Phosphate issues

[geli]

I have a Biocube 32 an can't get the phosphate level below 0.2 to 0.3 ppm (measured with Hanna phosphate ULR). Nitrate is less than 0.2ppm. I do a 10-15% water change weekly, have a protein skimmer, two filter bags with carbon and GFO, and a refugium, all in the built-in sump in the back. I feed manually just the amount that the fish will eat right away (pellets in the morning, mysis shrimp at night). I have two clown fish, a royal grama, yellow tail blue damsel, six line wrasse and a lawnmower blenny. No corals yet but I would like some once the phosphate goes down.

Questions: (I'm a neb so please bear with me)
1) is it safe to turn on the lights? I started the tank 6 months ago but am afraid I'll get an algae problem if I turn on the lights in the aquarium while the phosphate is high
2) should I get a tumbler for the GFO? I have GFO in a mesh bag so it might not do much. If so, which tumbler and how should I mount it? I looked into the two little fishies PhosBan 150 but all I could find on YouTube about mounting the tumbler requires a sump underneath or cutting holes in the lid to hang it on the back, both don't seem like great options
2) Can an overactive refugium cause high phosphate? I have the InTank refugium for the Biocube and a submersible refugium LED light in the chamber with a mesh cage around it so the algae don't get too close to the light. The refugium light is on 14h per day. The chaeto algae are growing like crazy, I have to harvest over half of it each week. Should I reduce the time that the refugium light is on?

Thanks for your help!

 

[exnisstech]

Personally I wouldn't worry about PO4 at those levels, especially on a new tank. I like to let new tanks settle in without intervening and see where they settle on their own. I've not found high PO4 to cause algae. In fact anytime I've had a nuisance algae problem it was in tanks with low N and P at or near 0.
As far as turning on the lights, if you don't have coral there's no need to run them. You'll most likely have to deal with nuisance algae aka the uglies at some point regardless of PO4 levels especially if you started with dry rock.

This tank is an example why i feel the way I do about high PO4 and algae. I tested yesterday and PO4 was flashing 0.9 which is as high as my Hanna ULR tester can read so I have to assume it's somewhere over 1.0 I lack the knowledge to explain the science and why so many people blame high nutrients for nuisance algae. I only have my experiences to go by.

Glass is dirty and it's not a great shot but you can see the lack of algae in the tank. Tank has been running 2.5 years.

I can't comment on the fuge because I never found mine useful at reducing nutrients when I ran one several years ago.

 

[geli]

Personally I wouldn't worry about PO4 at those levels, especially on a new tank. I like to let new tanks settle in without intervening and see where they settle on their own. I've not found high PO4 to cause algae. In fact anytime I've had a nuisance algae problem it was in tanks with low N and P at or near 0.
As far as turning on the lights, if you don't have coral there's no need to run them. You'll most likely have to deal with nuisance algae aka the uglies at some point regardless of PO4 levels especially if you started with dry rock.

This tank is an example why i feel the way I do about high PO4 and algae. I tested yesterday and PO4 was flashing 0.9 which is as high as my Hanna ULR tester can read so I have to assume it's somewhere over 1.0 I lack the knowledge to explain the science and why so many people blame high nutrients for nuisance algae. I only have my experiences to go by.

Glass is dirty and it's not a great shot but you can see the lack of algae in the tank. Tank has been running 2.5 years.

I can't comment on the fuge because I never found mine useful at reducing nutrients when I ran one several years ago.

Thank you, nice tank!
I just find it depressing to have the tank in the dark so would like to turn on the light but I don't want to deal with the algae. I started with live rock and sand. So your corals seem to do fine despite high phosphate? I would love to add corals but thought you have to wait until the phosphate is below 0.05ppm

 

[JWsticks]

I have a Biocube 32 an can't get the phosphate level below 0.2 to 0.3 ppm (measured with Hanna phosphate ULR). Nitrate is less than 0.2ppm. I do a 10-15% water change weekly, have a protein skimmer, two filter bags with carbon and GFO, and a refugium, all in the built-in sump in the back. I feed manually just the amount that the fish will eat right away (pellets in the morning, mysis shrimp at night). I have two clown fish, a royal grama, yellow tail blue damsel, six line wrasse and a lawnmower blenny. No corals yet but I would like some once the phosphate goes down.

Questions: (I'm a neb so please bear with me)
1) is it safe to turn on the lights? I started the tank 6 months ago but am afraid I'll get an algae problem if I turn on the lights in the aquarium while the phosphate is high
2) should I get a tumbler for the GFO? I have GFO in a mesh bag so it might not do much. If so, which tumbler and how should I mount it? I looked into the two little fishies PhosBan 150 but all I could find on YouTube about mounting the tumbler requires a sump underneath or cutting holes in the lid to hang it on the back, both don't seem like great options
2) Can an overactive refugium cause high phosphate? I have the InTank refugium for the Biocube and a submersible refugium LED light in the chamber with a mesh cage around it so the algae don't get too close to the light. The refugium light is on 14h per day. The chaeto algae are growing like crazy, I have to harvest over half of it each week. Should I reduce the time that the refugium light is on?

