Phosphate problem

antysandy · 10/27/2007, 04:42 AM

Tank in 75 with a protein skimmer, wet dry and T5 lighting fish and soft corals. I am unable to keep xenia's and my mushrooms are not growing
My phosphate level in over 5.
Should I buy a R.O. Unit?
I have thought about adding plants?
Any ideas?

moo0o · 10/27/2007, 09:21 AM

You should buy an RO/DI unit, maybe a phosban reactor, and maybe some macroalgea. i dont have any experience with wet dry, but i would do the sump,refug,return type of filter. =)

phosphate levels should be .03ppm i think.

mg426 · 10/27/2007, 09:30 AM

I would get an RO/DI sysetem, Look into getting rid of the wet/dry, And set up a Refugium, Basically What MooOo advised.

Arthur1 · 10/27/2007, 10:43 AM

Yes definately look into an ro/di unit. I also agree with mg concerning the disposal of the wet dry. That level of PO4 is pretty high. On your wet dry I imagine there are some pads that the water hits before the bio balls, are they all gunked up? Also are the bio balls themsleves covered with more than just bacteria, such as organics? And have you checked your water source for phosphates and nitrates? Good luck

Percula9 · 10/27/2007, 10:16 PM

Definitely get rid of the wet dry. Put some phosban in a high flow area. You might consider getting a phosban reactor, in the meantime do some water changes with R/O D/I to lower the nutrient level. This is why your corals are not doing well. What are your nitrate levels?

Tom Fay · 10/29/2007, 03:05 PM

You need to determine where your phosphate is coming from. If it's in your tap water RODI will cure that. Start by testing your tap water. You could have 5.0 ppm just from that. Some tap water is really good. I would use RODI anyway, just to get all the other stuff out too. It could also be too many fish/too much feeding - very common. The easiest/most effective thing is water changes and good skimming. Phosban is great but that's for final scrubbing, not to fix fundamental issues.

Tom Fay · 10/29/2007, 04:43 PM

Here's a good article on Phosphate, hope this helps.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php

10/27/2007, 04:42 AM	#1
antysandy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 8	Phosphate problem Tank in 75 with a protein skimmer, wet dry and T5 lighting fish and soft corals. I am unable to keep xenia's and my mushrooms are not growing My phosphate level in over 5. Should I buy a R.O. Unit? I have thought about adding plants? Any ideas?

10/27/2007, 09:30 AM	#3
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	I would get an RO/DI sysetem, Look into getting rid of the wet/dry, And set up a Refugium, Basically What MooOo advised. __________________ 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

10/27/2007, 09:21 AM	#2
moo0o Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SJ,CA Posts: 1,694	You should buy an RO/DI unit, maybe a phosban reactor, and maybe some macroalgea. i dont have any experience with wet dry, but i would do the sump,refug,return type of filter. =) phosphate levels should be .03ppm i think.

10/27/2007, 10:43 AM	#4
Arthur1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cape Cod MA Posts: 578	Yes definately look into an ro/di unit. I also agree with mg concerning the disposal of the wet dry. That level of PO4 is pretty high. On your wet dry I imagine there are some pads that the water hits before the bio balls, are they all gunked up? Also are the bio balls themsleves covered with more than just bacteria, such as organics? And have you checked your water source for phosphates and nitrates? Good luck

10/27/2007, 10:16 PM	#5
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	Definitely get rid of the wet dry. Put some phosban in a high flow area. You might consider getting a phosban reactor, in the meantime do some water changes with R/O D/I to lower the nutrient level. This is why your corals are not doing well. What are your nitrate levels?

10/29/2007, 03:05 PM	#6
Tom Fay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 120	You need to determine where your phosphate is coming from. If it's in your tap water RODI will cure that. Start by testing your tap water. You could have 5.0 ppm just from that. Some tap water is really good. I would use RODI anyway, just to get all the other stuff out too. It could also be too many fish/too much feeding - very common. The easiest/most effective thing is water changes and good skimming. Phosban is great but that's for final scrubbing, not to fix fundamental issues.

10/29/2007, 04:43 PM	#7
Tom Fay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 120	Here's a good article on Phosphate, hope this helps. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php