High phosphates

cvega01 · 08/20/2012, 07:21 PM

Hey guys, I have another issue here. My 25 gallon tank appears to be cycled after 4 weeks/2days. I bought a Salifert nitrate test kit and Red Sea phosphate test kit. I have now done 2ea. 10 gallon water changes, but my nitrates remain at 5ppm and phosphates at .36ppm. My cycling method was ghost feeding Spectrum Thera+ A but this past weekend I bought a yasha ray goby, and a candy stripe pistol shrimp to which I'm feeding frozen mysis shrimp(yes, I'm rinsing them off with RO water first) The prior weekend I bought a cleanup crew of 8 hermit crabs. Do you guys think I might have overdone the ghost feeding of the sinking pellets once a day?

There is a bit of detritus in the sump section which I'm having a hard time siphoning all out, could that be the cause of my high phosphates? I would like to eventually start putting in lps frags to start my collection going, but not sure how to get to that point with my levels not dropping even after large water changes...

Setup:
Current-USA Cardiff 25 gallon tank with built-in Venturi skimmer
Homemade media rack with floss on top, Poly Filter underneath, bio balls in next chamber, and carbon at the bottom.

Ammonia: ~ 0ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Phosphate: .36 ppm
Gravity: 1.025
Temp: 80-81 deg F
Please help!

kfisc · 08/20/2012, 07:49 PM

It could help most to simplify- you have too much organic material going in and too many places for it to hide. I think you could lose the bioballs (slowly, a 1/3 at a time over a week or so to avoid shock), get rid of the floss (trapped gunk= more problems), keep the polyfilter and carbon (make sure you change it regularly) and cut back on feeding.

You could also make sure your flow is strong enough to keep things moving- no dead spots.

cvega01 · 08/24/2012, 06:28 PM

Bio balls are out, replaced 2 koralia 550's with one Ecotech MP10 for adequate flow. Wish me luck! I put in an evergreen starburst polyp frag in there yesterday afternoon to see how it does. I woke up this morning and it's fully opened, so I suppose that's a good sign? Now to learn about alk/ Ca and dosing... It never ends, but I'm loving it so far.

kfisc · 08/24/2012, 06:40 PM

Sounds good! I always loved the green star polyps I had, polyps can be great fun. They're great indicators of tank health- if they're happy, your tank's happy. Good luck!

Mavrk · 08/24/2012, 06:42 PM

If you can measure phosphates, then you can believe there is more in there. If you want nitrates lower, you need to do more water changes or get some macro algae. You could run GFO to reduce phosphates as well.

Don't forget to measure magnesium (Mg) along with the Calcium and Alkalinity.

To Reef Central

chrisfont23 · 08/24/2012, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvega01

Bio balls are out, replaced 2 koralia 550's with one Ecotech MP10 for adequate flow. Wish me luck! I put in an evergreen starburst polyp frag in there yesterday afternoon to see how it does. I woke up this morning and it's fully opened, so I suppose that's a good sign? Now to learn about alk/ Ca and dosing... It never ends, but I'm loving it so far.

Personally, GSPs are one of the best - if not the best - indicator of water quality in a tank, next to of course - ur test kits. Crappy quality will be surely indicative of their recession.

MTWiley · 08/24/2012, 08:33 PM

I have 12 gallon tank that's been sitting for months without a water change everything else in the tank has died since I left on my business trip and the gsp are the only thing left living/thriving in the tank besides the fish. I wouldn't really use them as an indicator of water quality.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

chrisfont23 · 08/24/2012, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTWiley

I have 12 gallon tank that's been sitting for months without a water change everything else in the tank has died since I left on my business trip and the gsp are the only thing left living/thriving in the tank besides the fish. I wouldn't really use them as an indicator of water quality.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Yeah, thanks. That's just my opinion. I thought the first word in my post gave that away.

Sorry about your tank.

slapshot · 08/24/2012, 08:51 PM

I always like to do a 100 percent wc after the rank cycles. At least a good 75 percent. Gets rid of the nitrates from the cycle. Not sure a Yasha was a good first purchase as they can be a bit touchy but good luck. They are beautiful little fish.

