Po4 not reducing

[scotty333]

Hi guys ( boss)

I’m trying to lower po4 for a few days now with atm agent green which I’ve had good success with in the past

The level has been at .14 and I wanted to get a little lower so I’ve been dosing 1ml of LC agent green but after 3 days it’s gone up to .16

Is the rock/ sand leaching as it lowers the water level?

1ml should reduce .1 po4

 

[Garf]

Is the rock/ sand leaching as it lowers the water level?

Either that, or you've increased PO4 through feeding, or testing error/variation, or a reduction in natural uptake, or a mixture of those things.

 

[fushi]

Hi guys ( boss)

I’m trying to lower po4 for a few days now with atm agent green which ..

What Garf said.
And .14 isn’t a big deal, what are your nitrates?
How are you dosing the LC, just into your filter socks or skimmer?
Might try a different brand of LC.

 

[scotty333]

Either that, or you've increased PO4 through feeding, or testing error/variation, or a reduction in natural uptake, or a mixture of those things.

Thanks it’s not feeding cos I weigh that out
My kh suggests that po4 uptake should be higher unless it’s leaching like I first thouhht

 

[scotty333]

What Garf said.
And .14 isn’t a big deal, what are your nitrates?
How are you dosing the LC, just into your filter socks or skimmer?
Might try a different brand of LC.

Nitrates are 6
I’ve used this brand for a year before and know it doesn’t need much to drop po4

It goes as always into my skimmer

 

[fushi]

Nitrates are 6
I’ve used this brand for a year before and know it doesn’t need much to drop po4

It goes as always into my skimmer

If it doesn’t seem like its doing what it is supposed to, you can’t rule out an issue with your specific bottle or the brand until you try something else.

Have you tested before and after your dose? Test before dose, dose your normal 1ml then test a few hours later? With no changes or feeding the tank in between. A lot can happen in 3 days.

What test kit are you using? How old is the reagent?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I expect it just takes more and more time, but I’d personally not lower it that way at all. I think you are more likely to cause a problem then fix one.

 

[scotty333]

If it doesn’t seem like its doing what it is supposed to, you can’t rule out an issue with your specific bottle or the brand until you try something else.

Have you tested before and after your dose? Test before dose, dose your normal 1ml then test a few hours later? With no changes or feeding the tank in between. A lot can happen in 3 days.

What test kit are you using? How old is the reagent?

I’m going to check it now it’s been 4 hours
I’m using Hannah ulr

 

[scotty333]

.13

 

[fushi]

I’m going to check it now it’s been 4 hours
I’m using Hannah ulr

.13

Did you get a before?

 

[scotty333]

Did you get a before?

Was .16 this morning so tomorrow if it’s up it’s coming out the rocks still
Otherwise it should be the same if not a tad less cos I’m not feeding until I know

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Was .16 this morning so tomorrow if it’s up it’s coming out the rocks still
Otherwise it should be the same if not a tad less cos I’m not feeding until I know

How long have you stopped feeding? I can’t see any experiment is worth making fish go without eating.

 

[scotty333]

How long have you stopped feeding? I can’t see any experiment is worth making fish go without eating.

Agreed

I never stopped feeding the fish , I reduced a few days to figure out what was going on and now I’ve got phosphate remover in hand I’ll get it to my value I like
Just had to see if the food I was giving was the culprit but it seems like there’s not much po4 in mysis following the experiment

Also there’s a food source in my aquarium for all the fish

 

[scotty333]

If anyone’s interested this morning is .13 again so clearly it was reducing and creeping back up due to the rocks and or sand leaching

 

[Zuluuz]

Have you inspected your skimmer or sponge trap?

 

[scotty333]

Have you inspected your skimmer or sponge trap?

Inspected for what ? Skimmers fully national and filter changed 3-4 days if that explains you question sorry if not but it’s random

 

[Zuluuz]

Inspected for what ? Skimmers fully national and filter changed 3-4 days if that explains you question sorry if not but it’s random

Like take apart the pump and inspect the needlewell. Sometimes things get caught in there and prevent it from working like it should.

Sponge trap between baffles are also a majorly neglected item that can trap all kinds of junk.

 

[scotty333]

Like take apart the pump and inspect the needlewell. Sometimes things get caught in there and prevent it from working like it should.

Sponge trap between baffles are also a majorly neglected item that can trap all kinds of junk.

Sorry I’m not getting what this has to do with skimming
Sponges I agree if left for long periods will hold some po4 but I can’t neglect mine because the ato over fills the sump when the water stops flowing through the wool and is forced up and over the top