Phosphates in 2 week old tank

[Miami Reef]

My tank was taken down for a week after being running for 10+ years; reason being as we had to remake the system.

We kept the rocks, corals, and fish in a brute trash can for a week, and put them back in with new sand and a few more (new non live) rocks.

The tank is 2 1/2 weeks old. 0 ammonia and nitrites. .5 nitrates, and 1.00 phosphates (high)

There no algae at all right now, I’m curious why I have phosphates. I have rodi as an ATO, no tap water. No diatoms either.

I lost a brain coral during the first week, but all the other corals ( lps/softies) look very good.

I feed frozen mysis. My skimmer is coming soon, and I’m planning a water change this week. I’m just wondering when I should be expecting algae, and what I can do to lower phosphates.

 

[Big G]

Might want to pull out the "new" rocks. Often they leach phosphates for awhile. Could place them in that brute can for a few weeks with a powerhead, heater, bio starter like BioSpira, etc. and do some water changes.

 

[Rabe]

Phosphates can come from food. But just to eliminate it, test your RO/DI unit output.