phosphate

moremsgplease · 11/23/2008, 03:56 PM

I have a po4 reading in between .25 and .5 What is the best way to get this to come down, and what is it caused by?

palawan · 11/23/2008, 04:12 PM

Could be caused by many things. Too much fish, overfeeding poor filtration. If you keep SPS the ideal goal is .03 or less for phosphates. People use absorption chemicals such as Rowaphos along with refugiums that grow algae to absorb phosphates from the display tank.

Lenny718 · 11/23/2008, 04:37 PM

get a phosban reactor they work great but will take a little time.

mg426 · 11/23/2008, 05:19 PM

Take a look at this.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...6&pcatid=11586

crvz · 11/23/2008, 06:04 PM

phosban reactor will pull out the po4 in the water column, but you'll have to find the source. Most of the time it'll be in the food you add to the tank, which isnt removed before it gets a chance to break down. Increase your husbandry and skimming to make sure that anything added to the tank gets removed as quickly as possible.

moremsgplease · 11/23/2008, 06:52 PM

I just recently add a yellow tang. When it is eating seaweed some of it will not get ate. Could that cause phosphate if I don't change my filter bag often enough?

mg426 · 11/23/2008, 06:56 PM

Tangs have been known to munch on algae. the problem is they eat it poop it out and the cycle continues.

tmz · 11/23/2008, 07:26 PM

All of the food you add contains phosphate. So does fish waste. A granulated ferric oxide produt such as Phosban or Rowpas will remove it if used in a reactor. You can also grow macroalgae in a refugium and it will use some of it up.Skimming,carbon ,siphoning detritus and cleaning mechanical fiter media if used all help.

tmz · 11/23/2008, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mg426
Tangs have been known to munch on algae. the problem is they eat it poop it out and the cycle continues.

That's true but not all of it comes out. If not overfed much of it will be incorporated into the fish's tissues and muscle mass via growth. Tangs are still messy poopers though.

chris4869 · 11/24/2008, 10:39 AM

That's why they're perfect for a reef. They feed the corals with their poops.

11/23/2008, 03:56 PM	#1
moremsgplease Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: St. Petersburg, Fl. Posts: 134	phosphate I have a po4 reading in between .25 and .5 What is the best way to get this to come down, and what is it caused by? __________________ Ian Current Tank Info: 125 Gal.

11/23/2008, 05:19 PM	#4
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Take a look at this. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...6&pcatid=11586 __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

11/23/2008, 06:04 PM	#5
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	phosban reactor will pull out the po4 in the water column, but you'll have to find the source. Most of the time it'll be in the food you add to the tank, which isnt removed before it gets a chance to break down. Increase your husbandry and skimming to make sure that anything added to the tank gets removed as quickly as possible. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

11/23/2008, 06:52 PM	#6
moremsgplease Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: St. Petersburg, Fl. Posts: 134	I just recently add a yellow tang. When it is eating seaweed some of it will not get ate. Could that cause phosphate if I don't change my filter bag often enough? __________________ Ian Current Tank Info: 125 Gal.

11/23/2008, 06:56 PM	#7
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Tangs have been known to munch on algae. the problem is they eat it poop it out and the cycle continues. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

11/23/2008, 04:12 PM	#2
palawan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fremont,CA Posts: 960	Could be caused by many things. Too much fish, overfeeding poor filtration. If you keep SPS the ideal goal is .03 or less for phosphates. People use absorption chemicals such as Rowaphos along with refugiums that grow algae to absorb phosphates from the display tank.

11/23/2008, 04:37 PM	#3
Lenny718 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 184	get a phosban reactor they work great but will take a little time.

11/23/2008, 07:26 PM	#8
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	All of the food you add contains phosphate. So does fish waste. A granulated ferric oxide produt such as Phosban or Rowpas will remove it if used in a reactor. You can also grow macroalgae in a refugium and it will use some of it up.Skimming,carbon ,siphoning detritus and cleaning mechanical fiter media if used all help. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

11/24/2008, 10:39 AM	#10
chris4869 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,006	That's why they're perfect for a reef. They feed the corals with their poops.