Phosphates rising and alge are blooming and can`t get ammonia to 0

Gravis · 03/27/2016, 09:43 AM

Hi guys!

I set up my new tank a little under 2 weeks ago.

When i got the rock in, i waited about two days before i did a ph4 test, and as you can se under, the ph4 values was at 0,12.

The same week the alge started blooming and the phosphates started getting lower. and here comes the question. The alge thrives on phosphates for nutrition, and there for, my phosphates go down when i get more alge?

Why do my phosphates rise again when the green hair alge are trying to take over my tank?

Should i throw in my phosphate reactor? or should i wait for it to stabilize?

to days other measurements are.

Ammonia 0,25 (this has been stable since day one, 10 days ago). any guesses to why it dont change?
No2 0
No3 0

Phosphate Po4

0,12
0,06
0,08
0,08
0,12

The readings are not day 1,2,3, there is 10 days between the first and last.

Thank you in advance guys! Love this forum

Mike Ordner · 03/27/2016, 09:58 AM

Are you adding any food source? Food has PO4 and the rocks themselves can still be leaching PO4, so even though algae is growing like crazy the amount of PO4 is greater than algae demand. What test are you using for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. Seems odd that nitrites are still at zero. If it was dry rock when you started it just may take longer for the cycle to complete itself.

Gravis · 03/27/2016, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Ordner

Are you adding any food source? Food has PO4 and the rocks themselves can still be leaching PO4, so even though algae is growing like crazy the amount of PO4 is greater than algae demand. What test are you using for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. Seems odd that nitrites are still at zero. If it was dry rock when you started it just may take longer for the cycle to complete itself.

I fed the tank a couple of grams with pellets when I got the water in the tank.

For the test kits I bought new salifert kits for the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The phosphate test is red sea. It a bit old but still with in the expectation date on the bottle. I used live rock from my LFS for the tank.

Hope it goes down so I can move my fish and corral from my old tank. (Girlfriend about to kill me

what would you guys consider safe parameters for the fish and corrals?

Mike Ordner · 03/28/2016, 01:55 PM

Safe is compete cycle. No ammonia, no nitrites and showing nitrates. How high is subject to debate, less important for fish (say 20 ppm nitrates) than sps corals. LPS and softies same level as fish. if the rock was good rock from the LFS, then it might go though a short cycle, but you should still see the other components. Take a sample to the store and let them check to have a second independent reading.

hkgar · 03/28/2016, 02:32 PM

You should be adding some food source often to keep producing ammonia to start the bacteria growing.

Laredotx1987 · 03/28/2016, 11:00 PM

You can also reduce your light schedule, and if you can do a water change.

Gravis · 03/30/2016, 02:18 PM

Hi guys! Thanks for all your advice! Today I cleaned up my phosphate reactor and put it inn the tank. Hopefully that would do the trick!

Gravis · 03/30/2016, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Ordner

Safe is compete cycle. No ammonia, no nitrites and showing nitrates. How high is subject to debate, less important for fish (say 20 ppm nitrates) than sps corals. LPS and softies same level as fish. if the rock was good rock from the LFS, then it might go though a short cycle, but you should still see the other components. Take a sample to the store and let them check to have a second independent reading.

Hi Mike! I didn't fully understand the nitrate comment. Did you mean, that the fish could survive about 20 ppm. Same with my LPS and soft corals. But the sps should wait a bit longer?

homer1475 · 03/30/2016, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravis

Hi Mike! I didn't fully understand the nitrate comment. Did you mean, that the fish could survive about 20 ppm. Same with my LPS and soft corals. But the sps should wait a bit longer?

That is exactly what hes saying.

Nitrates are pretty harmless to fish(at least in the levels we see in the hobby), corals on the other hand are a different story. While some thrive on nitrates(lps and softies) other will slowly die(SPS).

Gravis · 04/04/2016, 05:28 PM

The amonia sits stable at .25 and has done so for about 3 weeks. Don't understand... Any ideas?

hkgar · 04/05/2016, 01:17 PM

What are Nitrites? What test kit are you using?

Oops, sorry. Just noticed you posted nitrites as zero. I would suspect a testing error. Pick up an ammonia badge at your LFS

http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-671001...+ammonia+alert

Gravis · 04/12/2016, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

What are Nitrites? What test kit are you using?

Oops, sorry. Just noticed you posted nitrites as zero. I would suspect a testing error. Pick up an ammonia badge at your LFS

http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-671001...+ammonia+alert

I went to my LFS, got him to test it and the test was zero

now fish swims happily in the tank!

Sent fra min Nexus 6P via Tapatalk

03/27/2016, 09:43 AM	#1
Gravis Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 51	Phosphates rising and alge are blooming and can`t get ammonia to 0 Hi guys! I set up my new tank a little under 2 weeks ago. When i got the rock in, i waited about two days before i did a ph4 test, and as you can se under, the ph4 values was at 0,12. The same week the alge started blooming and the phosphates started getting lower. and here comes the question. The alge thrives on phosphates for nutrition, and there for, my phosphates go down when i get more alge? Why do my phosphates rise again when the green hair alge are trying to take over my tank? Should i throw in my phosphate reactor? or should i wait for it to stabilize? to days other measurements are. Ammonia 0,25 (this has been stable since day one, 10 days ago). any guesses to why it dont change? No2 0 No3 0 Phosphate Po4 0,12 0,06 0,08 0,08 0,12 The readings are not day 1,2,3, there is 10 days between the first and last. Thank you in advance guys! Love this forum

03/28/2016, 02:32 PM	#5
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	You should be adding some food source often to keep producing ammonia to start the bacteria growing. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

04/05/2016, 01:17 PM	#11
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	What are Nitrites? What test kit are you using? Oops, sorry. Just noticed you posted nitrites as zero. I would suspect a testing error. Pick up an ammonia badge at your LFS http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-671001...+ammonia+alert __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

03/27/2016, 09:58 AM	#2
Mike Ordner Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas Posts: 415	Are you adding any food source? Food has PO4 and the rocks themselves can still be leaching PO4, so even though algae is growing like crazy the amount of PO4 is greater than algae demand. What test are you using for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. Seems odd that nitrites are still at zero. If it was dry rock when you started it just may take longer for the cycle to complete itself.

03/28/2016, 01:55 PM	#4
Mike Ordner Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas Posts: 415	Safe is compete cycle. No ammonia, no nitrites and showing nitrates. How high is subject to debate, less important for fish (say 20 ppm nitrates) than sps corals. LPS and softies same level as fish. if the rock was good rock from the LFS, then it might go though a short cycle, but you should still see the other components. Take a sample to the store and let them check to have a second independent reading.

03/28/2016, 11:00 PM	#6
Laredotx1987 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Laredo Tx Posts: 54	You can also reduce your light schedule, and if you can do a water change.

03/30/2016, 02:18 PM	#7
Gravis Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 51	Hi guys! Thanks for all your advice! Today I cleaned up my phosphate reactor and put it inn the tank. Hopefully that would do the trick!

04/04/2016, 05:28 PM	#10
Gravis Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 51	The amonia sits stable at .25 and has done so for about 3 weeks. Don't understand... Any ideas?