Trying to control phos, losing batle

[HouseofStark]

Having trouble keeping phosphate in check/low. Quick recap as fast as I can.....

Tank age 5 months
60 Gal Cube
18 Gallon Sump
Around 65 Gallons total water volume
BRS 7 Stage Pro RODI
Red Sea Pro Salt

Tank stock
4 clowns (1.5 inches)
cleaner shrimp
royal grama (2 inches)
flame angel (3 Inches)
tomini tang (4 inches)
diamond goby (sand sifter)
2 hermits
15 trochus snails

two skimz 300 micron sock swap out every 3 days
Bubble Magus Curve 5, pulling about a full cup of skimate a day
Created 7 inch by 7inch fuge in the sump using egg crate; with Kessil H80 light
(had... just pulled out) around 12 3inch bio cubes in return bay.

I feed twice a day 8am and 6PM. I feed PE Mysis frozen shrimp as main food. I do feed pellet food here and there. When feeding I scope some tank water to defrost shrimp, and feed just shrimp not pouring any of the "melted liquid" into tank. But do not rinse food.

I cant control my phos.. I can get them dosed down (phosphate Rx, and felt socks) to .4 or slightly lower but within a week or so I'm right back to 1.2 or higher. I just started a fuge see if that will help, along with pulling the bio cubes thinking they might be holding phos. The tank is populated with some corals, around 10 or so, all seem to be doing fine. Nothing dying off or retracting. Water prams are:
Temp 78.4-78.9
Salinity 35ppt
Ph 8.10
Alk 10.2
Cal 420
Amm 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10-20
Phos always climbing This am .40

I see some coralline spots on rock, but was reading with higher phos, the calcium uptake is not there to allow coralline to grown and I'm sure slowing the growth of my sps. What should I focus or make for changes to get this slowed?

Any insight would be great! I am stumped and frustrated

 

[EmdeReef]

what kind of rocks did you start the tank with?

what Do you use to test?

 

[TheEngineer]

Welcome to R2R!

I too struggle with phosphate removal. Water changes, reduced feeding and macro algae will all help. When all else fails, GFO can do big things.

 

[HouseofStark]

Started with dry rock
Use all Hanna testers for alk, cal, phos
I water change 20 gallons every 14 days.

I have BRS small reactor I will run carbon... or mixed carbon/gfo. Whenever I feel like it.....to polish water.

With such small fish, I’m afraid of them starving, granted they all look healthy at this time.

 

[TheEngineer]

I’d give GFO a try if you already have the gear. Go slow so you don’t strip it out too fast.

 

[Musovski]

I’d give GFO a try if you already have the gear. Go slow so you don’t strip it out too fast.

Doesnt GFO just reduce the chance of increasing phosphate, not remove of phosphate?

 

[EmdeReef]

artificial rocks or dry live rock?

Assumming your test kit is acurate, I would continue dosing lanthanum until you can knock down phosphates to 0.1-0.2 then you can control with GFO.

Welcome to R2R!

 

[TheEngineer]

Doesnt GFO just reduce the chance of increasing phosphate, not remove of phosphate?

Nope. It directly removes it.

 

[TheEngineer]

Doesnt GFO just reduce the chance of increasing phosphate, not remove of phosphate?

Here’s a really detailed article that @Dana Riddle wrote in 2012

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/2/chemistry

 

[Musovski]

Here’s a really detailed article that @Dana Riddle wrote in 2012

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/2/chemistry

ah, gotcha. Thank you

 

[HouseofStark]

artificial rocks or dry live rock?

Assumming your test kit is acurate, I would continue dosing lanthanum until you can knock down phosphates to 0.1-0.2 then you can control with GFO.

Welcome to R2R!

Dry live rock

Going to dose again tonight.. dosed last night and should take me to 0.0.

Should I not dose and text 7 days later to see increase or daily??

With elevated phos, is it true it will suppress corraline growth?

 

[EmdeReef]

Dry live rock

Going to dose again tonight.. dosed last night and should take me to 0.0.

Should I not dose and text 7 days later to see increase or daily??

With elevated phos, is it true it will suppress corraline growth?

It’s possible your rocks are leaching phosphates and that could take a while to bring down.

You shouldn’t aim for 0 if you have corals, otherwise won’t hurt.

No need to wait 7 days you will see an increase after a day if it is coming from rocks.

 

[HouseofStark]

So I’m at .4 right now... should I dose down tonight or not?

If it’s coming from rock... tomorrow am, 24 hr after test...what do you think it would be? I’m guessing it will come in around .6

 

[EmdeReef]

Do you have any corals in your tank? If not, then you can dose more, if you have corals you want to make gradual changes.

 

[HouseofStark]

Yes, corals are in the tank. I’ll shoot for .2 target Either way I’m seeing about .10 a day in phos increase per 24hrs

 

[bill120reef]

How old are your ro filters? Do you get a 0 reading on your tds meter?

Have you tested your ro and mixed salt water before adding?

I had the same problem when i had a 4 stage rodi (tds said 0) i added 2 more di filters and it stopped it. Along with using a phosphate reactor which i have since taken out of the system.

How much do you feed twice a day?

 

[HouseofStark]

How old are your ro filters? Do you get a 0 reading on your tds meter?

Have you tested your ro and mixed salt water before adding?

I had the same problem when i had a 4 stage rodi (tds said 0) i added 2 more di filters and it stopped it. Along with using a phosphate reactor which i have since taken out of the system.

How much do you feed twice a day?

I feed twice a day 8am and 6PM. I feed PE Mysis frozen shrimp as main food. I do feed pellet food here and there. When feeding I scope some tank water to defrost shrimp, and feed just shrimp not pouring any of the "melted liquid" into tank. But do not rinse food.

RODI unit I'm at 2 TDS after RO stage; and down to 0 after first DI stage, have 3 DI in total.
RO membranes are around 8 months old. Inline tds and handheld TDS meter all read zero at/into RO mixing container. I HAVE NOT tested phos out of my RO or fresh salt mix.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

pellets and flake are a source of PO4.

 

[bill120reef]

I feed 4 cubes of shrimp once a day to once every 2 days for 12 fish, i feed nori 1 to 2 times a day. No more then 12 times in a week.depending on your shrimp amount leftover food could be adding ro phosphate and nitrate.a couple narsisis snails might be a good add.
I would also check all water sources just before adding to tank.
What is your rodi and mixed water stored in?

 

[HouseofStark]

I have added 2 narcissus snail

my mixing station consist of 2 of these containers. Food grade 20 Gallon

I might over feed my shrimp, but pellets I try to watch them fall and get ate. I have a vacuum cleaner for a diamond goby...sand looks cleaner than day one.