Steve Wright2 · 08/24/2012, 09:51 PM

+ 1 on incorporating GFO into your system
ideally with a reactor, where it is utilized at its most efficient

having recordable phosphate now, could spell algae issues later, should algae spores etc find their way into your set up with new additions etc

Steve

08/20/2012, 07:21 PM	#1
cvega01 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 19	High phosphates Hey guys, I have another issue here. My 25 gallon tank appears to be cycled after 4 weeks/2days. I bought a Salifert nitrate test kit and Red Sea phosphate test kit. I have now done 2ea. 10 gallon water changes, but my nitrates remain at 5ppm and phosphates at .36ppm. My cycling method was ghost feeding Spectrum Thera+ A but this past weekend I bought a yasha ray goby, and a candy stripe pistol shrimp to which I'm feeding frozen mysis shrimp(yes, I'm rinsing them off with RO water first) The prior weekend I bought a cleanup crew of 8 hermit crabs. Do you guys think I might have overdone the ghost feeding of the sinking pellets once a day? There is a bit of detritus in the sump section which I'm having a hard time siphoning all out, could that be the cause of my high phosphates? I would like to eventually start putting in lps frags to start my collection going, but not sure how to get to that point with my levels not dropping even after large water changes... Setup: Current-USA Cardiff 25 gallon tank with built-in Venturi skimmer Homemade media rack with floss on top, Poly Filter underneath, bio balls in next chamber, and carbon at the bottom. Ammonia: ~ 0ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 5 ppm Phosphate: .36 ppm Gravity: 1.025 Temp: 80-81 deg F Please help!

08/24/2012, 09:51 PM	#10
Steve Wright2 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shenzhen PRC Posts: 454	+ 1 on incorporating GFO into your system ideally with a reactor, where it is utilized at its most efficient having recordable phosphate now, could spell algae issues later, should algae spores etc find their way into your set up with new additions etc Steve __________________ Turbo snails are you kidding me, even I can catch and remove them from my reef tank

08/20/2012, 07:49 PM	#2
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	It could help most to simplify- you have too much organic material going in and too many places for it to hide. I think you could lose the bioballs (slowly, a 1/3 at a time over a week or so to avoid shock), get rid of the floss (trapped gunk= more problems), keep the polyfilter and carbon (make sure you change it regularly) and cut back on feeding. You could also make sure your flow is strong enough to keep things moving- no dead spots.

08/24/2012, 06:28 PM	#3
cvega01 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 19	Bio balls are out, replaced 2 koralia 550's with one Ecotech MP10 for adequate flow. Wish me luck! I put in an evergreen starburst polyp frag in there yesterday afternoon to see how it does. I woke up this morning and it's fully opened, so I suppose that's a good sign? Now to learn about alk/ Ca and dosing... It never ends, but I'm loving it so far.

08/24/2012, 06:40 PM	#4
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	Sounds good! I always loved the green star polyps I had, polyps can be great fun. They're great indicators of tank health- if they're happy, your tank's happy. Good luck!

08/24/2012, 06:42 PM	#5
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	If you can measure phosphates, then you can believe there is more in there. If you want nitrates lower, you need to do more water changes or get some macro algae. You could run GFO to reduce phosphates as well. Don't forget to measure magnesium (Mg) along with the Calcium and Alkalinity. *To Reef Central*

08/24/2012, 08:33 PM	#7
MTWiley Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Kansas City Metro Posts: 273	I have 12 gallon tank that's been sitting for months without a water change everything else in the tank has died since I left on my business trip and the gsp are the only thing left living/thriving in the tank besides the fish. I wouldn't really use them as an indicator of water quality. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

08/24/2012, 08:51 PM	#9
slapshot Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan Posts: 1,791	I always like to do a 100 percent wc after the rank cycles. At least a good 75 percent. Gets rid of the nitrates from the cycle. Not sure a Yasha was a good first purchase as they can be a bit touchy but good luck. They are beautiful little fish.