Phosphates real high

[ghill]

I screwed up and over fed my corals in 2 tanks. The salifert test went to 3.0+. I have over the past few days done a total of five 4-gallon water changes on my 20-gallon tank, but I am still testing at 3.0. My hard corals are hurting. I am preparing to do a 6th water change. I checked the salifert test against from fresh saltwater made with ROI water and it tested .03 as the salt container stated. I have also introduced a bag of phosphate reducing medium into the filter section of my AIO tank. I use a fabric filter and a protean skimmer. Prior to my mistake phosphates were at 0.1. Any other thought would be appreciated. Should I get the affected corals out of the tank and into some fresh ROI salt water? If so, do I need to aerate, filter and light it for a few days?

 

[KrisReef]

At this point, the corals are probably suffering from the swinging water parameters, perhaps more than the elevated P?

P binds to substrate (rocks and Sand) and as you change water, it unbinds from the substrate and keeps the levels in solution steady. A picture of the tank and/or description of fish and corals present might help with exploring treatment options besides water changes.

 

[ghill]

Here are some pix... a few corals are in the sand after coming loose from their mounting over the past couple of days. Will remount tonite.

 

[BryanM]

I would get some rowaphos, and try to lower reasonably gradually.

Do you know what the phosphates were at before the over feeding?

 

[ghill]

I would get some rowaphos, and try to lower reasonably gradually.

Do you know what the phosphates were at before the over feeding?

phosphates, both tanks varied between .01 and .03

 

[ghill]

I would get some rowaphos, and try to lower reasonably gradually.

Do you know what the phosphates were at before the over feeding?

I am also using MagTool GFO in both tanks (small mesh bag). Tank referenced above has bag in the AIO first filter chamber.

 

[ghill]

At this point, the corals are probably suffering from the swinging water parameters, perhaps more than the elevated P?

P binds to substrate (rocks and Sand) and as you change water, it unbinds from the substrate and keeps the levels in solution steady. A picture of the tank and/or description of fish and corals present might help with exploring treatment options besides water changes.

better picture of the tank

 

[ghill]

better picture of the tank

FYI... Tank is about 22 months old. I have gradually added corals and a few fish. Nitrates are 5.0, CA 450, Mag 1290, PH 8.0, Alk 13

 

[BryanM]

FYI... Tank is about 22 months old. I have gradually added corals and a few fish. Nitrates are 5.0, CA 450, Mag 1290, PH 8.0, Alk 13

Any reason for the high alk? I've read some folks run as high as 12, but its far more normal to run 8-10.

 

[ghill]

Just checked after water changes… now 10.5

 

[everyday44]

Have you tried Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-e, its lanthanum chloride so you need to be careful dosing - follow the instructions.
I am currently using it, Found out my phos is at 0.44.
Been doing research and a lot of hobbyists have success dosing with a risk of fish loss if not dosed correctly. Place the drops into a high flow area and run a filter sock/protein skimmer to catch the phosphate it binds to in the form of precipitate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Have you tried Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-e, its lanthanum chloride so you need to be careful dosing - follow the instructions.
I am currently using it, Found out my phos is at 0.44.
Been doing research and a lot of hobbyists have success dosing with a risk of fish loss if not dosed correctly. Place the drops into a high flow area and run a filter sock/protein skimmer to catch the phosphate it binds to in the form of precipitate.

I would just caution that it is not clear what causes the risk to tangs and that we really do not know how to completely avoid any risk. Socks may not be the critical factor.

 

[ghill]

I screwed up and over fed my corals in 2 tanks. The salifert test went to 3.0+. I have over the past few days done a total of five 4-gallon water changes on my 20-gallon tank, but I am still testing at 3.0. My hard corals are hurting. I am preparing to do a 6th water change. I checked the salifert test against from fresh saltwater made with ROI water and it tested .03 as the salt container stated. I have also introduced a bag of phosphate reducing medium into the filter section of my AIO tank. I use a fabric filter and a protean skimmer. Prior to my mistake phosphates were at 0.1. Any other thought would be appreciated. Should I get the affected corals out of the tank and into some fresh ROI salt water? If so, do I need to aerate, filter and light it for a few days?

After all the water changes posphate level dropped to 0.9. Purchased brightwell's Phosphate-e. Have put 2.0 ml in each tank filter on each of 2 consecutive days. Phosphate remains at 0.9. Any advice?

 

[everyday44]

After all the water changes posphate level dropped to 0.9. Purchased brightwell's Phosphate-e. Have put 2.0 ml in each tank filter on each of 2 consecutive days. Phosphate remains at 0.9. Any advice?

Your rocks/sand could be dumping Phos as you are exporting with Phosphat-e. I don't recommend doing water changes while dosing it, but do keep changing socks/media to catch precipitate. Also might not be a good idea to go up in dosing until it stays steady for 2-3 days, don't want to shock your livestock.

 

[everyday44]

How's your tank coming along?

 

[ghill]

mixed feelings. Got my Hanna Phosphate tester and got a 0.9 reading... but have discovered that is as high as it will report. Two days ago, added a media reactor holding GFO to see if that will help. Decided against using chemical additive as it made no known difference after 2 days... but then I was using Hanna to test. Today went back to Salifert (reading 1.0 to 2.0) and Fritz (reading 2.0 to 5.0). I am going to relax my testing compulsion and let the reactor do its work for a few days and test again. I do have a couple of corals that seem irritated.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

mixed feelings. Got my Hanna Phosphate tester and got a 0.9 reading... but have discovered that is as high as it will report. Two days ago, added a media reactor holding GFO to see if that will help. Decided against using chemical additive as it made no known difference after 2 days... but then I was using Hanna to test. Today went back to Salifert (reading 1.0 to 2.0) and Fritz (reading 2.0 to 5.0). I am going to relax my testing compulsion and let the reactor do its work for a few days and test again. I do have a couple of corals that seem irritated.

With high phosphate, any binder with good flow through it will depelete in a day or two. Also, you are fighting against desorption of phosphate from rock and sand, it it will take a lot, and is why some folks use lanthanum chloride for this purpose (its cheaper; it can be faster, but faster is not better).

Reemember: more people cause problems trying to lower phosphate too fast than have actual problems from the elevated phosphate.

 

[ghill]

That is why I am shying way from the liquid binder.

 

[everyday44]

I've been having issues with my Phosphate as well. It was 0.44 and over the course of a week at 0.5-1.ML of lanthanum, its settled at 0.37. Wasn't without the Ups/Downs though. Stuff that was dying has already died (coral wise), thankfully nothing new. Was recommended to let the tank settle for a week or so at 0.37 instead of going from 0.44 to 0.02–0.05 in a week or so.
Stay strong - Remember, nothing goods happens fast!