there is also other effective ways to achieve similar results the usage of Doc will also aid to achieve similar results as the increase in Doc will reduce Nitrogen and phosphorus not just nitrates and phosphates. If I was to recommend a source of Doc I would say np bacto balance or reef actif from tropic marine that is made from seaweed ( may be similar to phytoplankton carbon source) according to tropic nuisances have more trouble in processing this forms of Doc.
What do you think about this N-DOC test?
 

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What do you think about this N-DOC test?
I haven’t used them personally although they seem a effective way to know certain amounts of nutrients that we can’t test at home, I believe that set a average amount that most balance system tend to have and will direct you how to achieve those balance
 
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CoralClasher

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I haven’t used them personally although they seem a effective way to know certain amounts of nutrients that we can’t test at home, I believe that set a average amount that most balance system tend to have and will direct you how to achieve those balance
Did you click on the link to my DOC test? They say I have no TIC or a few other things? Should I really believe them?
 

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Did you click on the link to my DOC test? They say I have no TIC or a few other things? Should I really believe them?
Sorry I didn’t had click on it before, I wasn’t ware you did the test. I assumed you were asking if the test was a good idea.

what’s your current Kh and nitrates?
 
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Sorry I didn’t had click on it before, I wasn’t ware you did the test. I assumed you were asking if the test was a good idea.

what’s your current Kh and nitrates?
When I sent the test ALK 8.85DKH No3 7ppm. Today ALK 9DKH No3 3.9ppm. I have been adding MB7 five cap full daily. 110 gallons total water. Still growing green algae on the glass.
 

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According t
When I sent the test ALK 8.85DKH No3 7ppm. Today ALK 9DKH No3 3.9ppm. I have been adding MB7 five cap full daily. 110 gallons total water. Still growing green algae on the glass.
how long did the sample took to get to them? The issue you may have is that the if the algae was to get into the sample it could of depleted the inorganic carbon and nitrogen during the travel. It’s a tuff one to answer really.
 

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