phosphate off the chart

Shore · 12/08/2008, 04:35 PM

Well guys I canâ€™t seem to get the phosphate level in my tank to drop they remain off the charts. I added a phosban reactor about a week ago and have done 3 water changes. My r/o unit is working fine and I have checked my water after mixing salt (using reef crystals). I am noticing brown algae starting to grow and I want to avoid the red slime. This is a new tank I started about a month ago it was fresh water and I did about 75% water change before I added salt. I added livestock from my 36G about 2 weeks later.
All my other Parameters are fine.

Is there such a thing as to many water changes?

Should I wait for phosban reactor to catch up?

Nereaga · 12/08/2008, 05:22 PM

In the beginning you might want to change PO4 media every week due to the fact it is getting wasted pretty quick. Might take a few weeks to get all the phosphate out of your rock/tank...

seapug · 12/08/2008, 05:35 PM

If all those water changes didn't put a dent in it then you should probably slow down a bit to not upset the system so much. Just do weekely water changes and give the Phosban a few weeks to do its thing. Replacing the media a couple times during the first month may be a good idea too.

FWIW it took about 8 weeks for my tank to really show results from PhosBan.

Shore · 12/08/2008, 09:03 PM

Well i was planing on buying another phosban reactor for carbon should i run them both with phosban or is that to much? its a 125gallon with 40gallon sump

Shore · 12/08/2008, 09:08 PM

Because the tank is turning brown and its really bugging me should I cut down the time on the lights?

Nereaga · 12/08/2008, 09:21 PM

Patience! Nothing happens FAST in saltwater BUT failure...

Like seapug said, its gonna take time to see results from the phosban/po4 media.

Keep plugging away! There will be light on the other side!

Brad

Shore · 12/08/2008, 09:28 PM

Hehe ya its so hard to be patient when the wife is looking at the tank and saying "all that money and its growing brown crap"

guess ill just wait it out... thanks guys

buccard · 12/08/2008, 09:50 PM

I have the same issue...for the money I have spent she thinks the tank should be show quality already...and then I spend more money.

She's got her own things too...only difference is I keep quiet!

Toddrtrex · 12/08/2008, 10:59 PM

For the heck of it ---

Could try taking one of your rocks out of the tank and putting it into a bucket of saltwater -- with a powerhead -- after 12 hours ( or so ) test the phosphates. That might give you an idea of where they are coming from.

chucksta1 · 12/09/2008, 12:04 AM

That you are using an RO unit is fine, but I have had phosphate get past it. Test your RO water for phosphates.. You may need to get a DI unit to make sure that you're not adding any phosphates in your make up water..

SoundsFishy2me2 · 12/09/2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nereaga
Patience! Nothing happens FAST in saltwater BUT failure...

Brad

Well said Brad.

I've found best results with a German product named Rowaphos run from the Phosban reactor (same sort of thing, just better/pulls more out and lasts longer then phosban-- Oh and it 3x's the cost!)

redfishsc · 12/09/2008, 02:23 AM

You asked about cutting back the photoperiod.

Answer:

YES.

I don't know what corals you have in your tank, but you might consider cutting it to 5 hours a day (really). You can do this easily for a week or more, some folks do total blackouts for 3-5 days at a time if they decide to "go nuclear" on the algae.

You might consider doing this until you get the phosphates under control.

Are you running a fuge with any sort of macro in it? In your situation I'd highly recommend you "open a can" on this phosphate. Run your fuge lights 24/7 (I prefer chaeto by FAR), a big ball of chaeto or caulerpa can go a long way in helping rid phosphate.

Second, consider the vodka/sugar dosing. So long as you can keep yourself from dipping into the vodka (or sugar for that matter

) it can help drop phosphate.

Lastly, drip kalkwasser in your top-off if you don't already. Kalk can precipitate phosphate out of solution, though not on any massive scale. However, the pH and alk boost that kalk will give your system also helps impede the unwanted algae growth.

boxfishpooalot · 12/09/2008, 04:32 AM

I second vodka, my Hanna confirms the end result. .01ppm Po4 with daily dosage. I dose 5 ml 80 proof daily in a 90gallon.

redfishsc · 12/09/2008, 05:09 AM

My problem is this:
1) I live on a Baptist seminary campus and am a student. No alcohol permitted (nor would I mess with it anyhow, I watched it kill my father).

2) Sugar is my drug of choice

........

so if I dose my tank with sugar, I'll also be dosing my coffee.... my cornflakes....you name it....

I'm just glad my chaeto does the job for me.

