Phosphate

[ShanePike]

How did you come to that conclusion?

Yikes, you're right. I read "1.0" phosphate as "0.1" because I'm just not used to seeing phosphate levels that high. I was thinking 0.1 wasn't anything to panic about, but nitrates of 43 was getting to the level where something might need to be done.

 

[BryanM]

I would like to grow macro in my sump but I feel my sump is to small. The picture is from when I got to give you an idea of my space limitations.

Do you think I could grow it still?

I have limited space under my DT as well. The curse of a bowed tank. I have been wanting to get a bigger sump but I do not think I will be able too.

Check out the algae turf scrubber products from santa monica.... The surf ATSes all float and are self contained, need harvesting approx once a week, and work quite well.

 

[UMALUM]

This stuff does exactly what it says it does. Then you can maintain it with either elimi np or bacto balance.



As long as your skimmer is on point there's no need to go down the filter sock rabbit hole.

 

[sangria517]

Check out the algae turf scrubber products from santa monica.... The surf ATSes all float and are self contained, need harvesting approx once a week, and work quite well.

Thank you!

This might be what I need. It looks like they even have one that clips on the class so I could get one of each if I need to.

 

[njmaddreefer]

I use this bad boy right here to keep my phosphates low: https://www.tunze.com/en/details/3181.000-macro-algae-reactor-3181.html

I got a jammed packed tiny sump and if you must it can sit outside the sump. Just harvest the algae and you'll be pulling out those phosphates no problem.

 

[exnisstech]

Check out the algae turf scrubber products from santa monica.... The surf ATSes all float and are self contained, need harvesting approx once a week, and work quite well.

^this^ I actual have a surf floating in my 40g DT . Its in the basement so looks are not important. I'm not sure what it is about the tank but I'm currently having to harvest every other day.

 

[njmaddreefer]

^this^ I actual have a surf floating in my 40g DT . Its in the basement so looks are not important. I'm not sure what it is about the tank but I'm currently having to harvest every other day.

That’s some good stuff

 

[exnisstech]

That’s some good stuff

Tang food! I have 10 and they love this stuff. I don't even buy nori any longer

 

[BryanM]

Tang food! I have 10 and they love this stuff. I don't even buy nori any longer

Could you teach mine to like it? They just let it float around the dt and never touch it. :(

 

[sangria517]

Could you teach mine to like it? They just let it float around the dt and never touch it. :(

Could rubber band it to a rock. My yellow tank rips it apart, but the minute it comes off the clip and floats, he wants nothing to do with it. The fox face enjoys “hunting” it down though

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yikes, you're right. I read "1.0" phosphate as "0.1" because I'm just not used to seeing phosphate levels that high. I was thinking 0.1 wasn't anything to panic about, but nitrates of 43 was getting to the level where something might need to be done.

Not really

 

[exnisstech]

Could you teach mine to like it? They just let it float around the dt and never touch it. :(

I do have two in another tank that barely pick at it. . I wonder if the larger gang feels more competition for food so they eat what ever hits the water :thinking-face:

 

[Head Case]

I’ve been fighting phosphate leaching from my rock for 9 months. Equilibrium for the tank is 1.0. I tried using a GFO reactor, which worked, but spewed brown fines all over the tank and made a mess of the filter. Phosphate went right back up. I keep nitrate managed around 15-25, but phosphate stays high.

I’m now experimenting with a daily dose of Phosphate-e (lanthanum chloride). I put 25ml Phosphate-e in a bottle with 500ml RODI fresh water. I use A syringe and squirt 6-9ml of the mixture in twice a day. It has pulled phosphate down from 1.0 to 0.5 over a week and has not harmed the fish. This seems like the best route for now but will keep a close eye on it to make sure I don’t overdo it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ve been fighting phosphate leaching from my rock for 9 months. Equilibrium for the tank is 1.0. I tried using a GFO reactor, which worked, but spewed brown fines all over the tank and made a mess of the filter. Phosphate went right back up. I keep nitrate managed around 15-25, but phosphate stays high.

I’m now experimenting with a daily dose of Phosphate-e (lanthanum chloride). I put 25ml Phosphate-e in a bottle with 500ml RODI fresh water. I use A syringe and squirt 6-9ml of the mixture in twice a day. It has pulled phosphate down from 1.0 to 0.5 over a week and has not harmed the fish. This seems like the best route for now but will keep a close eye on it to make sure I don’t overdo it.

That’s an awfully fast drop. I’d go slower. :)

 

[BryanM]

I do have two in another tank that barely pick at it. . I wonder if the larger gang feels more competition for food so they eat what ever hits the water :thinking-face:

Hmm. I shall try again - I added an auto feeder as often I'm not at home, and even when home I often forget.

But the autofeeder has programmed the fish. They hear it start, they all collect to where the food comes out.... next feeding I'll throw a pinch in with the food and see if they eat it.... I'd love it if they did, I suspect its better for them than the flake food, even tho tdo chromaboost is good food.

 

[UMALUM]

That’s an awfully fast drop. I’d go slower. :)

Is it? I thought .1 a day was acceptable in extreme situations until .2 was achieved.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is it? I thought .1 a day was acceptable in extreme situations until .2 was achieved.

I’ve seen more folks report problems from a fast drop than from elevated phosphate, so I’d just suggest caution.

 

[56longroof]

I have noticed over the past 3 to 4 months. My phosphate has slowly been rising. It was at about .4.5 and now it is crossed over to 1.0. I first tried a product by Aquaphor, which is basically their version of the vodka vinegar dosing. I was maxed out at 18 MLS per day and not really seeing any difference in my tank. So I switched over to the tropic Marin version, elmini np. My tank is getting the three ML’s daily, which is its max dose for its size in my phosphate. Still really haven’t budged. They are still at about 1.0. My nitrates when I tested them today were 43. Alkalinity was nine calcium was 425. I know traditionally phosphate and nitrate should not be that high. However I have no nuisance algae. The tank actually looks really good and if I wasn’t testing weekly just out of habit I wouldn’t even question anything going on. I have had a couple coral deaths over the past 4 to 5 months. I won’t say it was necessarily nutrition related however because some of the corals were ones I bought super cheap that were on their way out and I was just trying to see if I could score. Good coral for a cheap price and bring it back from the dead.
I’m inclined to leave everything alone as it looks good however, part of me feels guilty doing that because I feel like if I told any other reefer my numbers I would be shunned. Just looking for everyone else’s thoughts and opinions.

I do not feel like I overfeed my fish. They get fed once a day and they get fed essentially one and a half cubes of frozen food. I maybe do pellets once a week. I do have about 10 fish in the system, but they’re all young.

I can't believe no one is asking about what your water change schedule is? With nitrates that high you should be doing 25% weekly.

 

[sangria517]

I can't believe no one is asking about what your water change schedule is? With nitrates that high you should be doing 25% weekly.

I do about a 50 gallon water change every two weeks so that’s about 30% every two weeks. But until I can get the floating turf scrubber, I might bump it up to every week.

 

[sangria517]

Here are some pictures. I tone down the blue, but then I still took some pictures with my orange filter to give you an idea of what the tank looks like. Some of the corals are still a little bit closed up because the lights have only been ramping up the past half hour.