Thanks for your help!

If no3 is low at 0.2, I would dose nitrate to about 2.5-5 ppm so refugium can continue to export po4 AND no3. Algae needs no3 and po4 to grow.

I've experienced many instances where I forget to dose no3 and po4 goes from 0.05 to above 0.10.

You can also leave the refugium light on for 24h if po4 is still high after dosing no3 but keep a close watch as you can now bottom out po4 which is harmful to corals.

 

[exnisstech]

Thank you, nice tank!
I just find it depressing to have the tank in the dark so would like to turn on the light but I don't want to deal with the algae. I started with live rock and sand. So your corals seem to do fine despite high phosphate? I would love to add corals but thought you have to wait until the phosphate is below 0.05ppm

Run the lights on low for your pleasure. Some algae is most likely going to show up at some point regardless of whether you wait or not and then it will be time to add a CUC.

 

[geli]

If no3 is low at 0.2, I would dose nitrate to about 2.5-5 ppm so refugium can continue to export po4 AND no3. Algae needs no3 and po4 to grow.

I've experienced many instances where I forget to dose no3 and po4 goes from 0.05 to above 0.10.

You can also leave the refugium light on for 24h if po4 is still high after dosing no3 but keep a close watch as you can now bottom out po4 which is harmful to corals.

Thank you, I will try that!

 

[geli]

Run the lights on low for your pleasure. Some algae is most likely going to show up at some point regardless of whether you wait or not and then it will be time to add a CUC.

Ok, will do. I have a lawnmower blenny and a six line wrasse so a bit of a cleanup crew, not sure what else I can add, it's a relatively small tank

 

[exnisstech]

I love my sixlines. I have 3 in different tanks. Some people have problems with them being aggressive but mine are fine. I have a hunch some people put them in too small of a tank with too many small peaceful fish. I have one with a clown in a 20g and they hang out together.

 

[firekc]

I have a biocube 32 as well 1.5 years old (2 clowns, lawnmower blenny, diamond goby, 8 trochus snails, 4 cerith snails, 5 nassarius snails, 6 blue leg hermits, 2 emerald crabs, cleaner shrimp, conch, and lots of softy/lps corals) and I’ve never had success with a Fuge in the 2nd chamber I have since went to a nano roller mat and the Sicce 150 skimmer and my no3 is steady at 10ish and po4 at .07ish. I also do weekly 5 gal WC. Feed with pellets twice a day and mysis 2-3 times a week. I have minimal algae just enough for my cuc and lawnmower blenny to eat but definitely no where near the amount that I had 6 months ago when everything was covered.

 

[fish_collector]

My SPS tank’s phosphate level was 0.31 the last time I checked it, which was maybe a month ago, I haven’t changed any water since then so I’m going to assume it’s higher now. My sps look great and growth is good. I personally think way too many reefers get caught up in the nitrate/phosphate game and overly worry about it. Decades ago I didn’t even know how to measure it and my tanks did well. I don’t like to participate in threads about nutrient levels it is such a topic. I know what works for me and not everyone agrees with that. You will eventually discover what works for you as well but it takes some time.

 

[logibear]

Personally I wouldn't worry about PO4 at those levels, especially on a new tank. I like to let new tanks settle in without intervening and see where they settle on their own. I've not found high PO4 to cause algae. In fact anytime I've had a nuisance algae problem it was in tanks with low N and P at or near 0.
As far as turning on the lights, if you don't have coral there's no need to run them. You'll most likely have to deal with nuisance algae aka the uglies at some point regardless of PO4 levels especially if you started with dry rock.

This tank is an example why i feel the way I do about high PO4 and algae. I tested yesterday and PO4 was flashing 0.9 which is as high as my Hanna ULR tester can read so I have to assume it's somewhere over 1.0 I lack the knowledge to explain the science and why so many people blame high nutrients for nuisance algae. I only have my experiences to go by.

Glass is dirty and it's not a great shot but you can see the lack of algae in the tank. Tank has been running 2.5 years.

I can't comment on the fuge because I never found mine useful at reducing nutrients when I ran one several years ago.

Absolutely stunning tank. Love your scape

 

[exnisstech]

Absolutely stunning tank. Love your scape

Thanks. The fish love it too. 24 fish and every one has its own spot to bed down in. I try to build my scapes with fish needs as a priority. 9 tangs and zero aggression which is always a concern when I build a scape.