Phos issue please help

[jacobcoral]

I added a product called phosphate-e
3 capfuls which is way over suggested rates

Currently
Alk 10.9
Phos .41
Nitrate 2.5

So I panicked bc I thought I added too much phos-e and over fed reef foods and Red Sea reef food.

So now my problem is I’m assuming the phos is too high because previously my tank sat at .22ish steadily

Here’s a pic of the tank (some zoas are still fine some are closed)

Here’s a pic of the bottle of product

 

[Kooma]

Large water change, test in 12 hours.

50% or bigger would be ideal since your phos doubled.

 

[jacobcoral]

Large water change, test in 12 hours.

50% or bigger would be ideal since your phos doubled.

Some things are still very good some are partially opened? Should I just do like 20%?

 

[bubbgee]

It is effective. But I would do this slowly as it can hurt tangs or fishes. Do 1/3 of the recommended dose through a filter sock or filter roller.

 

[Kooma]

Not sure what you mean.

Do as much as you have water. If your at 0.44 phos and 20% will lower it to 0.36.

 

[jacobcoral]

Not sure what you mean.

Do as much as you have water. If your at 0.44 phos and 20% will lower it to 0.36.

So you think 50 is the number?

 

[get-salty]

50% wc is dropping it too fast. id 25% and wait at least 24 hr then another 25%

dont want to drop po4 to quick.

 

[Blitzrunner83]

I’m confused. You added phos e because you wanted to lower your phos. You added too much and started feeding your tank. Now your phos is way high?

What is the time frame of this? The bottle probably says not to test for 24hrs because it needs time to work. Also putting in reef roids and such is not going to make an immediate change. That stuff has to break down and turn into phosphate before you can measure it.

When did you add phos e? What is the new phos measurement?

 

[jacobcoral]

I’m confused. You added phos e because you wanted to lower your phos. You added too much and started feeding your tank. Now your phos is way high?

What is the time frame of this? The bottle probably says not to test for 24hrs because it needs time to work. Also putting in reef roids and such is not going to make an immediate change. That stuff has to break down and turn into phosphate before you can measure it.

When did you add phos e? What is the new phos measurement?

I added it about 24 hours ago. I tested recently and phos when up to .44

 

[BryanM]

I added it about 24 hours ago. I tested recently and phos when up to .44

reality: Don't panic.

My reality isn't everyones, but I can tell you if you've got mostly LPS, while parameter swings are not optimal by any means, they are also not the end of the world.

Good advice is go slower, so I'd probably do a 20% water change, maybe every day for a week.

Panic causes more harm usually than anything else.

I've been battling .9 blinking phosphate for over a month. Nothing has died. I do not have any SPS however.

 

[jacobcoral]

reality: Don't panic.

My reality isn't everyones, but I can tell you if you've got mostly LPS, while parameter swings are not optimal by any means, they are also not the end of the world.

Good advice is go slower, so I'd probably do a 20% water change, maybe every day for a week.

Panic causes more harm usually than anything else.

I've been battling .9 blinking phosphate for over a month. Nothing has died. I do not have any SPS however.

Okay that’s what I was thinking

 

[Blitzrunner83]

I don’t see anywhere on the instructions for how long it takes to take effect. It says it could irritate corals. I would not do anything for a couple days. If you truly overdosed this, I would assume the phosphates are going to lower. Just test twice a day, At least once, and see how things are reacting.

 

[Uncle99]

Phosphate E must be used with a very fine filter sock to catch the Floculent produced as the treatment reacts with phosphate in the water.

Water would look cloudy for an hour or two, but, I would not test for 24 hours after treatment.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don’t see anywhere on the instructions for how long it takes to take effect. It says it could irritate corals. I would not do anything for a couple days. If you truly overdosed this, I would assume the phosphates are going to lower. Just test twice a day, At least once, and see how things are reacting.

Its immediate, but the lanthanum phosphate particles may still be in the water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I added a product called phosphate-e
3 capfuls which is way over suggested rates

Currently
Alk 10.9
Phos .41
Nitrate 2.5

So I panicked bc I thought I added too much phos-e and over fed reef foods and Red Sea reef food.

So now my problem is I’m assuming the phos is too high because previously my tank sat at .22ish steadily

Here’s a pic of the tank (some zoas are still fine some are closed)

Here’s a pic of the bottle of product

We had a whole long thread about this exact topic by you yesterday. Same answers apply today.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/phos.1111309/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Not sure what you mean.

Do as much as you have water. If your at 0.44 phos and 20% will lower it to 0.36.

No, it won’t. Yea, there will be an immediate drop, then a climb back to where it was as phosphate desorbs from rock and sand.

 

[jacobcoral]

No, it won’t. Yea, there will be an immediate drop, then a climb back to where it was as phosphate desorbs from rock and sand.

My phos dipped back down to .26, I didn’t do anything to the tank. Some zoas are still
Closed alk is 11 any ideas what could
Be going on?

 

[BryanM]

My phos dipped back down to .26, I didn’t do anything to the tank. Some zoas are still
Closed alk is 11 any ideas what could
Be going on?

Most things don't instantly react to water quality changes.

Have you always ran your alk that high? It's fine, as long as its generally always been up there.... if not, that could be why the zoas are still mad.

Depending on the kind of zoa I've found some to be quite picky on placement, light, flow. Others don't have a care in the world where they are placed.