What are you using to dose Phosphate

MONTANTK

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Messages
1,872
Reaction score
1,732
Location
Buffalo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve been using NeoPhos (Brightwell) for a few months now but it doesn’t really seem to be working. I added 8ml to a 20g tank and Po4 only increased by .01 with nothing in the tank other than a few zoas. I’m looking to switch to a new product and would like to hear some reviews from everyone here
 

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,820
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've been successfully raising phosphates via fish and heavier feedings. I know that at some point my 9 month old tank's rock and substrate will stop soaking up as much PO4 and I'll probably have to deal will trying to keep it under control.
 

vtecintegra

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
1,386
Reaction score
1,561
Location
Tampa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I was using Trisodium Phosphate from loudwolf.com It's been a while, but I think I was dissolving one of the $10 bottles in two liters of rodi water. It worked and was a lot cheaper than the Btightwell, which I've used also.
 
OP
OP
MONTANTK

MONTANTK

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Messages
1,872
Reaction score
1,732
Location
Buffalo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've been successfully raising phosphates via fish and heavier feedings. I know that at some point my 9 month old tank's rock and substrate will stop soaking up as much PO4 and I'll probably have to deal will trying to keep it under control.
Tried this but it hasn’t done much. Honestly, I have no idea where the phosphate is going. The only thing I can think of is it’s getting trapped in the sand but not sure how plausible that is
 

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,820
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Tried this but it hasn’t done much. Honestly, I have no idea where the phosphate is going. The only thing I can think of is it’s getting trapped in the sand but not sure how plausible that is

If you started with dry rock and substrate, it's a good bet it's being absorbed by them. Do you have algae or corals that could also be soaking it up?
 
OP
OP
MONTANTK

MONTANTK

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Messages
1,872
Reaction score
1,732
Location
Buffalo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you started with dry rock and substrate, it's a good bet it's being absorbed by them. Do you have algae or corals that could also be soaking it up?
Started with real reef and live sand. I have a little bit of algae on some snail shells and in the back chambers but that’s really it. I’m just getting over dinos. The only corals I have right now are a few mini zoa colonies
 

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,820
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Started with real reef and live sand. I have a little bit of algae on some snail shells and in the back chambers but that’s really it. I’m just getting over dinos. The only corals I have right now are a few mini zoa colonies

My bet is still the substrate and rock absorbing the PO4. So either increase feedings or dose...
 

ScottB

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
7,884
Reaction score
12,162
Location
Fairfield County, CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
PO4 binds to aragonite (sand, rock) until it is saturated to a sufficient degree. Then it will leach back into the water.

I use trisodium phosphate. Be careful to buy the real thing though. There are MANY substitute products often labeled TSP.

I use this:

 
OP
OP
MONTANTK

MONTANTK

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Messages
1,872
Reaction score
1,732
Location
Buffalo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
PO4 binds to aragonite (sand, rock) until it is saturated to a sufficient degree. Then it will leach back into the water.

I use trisodium phosphate. Be careful to buy the real thing though. There are MANY substitute products often labeled TSP.

I use this:


This is good to know! I’ll do some more research on that stuff!
 

Snoopy 67

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
1,931
Reaction score
1,330
Location
Long Island
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
On an established tank of about 10 years I measured my water then a sample pulled from the sandbed.
BIG difference.
 

gbroadbridge

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 25, 2021
Messages
3,965
Reaction score
4,105
Location
Sydney, Australia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Monosodium Phosphate NaH2PO4 (food grade from ebay)

As others have pointed out, Dry Rock and aragonite sand can sink a lot of it Initially
 
Last edited:

Uncle99

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Messages
8,926
Reaction score
13,125
Location
Province of Ontario
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Neophos, used it for years, 5ml per day in a 180g to maintain 0.06ppm.
Very predictable stuff.
Only the Hanna UL Phosphorus checker worked for me.
 
OP
OP
MONTANTK

MONTANTK

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Messages
1,872
Reaction score
1,732
Location
Buffalo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Neophos, used it for years, 5ml per day in a 180g to maintain 0.06ppm.
Very predictable stuff.
Only the Hanna UL Phosphorus checker worked for me.
See that’s crazy. I’ve consistently been adding 2-4ml to my 20g and previously my 7g and nothing was happening
 

More than just hot air: Is there a Pufferfish in your aquarium?

  • There is currently a pufferfish in my aquarium.

    Votes: 30 18.1%
  • There is not currently a pufferfish in my aquarium, but I have kept one in the past.

    Votes: 27 16.3%
  • There has never been a pufferfish in my aquarium, but I plan to keep one in the future.

    Votes: 32 19.3%
  • I have no plans to keep a pufferfish in my aquarium.

    Votes: 69 41.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 8 4.8%
Back
Top