The Phosphate war

[Redbird5]

I've been at war with phosphates for a good six months. The reason for the war is my rocks are leaching out phosphates. Currently I'm using gfo, I've used phosphate pads, phosphate rx. I'm on my wits end. I've ordered a refugium, well the parts to make it.
Yesterday using my Hanna Phosphate test it was 0 and my nitrates are 26.9.

My goal isn't to chase perfect numbers. It's to keep things stable and very boring.

I've removed the gfo and the phosphates rise and I add more and they drop.

Will the refugium help with this? I know that it's a long game, at least 6 months.

 

[ReefED!]

Ryan at SR has done a lot of testing on refugiums and says that they're incredible at lowering phosphates.

The caveat is you have to stay on top of it - your macroalgae has to grow, but you have to stay on top of pruning so that it continues to grow and thrive and soak up nutrients (and you are exporting them out of your tank)

I personally have a thriving fuge but I haven't noticed it cratering my phosphate - I seem to have a similar issue where it gets bound up on surfaces and rock and then leeches back out when the GFO comes out.

 

[Redbird5]

Ryan at SR has done a lot of testing on refugiums and says that they're incredible at lowering phosphates.

The caveat is you have to stay on top of it - your macroalgae has to grow, but you have to stay on top of pruning so that it continues to grow and thrive and soak up nutrients (and you are exporting them out of your tank)

I personally have a thriving fuge but I haven't noticed it cratering my phosphate - I seem to have a similar issue where it gets bound up on surfaces and rock and then leeches back out when the GFO comes out.

I'm starting a refugium next week. I'm hoping it works gives me boring numbers.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Yesterday using my Hanna Phosphate test it was 0 and my nitrates are 26.9.

My goal isn't to chase perfect numbers. It's to keep things stable and very boring.

I've removed the gfo and the phosphates rise and I add more and they drop.

Maybe just use less GFO at a time?
If you are using enough GFO that it bottoms out your phosphates, then it sounds like you just might be using too much. Try using a bit less and maybe it won't bottom out your phosphates.

I run GFO too, but I run an amount that keeps my phosphates low (under .10) but not enough to bottom them out.

 

[Redbird5]

Maybe just use less GFO at a time?
If you are using enough GFO that it bottoms out your phosphates, then it sounds like you just might be using too much. Try using a bit less and maybe it won't bottom out your phosphates.

I run GFO too, but I run an amount that keeps my phosphates low (under .10) but not enough to bottom them out.

I've tried lower amounts and the phosphates skyrocket. It's not hurting my coral yet.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think it is time for a truce and let them rise and see where they stabilize. :)

 

[benkirsch07]

I think it is time for a truce and let them rise and see where they stabilize. :)

Randy, quick question on this (don't want to take over the thread), how long do you think it takes, generally speaking, for something like your phosphate to stabilize? In this case, if we removed the GFO, stopped trying to fight things, fed a standard amount, and did our weekly water changes, what is the timetable we are looking at?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, quick question on this (don't want to take over the thread), how long do you think it takes, generally speaking, for something like your phosphate to stabilize? In this case, if we removed the GFO, stopped trying to fight things, fed a standard amount, and did our weekly water changes, what is the timetable we are looking at?

Most happens in a day or two, then little bits longer and longer as sand and rock not in immediate contact with the bulk water (such as down in sand) comes more and more into equilibrium.