phosphate too high

[goldenpo]

hello, i have meassure the phosphate on my tank, it has 1.9ppm on phosphate. should i use the phosphate remover to lower it? the tank only have 2 clown fishes and all other reading are on point.

 

[Tahoe61]

Size and age of tank?

 

[goldenpo]

40 gal cube, just finished cycled few days ago. did a 75% water changed tuesday

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don’t see how a tank cycled a few days ago with a 75% water change gets to 1.9 ppm phosphate, unless it’s a weird substrate issue.

How are you measuring it?

 

[goldenpo]

I don’t see how a tank cycled a few days ago with a 75% water change gets to 1.9 ppm phosphate, unless it’s a weird substrate issue.

How are you measuring it?

i used the hanna tester

 

[Pistondog]

Are you feeding reef roids? They are high in phosphates.

 

[BryanM]

When I get alarming test results I always re-test to try and verify. That seems crazy high.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

i used the hanna tester

Which tester? Sure it is ppm?

Try the test on some new salt water.

Are you using tap water?

What type of rock and sand?

 

[goldenpo]

Which tester? Sure it is ppm?

Try the test on some new salt water.

Are you using tap water?

What type of rock and sand?

Hanna phosphate tester, i tested twice, both results are 1.9, and 2.0
I bought the salt water from the fish store. I am using live sand and live rocks

 

[goldenpo]

Are you feeding reef roids? They are high in phosphates.

no i have not. only flakes to my 2 crown fishes. I am feeding time once a day

 

[Uncle99]

i used the hanna tester

.19ppm would sound better.
Are you sure about the decimal place?
I get a second opinion on that, phosphate is quite important.

My Hanna doesn’t go that high…

 

[crazyfishmom]

which Hannah tester are you using? The ULR taps out at 0.9.

 

[goldenpo]

.19ppm would sound better.
Are you sure about the decimal place?
I get a second opinion on that, phosphate is quite important.

My Hanna doesn’t go that high…

oh no, yes you are right it is 0.19 and 0.20

 

[goldenpo]

which Hannah tester are you using? The ULR taps out at 0.9.

my mistake. it is 0.19 and 0.20

 

[CoralB]

Hanna phosphate tester, i tested twice, both results are 1.9, and 2.0
I bought the salt water from the fish store. I am using live sand and live rocks

Is that the regular or the ULR phosphates tester

 

[goldenpo]

Is that the regular or the ULR phosphates tester

it is ulr. i read it wrong. it is 0.19

 

[Uncle99]

oh no, yes you are right it is 0.19 and 0.20

That’s better and that number is fine at this point.

Not unusual to run 0.05ppm is a SPS tank and up to .2ppm in mixed.

Keep it stable, no continuous increases or decreases week over week.

Same with nitrate 2-3ppm enough.

 

[CoralB]

it is ulr. i read it wrong. it is 0.19

Don’t add anymore livestock to your tank for now , let bacteria build up to handle the load before you increase stock . Slow is the way to go in this hobby . Your tank may have cycled but it usually takes a 6 mo to a year to mature . Nothing good happens over night , watch your feeding , keep close watch on your parameters especially ammonia and nitrite as they can harm or even kill your fish . Make sure to have a plan in place to handle things as they arrive . Let the tank do it’s thing . It will go through the uglies and along with making sure your watching ammonia and nitrate but also make sure your phosphates and nitrates do not zero out which would lead to a Dino outbreak . your phosphates are a tad high but not critical . I keep mine at 0.1 as that’s my tanks sweet spot . Read as much as you can on this site and elsewhere plus ask as many questions as you can to get educated enough to help yourself be successful. :cool:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hanna phosphate tester, i tested twice, both results are 1.9, and 2.0
I bought the salt water from the fish store. I am using live sand and live rocks

They have multiple testers. What model number?

Test that water, if you have any still. Hopefully they didn’t sell crappy water.

 

[CoralB]

They have multiple testers. What model number?

Test that water, if you have any still. Hopefully they didn’t sell crappy water.

That’s a thought !