Phosphate levels

martlla26 · 01/22/2006, 07:49 AM

Does anyone know what phosphate level a BTA can tolerate? I just bought a test kit and I think my levels are high (1.0). Can PhosBan be used in a canister filter or do you have to buy the reactor for it? Thanks...

jallard · 01/22/2006, 08:39 AM

can only help......do you use ro/di?

Amphiprion · 01/22/2006, 10:13 AM

those levels are tolerable, but less is always better. I think Phosban would be best in a reactor of some sort, seeing as how it needs lower flow through rate than, say, carbon (I can't completely recall, but @80 gph maximum, I think).

martlla26 · 01/22/2006, 10:57 AM

Ok thanks. For now I put it in between two pieces of sponge in my canister to slow up the flow.

I'm thinking maybe my test kit is off or something. I use RO water from Walmart. I measured it for phosphate after I mixed it with my Red Sea salt this morning and it said 1.0. Then I measured just the water and it said 1.0. Then I measured my tap water and it also read 1.0. What is going on?!? Have I been spending my money on filtered water all this time when its no better than tap?

I'm just trying to make my BTA happy because it doesn't exactly look like its in good health. I want to make my phosphates and nitrates to be zero.

bginop · 01/22/2006, 02:08 PM

lol, maybe your right and walmart is selling you tap water. My BTA is having troubles to, and i am not sure if it is because of my phosphate levels. Although, i dont have a test kit to tell me for sure. I think the best solution might be to start a refugium and have macro algea suck those nutrients out of the water.

mikeguerrero · 01/22/2006, 04:19 PM

martlla26

I use the glacier penguin machines for my RO/DI ultra violet carbon ran H20....

It's 30 cents a gallon.... out here in SF Bay Area....

Mike G

Jim Z. · 01/23/2006, 09:07 AM

Do you have a local pet shop that can test your tank water for you? Having several identical readings from different water sources is troubling. Phosphate binding compounds work fairly well and I place one in the sump to keep phosphate at undetectable levels.

Also, since phosphate is a limiting resource in aquatic and marine environments, its presence is correlated with lots of algal and cyanobacteria growth. If your tank is pristine and relatively free of cyanobacteria blooms, then I suspect the quality of the phosphate test.

By the way, Phosphate is everywhere--trace amounts are found on glassware, fingertips....etc. Contaminated testing equipment can also lead to false positives.

Jim Z.

martlla26 · 01/23/2006, 12:11 PM

My test kit is from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, most of my other tests are from them too. I'm going to see if my LFS can test it for me thanks. My aquarium is pristine, other than some recent growth of hair algae on older pieces of LR. Never had a cyano outbreak, knock on wood! Phosphate levels have never been something I've measured, but I realize I should now.

I've had my BTA since the start of the new year, first it started looking less and less healthy, lost some of its algea. Now I'm not sure, but it looks as if it may be on the rebound. Its too early to tell. It gets daily feedings and my GSM has finally given it some breathing room. Its moved from the back of the tank (with very little light) to more out in the open, still about half way down from the lights.

01/22/2006, 07:49 AM	#1
martlla26 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Smithtown L.I. Posts: 96	Phosphate levels Does anyone know what phosphate level a BTA can tolerate? I just bought a test kit and I think my levels are high (1.0). Can PhosBan be used in a canister filter or do you have to buy the reactor for it? Thanks...

01/22/2006, 08:39 AM	#2
jallard Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NY Posts: 2,960	can only help......do you use ro/di? __________________ (\__/) (='.'=)This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny (")_(")into your signature to help him gain world domination. URL removed per User Agreement Current Tank Info: 34g Solana

01/22/2006, 10:13 AM	#3
Amphiprion Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 6,611	those levels are tolerable, but less is always better. I think Phosban would be best in a reactor of some sort, seeing as how it needs lower flow through rate than, say, carbon (I can't completely recall, but @80 gph maximum, I think). __________________ You've done it now, haven't you? Current Tank Info: 40g breeder patch reef w/ seagrass; 2-250w XM 10K; Vortech MP40wES & MP10wES; BM Curve 7 skimmer; carbon & occasional GFO

01/22/2006, 02:08 PM	#5
bginop Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 300	lol, maybe your right and walmart is selling you tap water. My BTA is having troubles to, and i am not sure if it is because of my phosphate levels. Although, i dont have a test kit to tell me for sure. I think the best solution might be to start a refugium and have macro algea suck those nutrients out of the water. __________________ booyakasha

01/22/2006, 10:57 AM	#4
martlla26 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Smithtown L.I. Posts: 96	Ok thanks. For now I put it in between two pieces of sponge in my canister to slow up the flow. I'm thinking maybe my test kit is off or something. I use RO water from Walmart. I measured it for phosphate after I mixed it with my Red Sea salt this morning and it said 1.0. Then I measured just the water and it said 1.0. Then I measured my tap water and it also read 1.0. What is going on?!? Have I been spending my money on filtered water all this time when its no better than tap? I'm just trying to make my BTA happy because it doesn't exactly look like its in good health. I want to make my phosphates and nitrates to be zero.

01/22/2006, 04:19 PM	#6
mikeguerrero Registered Member. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 607	martlla26 I use the glacier penguin machines for my RO/DI ultra violet carbon ran H20.... It's 30 cents a gallon.... out here in SF Bay Area.... Mike G

01/23/2006, 09:07 AM	#7
Jim Z. Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 198	Do you have a local pet shop that can test your tank water for you? Having several identical readings from different water sources is troubling. Phosphate binding compounds work fairly well and I place one in the sump to keep phosphate at undetectable levels. Also, since phosphate is a limiting resource in aquatic and marine environments, its presence is correlated with lots of algal and cyanobacteria growth. If your tank is pristine and relatively free of cyanobacteria blooms, then I suspect the quality of the phosphate test. By the way, Phosphate is everywhere--trace amounts are found on glassware, fingertips....etc. Contaminated testing equipment can also lead to false positives. Jim Z.

01/23/2006, 12:11 PM	#8
martlla26 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Smithtown L.I. Posts: 96	My test kit is from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, most of my other tests are from them too. I'm going to see if my LFS can test it for me thanks. My aquarium is pristine, other than some recent growth of hair algae on older pieces of LR. Never had a cyano outbreak, knock on wood! Phosphate levels have never been something I've measured, but I realize I should now. I've had my BTA since the start of the new year, first it started looking less and less healthy, lost some of its algea. Now I'm not sure, but it looks as if it may be on the rebound. Its too early to tell. It gets daily feedings and my GSM has finally given it some breathing room. Its moved from the back of the tank (with very little light) to more out in the open, still about half way down from the lights.