Phytoplankton cause phosphate spike?

[FlameangelLover]

I have been daily dosing algae barns phytoplankton per the instructions . I have two baby clowns in a 40 gal breeder and i give them each 3-6 pellets a day to eat (pellets are super tiny). I should not be having Phosphate problems so it has to be the phyto right? (I have no skimmer just canister filter and weekly 10 gal water changes)

Phosphate is at about 1 could be 1.5ppm

 

[twentyleagues]

I believe it is possible if there is left over fertilizer in the phyto. There will almost always be a little left over but a matter of how much. That sounds like a really large increase though.

 

[FlameangelLover]

I believe it is possible if there is left over fertilizer in the phyto. There will almost always be a little left over but a matter of how much. That sounds like a really large increase though.

What could it be then? I have two baby clowns and it’s 40 gallons lol and I barely feed. The only thing I could think of is the phytoplankton. Any ideas?

 

[twentyleagues]

What could it be then? I have two baby clowns and it’s 40 gallons lol and I barely feed. The only thing I could think of is the phytoplankton. Any ideas?

Yes I think it is possibly the phyto.
Where did the rock come from? Was it dry new rock? Wet live rock from someones tank? Live rock from the ocean?

 

[FlameangelLover]

Yes I think it is possibly the phyto.
Where did the rock come from? Was it dry new rock? Wet live rock from someones tank? Live rock from the ocean?

My rock was dry rock a hobbiest gave me that he had cured and had to much of (from one of his old tanks that he had taken down and was just sitting around) . So yes technically it could come from there?

 

[BryanM]

My quick reading doesn't seem to indicate that phyto should increase phos.

My guess is it is from the rock you added.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What tester are you using? Not API right?

As mentioned above, the phosphate is likely coming from the rocks, its common. Very little comes from the food and trying to control nitrate or phosphate with increased or decreased feeding is not efficient or fair to the fish.

 

[twentyleagues]

My rock was dry rock a hobbiest gave me that he had cured and had to much of (from one of his old tanks that he had taken down and was just sitting around) . So yes technically it could come from there?

Yeah probably from the rocks like @BryanM and @Mr. Mojo Rising said and why I asked where they came from.

Phyto I think is possibly adding a little but I may be incorrect it may be left over nitrate from the ferts. I am starting to second guess that answer.

 

[FlameangelLover]

What tester are you using? Not API right?

As mentioned above, the phosphate is likely coming from the rocks, its common. Very little comes from the food and trying to control nitrate or phosphate with increased or decreased feeding is not efficient or fair to the fish.

lol so like everything else in the hobby the answer is to go on how I have normally and do nothing? Lol so many answers to my question is always just keep up with water changes and do nothing it will fix itself

Also yes all I can afford is api at the moment

 

[FlameangelLover]

Yeah probably from the rocks like @BryanM and @Mr. Mojo Rising said and why I asked where they came from.

Phyto I think is possibly adding a little but I may be incorrect it may be left over nitrate from the ferts. I am starting to second guess that answer.

It could be from the rock and if it is from the rock that means I just do nothing until it all bleeds out right?

 

[FlameangelLover]

My quick reading doesn't seem to indicate that phyto should increase phos.

My guess is it is from the rock you added.

So do nothing?

 

[BigAl07]

Depending on the time of harvest, the Phyto could have some F/2 fertilizer in it and that's normal. You just have to know that and adjust dosing accordingly. In a larger system this may not be a big deal but with 40g it could be causing your problems.... Maybe . . .

Why exactly are you dosing Phyto and how much each day?

What type of food are you feeding?

 

[FlameangelLover]

Depending on the time of harvest, the Phyto could have some F/2 fertilizer in it and that's normal. You just have to know that and adjust dosing accordingly. In a larger system this may not be a big deal but with 40g it could be causing your problems.... Maybe . . .

Why exactly are you dosing Phyto and how much each day?

What type of food are you feeding?

Feeding 12 pellets 6 for each clown and I’m feeding phytoplankton for my copepods in the tank and I’m doing 15ml a day as per instructions

 

[Kasrift]

Agree with all the above. As someone who does phyto culturing, they could absolutely have some f/2 fertilizer left in it, but it should be negligible. Algaebarn does this in bulk so I'm sure they have it down to a science.

Rock can leach phosphates. Old live rock that then dried out essentially has dead organics in it once you get it wet again.

I'd say take a look at your uptake methods. If you are skimmerless as you mentioned, what methods of phosphate uptake do you have? Do you have macro algae or corals that are consuming phosphates? Lastly, why are you dosing phyto?

