Phosphates

[Jilly92]

Ya I need to find one. The 2 I go to get the same readings I do everytime

I know my tank always had the same readings for like 6 months, then hell broke loose.

 

[jarviz]

Do NOT feed more. It will quickly elevate phosphates and eventually nitrates and even trigger ammonia spikes plus cyano or dino. Your phos will climb slowly. I have a dino recipe for you should signs start to appear.
For now, you can dose 1ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons during the day and dose .5ml of hydrogen peroxide at night per 10 gals over the next 10 days. This will help control the potential for dine. Have some cerityh, margarita, astrea and trochus snails in tank to assist with any cyano and dino potential.
What test kits are you using ?

I thought dinos and cyano were due to low nitrates and phosphates. why would feeding more trigger those two?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I thought dinos and cyano were due to low nitrates and phosphates. why would feeding more trigger those two?

With dino, the problem often arises when we try to bring cleanliness it to the limit, in order to improve its appearance and color of corals. They tend to occur suddenly when the aquarium water reaches an extraordinary cleanliness, in which most microorganisms perishes for lack of food. With no other organisms that can stop them, this type of dinoflagellate can multiply so fast that when we realize it's late and we will find an aquarium full of brown and ochre slime suffocating fish and invertebrates. These dinoflagellates possess chloroplasts enabling them to synthesize their own food even under a minimal amount of light.
With cyano, it blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations go haywire. Just like when you eat too much sugar and your waistline starts to bloom, the same happens in your tank when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development.