Phosphate sky high

Steven91

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So, I've been battling high nitrates and phosphates in my tank for a little while now, probably at least 6 months if not longer. When i started my nitrates are over 140 (nyos test) and my phosphate was off the scale a over 1ppm. After finally doing biweekly 25ish% water changes and dosing Reef Pro Bio-Ex for about a month i finally got my nitrates down to in the 40s, still high but a lot better than where it was. My phosphates are probably laughing at me as my nyos test kit is still reading over 1ppm, been keeping up with water changes, cut down how much food is going into the tank, dosed Brightwell Phosphat E, and currently running Phosguard to try to lower my them. I just started using Phosguard and so far still maxing out the scale at over 1ppm.

My tank has 4yr old live rock in my tank, so i'm thinking that my rockwork is leeching out the phosphates back into the water. I'm wanting to pull my hair out due to not being able to drop my PO4 at all, any help or suggestions?
 

sunken3

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i had this issue about a year ago.. it took several massive water changes (my tank is 350g total) a ton of GFO eventually i landed on phos e .. it worked the quickest and cheapest... (but had had to be careful because i have several tangs and ive read that stuff can mess with their gills.

also... a 50% is NOT the same as 10 - 5% water changes or 5 - 10% water changes ... so keep that in mind.
 

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i had this issue about a year ago.. it took several massive water changes (my tank is 350g total) a ton of GFO eventually i landed on phos e .. it worked the quickest and cheapest... (but had had to be careful because i have several tangs and ive read that stuff can mess with their gills.

also... a 50% is NOT the same as 10 - 5% water changes or 5 - 10% water changes ... so keep that in mind.
and yes t he nitrate was a pain.. but phosphate took a lot longer
 

Bayareareefer18

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I always found phonecard to be lacking. Are you running in a reactor or in a bag? I have found rowaphos in a reactor ishigjky affective. If your rock is leeching po4 you will need to change your media frequently. If you are running in a reactor you can try testing the effluent for po4.
 
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Steven91

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I always found phonecard to be lacking. Are you running in a reactor or in a bag? I have found rowaphos in a reactor ishigjky affective. If your rock is leeching po4 you will need to change your media frequently. If you are running in a reactor you can try testing the effluent for po4.

I am running it in a bag, and finally got my reactor back working with GFO in it, figuring i'm probably going to have to change GFO weekly, though might try to get my hands on some rowaphos to help fight instead of GFO
 

Bayareareefer18

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I am running it in a bag, and finally got my reactor back working with GFO in it, figuring i'm probably going to have to change GFO weekly, though might try to get my hands on some rowaphos to help fight instead of GFO
I found if I wasn't careful rowaphos bottomed my point
 

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Are you sure your test kit is correct? if indeed it is Lanthanum Choloride is your immediate solution, you just have to do it properly and sloooooowly.

Do a search.
 
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Steven91

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Are you sure your test kit is correct? if indeed it is Lanthanum Choloride is your immediate solution, you just have to do it properly and sloooooowly.

Do a search.

I'm pretty sure its correct, will try another though to see if i get the same or near result.
 
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Steven91

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After doing my testing tonight, my PO4 fell to .50 ppm, so heading in the right direction, going to see what happens the next few days
 

Spieg

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My tank has 4yr old live rock in my tank, so i'm thinking that my rockwork is leeching out the phosphates back into the water. I'm wanting to pull my hair out due to not being able to drop my PO4 at all, any help or suggestions?
You're probably right about the Phosphate being bound up in the rock. Depending how high the level really is and how long it's been that way, it can take a LONG time to get it to come down. Sounds like you are on the right track... just keep after it. FWIW, I had a FOWLR tank that took well over a year to get the levels to stay down.
 
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Steven91

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You're probably right about the Phosphate being bound up in the rock. Depending how high the level really is and how long it's been that way, it can take a LONG time to get it to come down. Sounds like you are on the right track... just keep after it. FWIW, I had a FOWLR tank that took well over a year to get the levels to stay down.

I've been battling it heavy since Feb, I figure i probably still got a some in the rock but hopefully most of it is out, real test is gonna be when I stop using GFO and go on vacation in Sept for a week with my dad feeding the tank, with him being a heavy feed
 

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So, I've been battling high nitrates and phosphates in my tank for a little while now, probably at least 6 months if not longer. When i started my nitrates are over 140 (nyos test) and my phosphate was off the scale a over 1ppm. After finally doing biweekly 25ish% water changes and dosing Reef Pro Bio-Ex for about a month i finally got my nitrates down to in the 40s, still high but a lot better than where it was. My phosphates are probably laughing at me as my nyos test kit is still reading over 1ppm, been keeping up with water changes, cut down how much food is going into the tank, dosed Brightwell Phosphat E, and currently running Phosguard to try to lower my them. I just started using Phosguard and so far still maxing out the scale at over 1ppm.

My tank has 4yr old live rock in my tank, so i'm thinking that my rockwork is leeching out the phosphates back into the water. I'm wanting to pull my hair out due to not being able to drop my PO4 at all, any help or suggestions?
BRS phasban with reactor will easily and safely lower the po4 down to around 0.05ppm, just be care of using phosguard, surely it released aluminum into our reef tank!!! I know it drops the po4 much quicker than the phosban. Growing macoalgae in the refugium or setup a algae scraper will helping all types of toxins, nutrients(po4, no3, cilicate) and heavy metals export.....just don't use the phosguard bro if your tank isn't a FOWR.
 
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Steven91

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BRS phasban with reactor will easily and safely lower the po4 down to around 0.05ppm, just be care of using phosguard, surely it released aluminum into our reef tank!!! I know it drops the po4 much quicker than the phosban. Growing macoalgae in the refugium or setup a algae scraper will helping all types of toxins, nutrients(po4, no3, cilicate) and heavy metals export.....just don't use the phosguard bro if your tank isn't a FOWR.
I've been switching it out every 4 days, once i get them down I'm planning on not using it anymore, would rather use water changes, or fuge to help keep everything in check
 

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