 

[FlameangelLover]

Agree with all the above. As someone who does phyto culturing, they could absolutely have some f/2 fertilizer left in it, but it should be negligible. Algaebarn does this in bulk so I'm sure they have it down to a science.

Rock can leach phosphates. Old live rock that then dried out essentially has dead organics in it once you get it wet again.

I'd say take a look at your uptake methods. If you are skimmerless as you mentioned, what methods of phosphate uptake do you have? Do you have macro algae or corals that are consuming phosphates? Lastly, why are you dosing phyto?

First everyone here is so helpful i love this community!

I am new to reefing so i simply do a 10% water change every Sunday and i have 1 toadstool that i love a lot. I’m new so i want to keep things as simple as possible so I don’t kill anything. I am planning on doing 25% today for a water change

 

[FlameangelLover]

First everyone here is so helpful i love this community!

I am new to reefing so i simply do a 10% water change every Sunday and i have 1 toadstool that i love a lot. I’m new so i want to keep things as simple as possible so I don’t kill anything. I am planning on doing 25% today for a water change

Also would a skimmer help because i could save up for one and get one if needed

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

lol so like everything else in the hobby the answer is to go on how I have normally and do nothing? Lol so many answers to my question is always just keep up with water changes and do nothing it will fix itself

Also yes all I can afford is api at the moment

So if you look at the API phosphate test very carefully, and read the instructions, you will realise the API test does not give a number. It gives a range, the first range for example is from zero to .25, the next range is from .25 to .5..... get it? So I keep my phosphate at .1, which is just not possible to test on the API tester, because it doesn't work that way, it will just show .25. I'm sorry its more affordable, but I hope you can understand its giving you the wrong info.

And I didn't say to wait, we are not trying to aggravate you, ok? The correct way to remove high phosphate is with gfo... waiting will do nothing.

If phosphate is leaching out of the rocks, this is testable in a seperate bucket. Mix some new saltwater in a bucket, and add a rock from the tank, and start testing, you will see the phosphate level increase if the rocks are actually leaching phosphate. Then you know where it comes from, so you can act, there are many types of phosphate removers to use with different tank set ups.

Water change will lower phosphate temporarily until it leaches out of the rocks again, it will be super expensive to try to remove phosphate from the system with water changes. So basically water changes don't work to remove phosphate.

But the very first thing is to throw that API phosphate tester in the garbage its leading you the wrong way. Honestly hanna is the very best phosphate tester in the market, its worth saving for. Salifert is a good brand also, but I never tried their phosphate tester.

Good luck

 

[FlameangelLover]

So if you look at the API phosphate test very carefully, and read the instructions, you will realise the API test does not give a number. It gives a range, the first range for example is from zero to .25, the next range is from .25 to .5..... get it? So I keep my phosphate at .1, which is just not possible to test on the API tester, because it doesn't work that way, it will just show .25. I'm sorry its more affordable, but I hope you can understand its giving you the wrong info.

And I didn't say to wait, we are not trying to aggravate you, ok? The correct way to remove high phosphate is with gfo... waiting will do nothing.

If phosphate is leaching out of the rocks, this is testable in a seperate bucket. Mix some new saltwater in a bucket, and add a rock from the tank, and start testing, you will see the phosphate level increase if the rocks are actually leaching phosphate. Then you know where it comes from, so you can act, there are many types of phosphate removers to use with different tank set ups.

Water change will lower phosphate temporarily until it leaches out of the rocks again, it will be super expensive to try to remove phosphate from the system with water changes. So basically water changes don't work to remove phosphate.

But the very first thing is to throw that API phosphate tester in the garbage its leading you the wrong way. Honestly hanna is the very best phosphate tester in the market, its worth saving for. Salifert is a good brand also, but I never tried their phosphate tester.

Good luck

Sorry if I sound irritated lol I’m actually pretty happy people are helping maybe I need to add more smiley faces in my messages so people know I’m joking

But yes okay I will follow your instructions and also I found a Hanna checker on FB marketplace for 15$ I’ll get it today!

What phosphate remover would you suggest?

 

[BryanM]

So do nothing?

Get a salifert or hanna test kit so you know what you're working with first.

If it is really that high, as someone else said GFO is a good option, though I've never done that.

I've dosed lanthanum chloride to reduce phos, this comes with risks, especially if you have tangs. I dosed in to a 1 micron filter sock to try and reduce this risk, and this worked well for me.

 

[Sdoutreefer]

What sand are you using? Dry sand?