New tank with phosphate

[vlangel]

I have had phosphates as high as 1ppm without anything bad happening so don't panic. The concern especially in a new tank is unwanted algae. You could combat that with some ornamental macroalgae if you like the looks of macroalgae. Most macroalgae will outcompete nuisance algae. Shaving brush, codium, dragons breath are all easier macros that wont go sexual on you or become invasive.

Also when you begin to see signs of algae, diatoms will probably be first get some clean up crew. In a smaller tank don't go crazy or the CUC will starve. I would think a few snails and maybe 1small blue or red legged hermit would help. You can always add more if they are not keeping up.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

With daily testing on ammonia nitrite nitrate and phosphate?

I mean add an easy soft coral and see what happens over weeks. No need to test ammonia or nitrite at all. I would not test nitrate and phosphate more than weekly.

 

[Zone1090]

I mean add an easy soft coral and see what happens over weeks. No need to test ammonia or nitrite at all. I would not test nitrate and phosphate more than weekly.

So that I understand.
Wait don't do a water change
What should I do next, what am I looking for?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So that I understand.
Wait don't do a water change
What should I do next, what am I looking for?

Step 1: add a soft coeral of your choice.

Step 2. Enjoy it

Step 3. if all goes well, move on to other things

 

[Zone1090]

So that I understand.
Wait don't do a water change
What should I do next, what am I looking for?

Checked water today
Ammonia. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrate. 10
Phosphate 1

Tank is clear. Fish are happy

 

[Zone1090]

saltwater test results. ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5, ph 8, phosphate 0.90, alkalinity 12.2, salinity 34.5 ppt, mag 1320, calcium 450, temp 78.1. right now fish only with live rock. Biocube jr 14g. my rodi water was contaminated have corrected problem that was cause of phosphate pollution. Did a 4 gallon water change and my phosphate stayed the same. Do I need to dose with gfo. If so what brand and how do I apply?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How do you plan to export nutrients going forward?

 

[Zone1090]

How do you plan to export nutrients going forward?

Sorry don't understand?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If phosphate was perfect right now in this new tank, did you have any plan to export nutrients later when there are more fish?

From your answer, I’d guess not. Folks should generally plan out how they want to export nutrients, such as a refugium growing macroalgae, phosphate binders, organic carbon dosing, skimming, water changes, etc.

 

[Zone1090]

If phosphate was perfect right now in this new tank, did you have any plan to export nutrients later when there are more fish?

From your answer, I’d guess not. Folks should generally plan out how they want to export nutrients, such as a refugium growing macroalgae, phosphate binders, organic carbon dosing, skimming, water changes, etc.

I have a tunze 9001 protein Skimmer. Goggle says to use RowaPhos. I'm ok with that, but is there a better way? Is that something I need to continue throughout the tanks life?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have a tunze 9001 protein Skimmer. Goggle says to use RowaPhos. I'm ok with that, but is there a better way? Is that something I need to continue throughout the tanks life?

Don't take reef chemistry advice from google. That recommendation is ridiculously precise. There are lots of ways to reduce phosphate (assuming you need to at all) and lots of brands of GFO that compete with Rowaphos.

Some great tanks have phosphate of 1 ppm (some are shown in the article below). Lowering it is fine, and I might do so, but it may not make any apparent difference.

GFO has pros and cons. Among the cons are expense and binding of other things you want (trace elements).

I'd suggest looking over this article before embarking on a lowering plan.

Randy’s Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges by Randy Holmes-Farley Almost nothing in the world of reef aquarium chemistry causes as much discussion as selecting and maintaining ranges for nitrate and phosphate. Some aquarists want low targets, some want...

www.reef2reef.com

from it:

4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:

• Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
• Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
• Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
• Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

 

[Zone1090]

Don't take reef chemistry advice from google. That recommendation is ridiculously precise. There are lots of ways to reduce phosphate (assuming you need to at all) and lots of brands of GFO that compete with Rowaphos.

Some great tanks have phosphate of 1 ppm (some are shown in the article below). Lowering it is fine, and I might do so, but it may not make any apparent difference.

