Phosphates Through the roof

[geosReef]

I’ve been dealing with phosphate issues the past 3 weeks and can’t bring them down I’ve tried vodka dosing but it’s just a bandaid been reading 0.18 - 0.33 I just did a water change yesterday hoping it would bring it down (30%. Been doing the past 3 weeks) but it didn’t, before it I did the water change It was at 0.18. My other parameters are pretty stable
Nitrate is hovering between 3.5 5.0 ppm

my sump has detritus’s but it’s not as bad as it was before and before I clean it my phosphates and nitrates were undetectable. I also added a whole bunch of rock but went through a couple months of being in a brute before I added to the dp

Any advice and how to bring it down I’ve lost 1/3 acros and my lps isn’t looking so good

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

GFO

 

[ptrick21186]

GFO

+1

 

[bushdoc]

Apart from GFO, Lantanum works well, but you really need to know how to use it, otherwise you can nuke your tank.

 

[Fish Styx]

Vodka or carbon dosing, while effective at reducing nitrates, does very little to reduce phosphates. For that you'll want to run granulated ferric oxide (GFO).

 

[geosReef]

Vodka or carbon dosing, while effective at reducing nitrates, does very little to reduce phosphates. For that you'll want to run granulated ferric oxide (GFO).

Do u think maybe the kalk has something to do with it?

 

[Fish Styx]

Do u think maybe the kalk has something to do with it?

In my experience, kalk has no effect on my phosphates. That being said, batch contamination, while highly unlikely, could potentially introduce a source. Again, that is likely not the case.

We can see if @Randy Holmes-Farley has any input on this. He is the true expert on stuff like that here.

 

[blatherdrift]

Po4 isn’t going to drop from just water changes. It’s rather sticky and hard to reduce that way.

to drop it fast you can use a media reactor with phosguard then use gfo to keep it there.

it’s just that it’s going to slowly release from your rocks back into water to normalize over the next few weeks so expect it to be a long slow process.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Poly Filter will reduce your phosphate. It's available on Amazon and BRS.

 

[J.D.]

+1

+2 GFO
Went from .9+ to .06

 

[Lavey29]

Water changes do little or nothing to lower phosphates. You current level is only slightly elevated and easily lowered with a variety of methods. You nitrates are on the low side which has more impact on your corals then your current phosphates number

 

[Dom]

Thats a busy looking tank; lots going on. Best to correct the elevated phosphate issue at the source.

What are you feeding, how much and how often? Frozen and flake foods can be a nitrate source. If you are feeding heavy, it could contribute to your problem.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Apart from GFO, Lantanum works well, but you really need to know how to use it, otherwise you can nuke your tank.

Lanthanum Chloride (IMHO) should never be used with fish (esp Zebrasoma Tangs). There is no safe way to use it. Free lanthanum in the system is pretty much inevitable and it appears to collect around the gills, where it reacts and harms the fish. The lower the phosphates in the system, the more the chance of free LaCl...

 

[BeanAnimal]

Po4 isn’t going to drop from just water changes. It’s rather sticky and hard to reduce that way.

to drop it fast you can use a media reactor with phosguard then use gfo to keep it there.

it’s just that it’s going to slowly release from your rocks back into water to normalize over the next few weeks so expect it to be a long slow process.

It is not "sticky" it drops at the same ratio as anything else in solution with a water change.

Your second point is correct, depending on PH and other factors, absorbed phosphates may want to find equillibrium with the system water, driving levels back up. But that does not mean that water changes did not take it out.

Using any type of media or reactor causes the same thing. Export is export

 

[BeanAnimal]

Water changes do little or nothing to lower phosphates. You current level is only slightly elevated and easily lowered with a variety of methods. You nitrates are on the low side which has more impact on your corals then your current phosphates number

See above - anything in solution is lowered by dilution. In fact, you can easily calculate by how much given the levels in the system and the replacement water.

 

[Fish Styx]

It is not "sticky" it drops at the same ratio as anything else in solution with a water change.

Your second point is correct, depending on PH and other factors, absorbed phosphates may want to find equillibrium with the system water, driving levels back up. But that does not mean that water changes did not take it out.

Using any type of media or reactor causes the same thing. Export is export

The solution to pollution is dilution!

 

[Fish Styx]

dang... you beat me to it @BeanAnimal

 

[WavyAquatics]

As others have mentioned, GFO is the way to go along with Poly Filter. Just be careful and gradually reduce! It is recommended to reduce 0.5ppm in a 24 hr period.

 

[Lavey29]

See above - anything in solution is lowered by dilution. In fact, you can easily calculate by how much given the levels in the system and the replacement water.

the ratio of phosphates in the water is lower . They bind to the rockscape and sand. Water changes do very little to lower phosphates. This is common knowledge.

 

[BeanAnimal]

dang... you beat me to it @BeanAnimal

Yes almost 2 decades ago

The Solution is Dilution | BeanAnimal's Reef