Oh, and boxfishpoo---- I have a body build JUST like your avatar. Except.... upside down

12/08/2008, 04:35 PM	#1
Shore Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 30	phosphate off the chart Well guys I canâ€™t seem to get the phosphate level in my tank to drop they remain off the charts. I added a phosban reactor about a week ago and have done 3 water changes. My r/o unit is working fine and I have checked my water after mixing salt (using reef crystals). I am noticing brown algae starting to grow and I want to avoid the red slime. This is a new tank I started about a month ago it was fresh water and I did about 75% water change before I added salt. I added livestock from my 36G about 2 weeks later. All my other Parameters are fine. Is there such a thing as to many water changes? Should I wait for phosban reactor to catch up? __________________ one frag at a time Current Tank Info: 125g diy sump and fuge running about 1200 gallons and hour

12/08/2008, 05:35 PM	#3
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	If all those water changes didn't put a dent in it then you should probably slow down a bit to not upset the system so much. Just do weekely water changes and give the Phosban a few weeks to do its thing. Replacing the media a couple times during the first month may be a good idea too. FWIW it took about 8 weeks for my tank to really show results from PhosBan. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

12/08/2008, 09:03 PM	#4
Shore Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 30	Well i was planing on buying another phosban reactor for carbon should i run them both with phosban or is that to much? its a 125gallon with 40gallon sump __________________ one frag at a time Current Tank Info: 125g diy sump and fuge running about 1200 gallons and hour

12/08/2008, 09:08 PM	#5
Shore Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 30	Because the tank is turning brown and its really bugging me should I cut down the time on the lights? __________________ one frag at a time Current Tank Info: 125g diy sump and fuge running about 1200 gallons and hour

12/08/2008, 09:28 PM	#7
Shore Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 30	Hehe ya its so hard to be patient when the wife is looking at the tank and saying "all that money and its growing brown crap" guess ill just wait it out... thanks guys __________________ one frag at a time Current Tank Info: 125g diy sump and fuge running about 1200 gallons and hour

12/08/2008, 05:22 PM	#2
Nereaga Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oley, Pa 19547 Posts: 1,513	In the beginning you might want to change PO4 media every week due to the fact it is getting wasted pretty quick. Might take a few weeks to get all the phosphate out of your rock/tank...

12/08/2008, 09:21 PM	#6
Nereaga Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oley, Pa 19547 Posts: 1,513	Patience! Nothing happens FAST in saltwater BUT failure... Like seapug said, its gonna take time to see results from the phosban/po4 media. Keep plugging away! There will be light on the other side! Brad

12/08/2008, 09:50 PM	#8
buccard Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lakeland, Florida Posts: 970	I have the same issue...for the money I have spent she thinks the tank should be show quality already...and then I spend more money. She's got her own things too...only difference is I keep quiet! __________________ Roger Save a fish, click on the red house. Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon-mixed reef

12/08/2008, 10:59 PM	#9
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	For the heck of it --- Could try taking one of your rocks out of the tank and putting it into a bucket of saltwater -- with a powerhead -- after 12 hours ( or so ) test the phosphates. That might give you an idea of where they are coming from. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

12/09/2008, 12:04 AM	#10
chucksta1 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: mississauga ont. Posts: 490	That you are using an RO unit is fine, but I have had phosphate get past it. Test your RO water for phosphates.. You may need to get a DI unit to make sure that you're not adding any phosphates in your make up water..

12/09/2008, 02:23 AM	#12
redfishsc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 3,696	You asked about cutting back the photoperiod. Answer: YES. I don't know what corals you have in your tank, but you might consider cutting it to 5 hours a day (really). You can do this easily for a week or more, some folks do total blackouts for 3-5 days at a time if they decide to "go nuclear" on the algae. You might consider doing this until you get the phosphates under control. Are you running a fuge with any sort of macro in it? In your situation I'd highly recommend you "open a can" on this phosphate. Run your fuge lights 24/7 (I prefer chaeto by FAR), a big ball of chaeto or caulerpa can go a long way in helping rid phosphate. Second, consider the vodka/sugar dosing. So long as you can keep yourself from dipping into the vodka (or sugar for that matter ) it can help drop phosphate. Lastly, drip kalkwasser in your top-off if you don't already. Kalk can precipitate phosphate out of solution, though not on any massive scale. However, the pH and alk boost that kalk will give your system also helps impede the unwanted algae growth. __________________ "The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation." Corrie Ten Boom “The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins” -- Søren Kierkegaard Current Tank Info: ghetto grad school reef.....11g rimless tank, 36X9X9, lit by Cree and Rebels scobbled together. Stocked mostly with free stuff I got from panhandling my fellow reefers.

12/09/2008, 04:32 AM	#13
boxfishpooalot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada, Grande Praire, Ab Posts: 5,824	I second vodka, my Hanna confirms the end result. .01ppm Po4 with daily dosage. I dose 5 ml 80 proof daily in a 90gallon. __________________ Its a good idea to have a refrence sample for alk test kits. 1.1350 grams of baking soda in 1gallon of distilled water=10dkh. Check your alkalinity test kit! Algae is Mother Natures phosphate remover Current Tank Info: 220 galon mixed reef.

12/09/2008, 05:09 AM	#14
redfishsc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 3,696	My problem is this: 1) I live on a Baptist seminary campus and am a student. No alcohol permitted (nor would I mess with it anyhow, I watched it kill my father). 2) Sugar is my drug of choice ........ so if I dose my tank with sugar, I'll also be dosing my coffee.... my cornflakes....you name it.... I'm just glad my chaeto does the job for me. Oh, and boxfishpoo---- I have a body build JUST like your avatar. Except.... upside down __________________ "The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation." Corrie Ten Boom “The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins” -- Søren Kierkegaard Current Tank Info: ghetto grad school reef.....11g rimless tank, 36X9X9, lit by Cree and Rebels scobbled together. Stocked mostly with free stuff I got from panhandling my fellow reefers.