GFO has pros and cons. Among the cons are expense and binding of other things you want (trace elements).

I'd suggest looking over this article before embarking on a lowering plan.

Randy’s Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges by Randy Holmes-Farley Almost nothing in the world of reef aquarium chemistry causes as much discussion as selecting and maintaining ranges for nitrate and phosphate. Some aquarists want low targets, some want...

www.reef2reef.com

from it:

4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:

• Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
• Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
• Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
• Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

Now that I fixed the rodi issue, will the tank take care of the phosphate numbers I've created?
My tank looks great, water is clear. I do have a little hair algae on shadow side of rock, but that's it. I guess im chasing numbers because I have no experience.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Now that I fixed the rodi issue, will the tank take care of the phosphate numbers I've created?
My tank looks great, water is clear. I do have a little hair algae on shadow side of rock, but that's it. I guess im chasing numbers because I have no experience.

I don't know. many tanks run high phosphate since the main source is typically foods. :)

 

[Zone1090]

Don't take reef chemistry advice from google. That recommendation is ridiculously precise. There are lots of ways to reduce phosphate (assuming you need to at all) and lots of brands of GFO that compete with Rowaphos.

Some great tanks have phosphate of 1 ppm (some are shown in the article below). Lowering it is fine, and I might do so, but it may not make any apparent difference.

GFO has pros and cons. Among the cons are expense and binding of other things you want (trace elements).

I'd suggest looking over this article before embarking on a lowering plan.

Randy’s Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges by Randy Holmes-Farley Almost nothing in the world of reef aquarium chemistry causes as much discussion as selecting and maintaining ranges for nitrate and phosphate. Some aquarists want low targets, some want...

www.reef2reef.com

from it:

4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:

• Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
• Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
• Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin toko focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
• Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

I don't know. many tanks run high phosphate since the main source is typically foods. :)

As a newbie it's extremely hard to find good guidance. I'm glad I found your site. The article was very informative. Some of it was way over my head. Its hard not to look at numbers in this hobby...as a beginner it's all you really have until you get some experience. I got this biocube jr for Christmas, im glad I got it but it would of been better if it was 20-40 gallons.
I guess I'll take a wait and see approach. Even with my high 0.90 phosphate I don't have an algie problem. I know my problem was my top off water. So as I do water changes it should fix itself. I'm pretty sure im not overfeeding my fish as my phosphate issue was there before I put them in.
If I do anything I think the algie refumage is something for me to try. I don't have alot of room in my biocube. There's a little room at bottom of chamber 2 under protein Skimmer. Could it go into chamber 3 with return pump? How do I get started?
Thanks again for all your help!
John

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As a newbie it's extremely hard to find good guidance. I'm glad I found your site. The article was very informative. Some of it was way over my head. Its hard not to look at numbers in this hobby...as a beginner it's all you really have until you get some experience. I got this biocube jr for Christmas, im glad I got it but it would of been better if it was 20-40 gallons.
I guess I'll take a wait and see approach. Even with my high 0.90 phosphate I don't have an algie problem. I know my problem was my top off water. So as I do water changes it should fix itself. I'm pretty sure im not overfeeding my fish as my phosphate issue was there before I put them in.
If I do anything I think the algie refumage is something for me to try. I don't have alot of room in my biocube. There's a little room at bottom of chamber 2 under protein Skimmer. Could it go into chamber 3 with return pump? How do I get started?
Thanks again for all your help!
John

A macroalgae refugium generally takes a fair amount of space. Some folks use algae reactors or algal turf scrubber systems that can be more compact. :)

 

[Zone1090]

A macroalgae refugium generally takes a fair amount of space. Some folks use algae reactors or algal turf scrubber systems that can be more compact. :)

I can't afford the reactors or Scrubbers. How much room do I need for microalge? I'm using 3/4 of my chamber 2 on my biocube jr 14g. Can I put microalgie in a media bag and put in chamber 1 or 3? Sorry for all the newbie questions!
Finally, with my phosphate at 0.90 and having found the sorce of polluant. If I continue with water changes will my phosphate decrease? Should just wait?