Phosphate WAY Too High!

[ReEfErAdDiCt]

Ok I just got my Hanna Po4 checker and I tested twice. The second time because I couldn't believe how high it was and thought it must be a mistake! The first reading was 1.14ppm and the second 1.13ppm! What the heck!?

I just did a 40 gal water change a few days and I only feed the tank once a day and not even a lot. My skimmer is an Aquamaxx EM-600 rated for 600gals. Tank size is about 220 total gals. I also run Dr. Tim's bio pellets. My top of water is at 0ppm TDS.

I'm going to do a large water change and run GFO in a reactor and see what happens.

Also forgot to mention I run a fuge with caulerpa and chaeto so I don't know what's going on

 

[akitareefer]

testing properly? Cleaning the glass before it goes in? Waiting the 3min? (If its high the water turns slightly blue) Also there are bad test kit reagents out there.

If it is accurate, set up a gfo reactor. Make sure you dont have low flow/dead zones. Vacuum. Also rinse frozen foods

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[ReEfErAdDiCt]

testing properly? Cleaning the glass before it goes in? Waiting the 3min? (If its high the water turns slightly blue) Also there are bad test kit reagents out there.

If it is accurate, set up a gfo reactor. Make sure you dont have low flow/dead zones. Vacuum. Also rinse frozen foods

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I clean the cuvettes before each test yes. Also waited the 3 mins both times. And yes the water did turn slightly blue. I'm pretty sure I don't have low flow or dead zones. Return pump is 2100gph and using 2 WP40s in the tank. Really high flow actually.

I have like less than a half inch of sandbed, mainly for aesthetics. And I don't even feed frozen foods lol that's why I'm concerned. It seems like it shouldn't be that high at all. I hope it's not leaching from the rocks or something. They're from my old setup

 

[akitareefer]

Wow I guess it is that high. Have you tested your rodi water for phosphates? I can't believe that much would leach from the rock, but I guess anythings possible

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[ReEfErAdDiCt]

I'm making some are RO/DI water right now and I'll check it. Only thing I can think of is that I've been feeding the tank a little bit extra because I got a new fish that wouldn't eat but I wouldn't think that it would bring the phosphates up to that level...

 

[ReEfErAdDiCt]

You know what, now that I think about it I did do something the other day that could have an effect possibly... I was trying an experiment LOL so I crushed up some formula 1 and formula two pellets and made them into a slurry to feed the corals one night. It wasn't a lot maybe like 1 ounce or less of the mixture. Anyway, maybe that could have had an effect?

 

[Duffam3434]

Melevs Reef Makes a Great Product for lowering Phosphates.. Its called Phosphate RX and its Reef safe you just add it drop wise to your water. I bought a bottle a week ago and lowered my Phosphates .5ppm in a single night! The Stuff is Amazing!! Dosn't harm corals or fish!

You can find it at Melevsreef.com

 

[ReEfErAdDiCt]

Thanks for sharing that. Seems like a great product. I've heard that reducing the po4 level to rapidly can be detrimental though?

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

can be. Make sure you prop in in a low micron sock to remove as much of the lanthum as possible

 

[Eienna]

Thanks for sharing that. Seems like a great product. I've heard that reducing the po4 level to rapidly can be detrimental though?

It says on the bottle not to drop it more than .5 per day - hence the recommended dosage.

 

[ReEfErAdDiCt]

Ya I saw that but that seems like too much of a drop since its supposed to take months to bring it down safely without risking killing livestock, hence why I asked.

 

[Eienna]

You could always use a lower dose, if you're worried....

 

[ReEfErAdDiCt]

Have you used the product? Any real world advice? Lol I know what I could do obviously. Just curious if anyone has used it and how they used it with what results

 

[Eienna]

I personally have not. I did hear a couple of good reviews on it, though. I've got some ordered because I have a pesky .5 I can't seem to get rid of XD if it works for me I'll let you know.

 

[ReEfErAdDiCt]

Oh cool. Ya that would be great if you could report the results. Thanks

 

[Duffam3434]

I was worried about all that too, I was told by several people it's perfect for any type of tank. I have a Lot of money in Corals in my tank so I was nervous but I dropped it .5 the first day and a few days later added a little more to drop it .2 ppm so now I'm where I should be and corals and fish are perfect! Corals are starting to get a little more color than they had!

 

[Jay6363]

I just got a bottle two weeks ago....... Worked perfectly, dropped mine .5 ppm and corals fish all happy, infact happier!!

It's a great product!

 

[Duffam3434]

I just got a bottle two weeks ago....... Worked perfectly, dropped mine .5 ppm and corals fish all happy, infact happier!!

It's a great product!

Yea I couldn't believe it. I had my doubts about adding it into the water with all my Coral and Fish. But Melev said he uses it on all his Reef Tanks and if you've been on his site their Amazing!! So I tried it out and I will have a bottle next to every tank in the Future!

 

[ReEfErAdDiCt]

Super busy today guys, thanks for all of the information and advice I'll get back to you hopefully tonight.

 

[cultivatedcoral]

The phosphate removal liquids are great for a quick fix but you have to solve the real problem of what is causing your phosphates to go that high. Sandbed/rock leaching phosphates back into the tank? How many fish do you have in your 220? How often do you feed? Are you just starting your GFO or have you been using it? Is your caulerpa and chaeto growing really fast?