Phosphate never wants to drop???!! HELP!

[usaco]

Hi ppl,

I don't know why I can't get the phosphate to reduce, I think i've tried everything. I've placed Aquasonic sponges in my canister filter, then I've made several 20% water changes. I've got a skimmer that's working fine (It's producing heaps of bubbles).

I also cleaned my canister filter and the mini reef system from all debris... Tested my tap water with no or very very little trace of phosphate.

Does anyone know of any other ways to reduce the phosphate (other than starting from scratch!)???

phosphate: 3.0
nitrate: 20
cal: 450-500
alk: 160
ph: 8.0-8.1
everything else is normal

 

[MyMonkey]

I would suggest using RO/DI water. Could it be that there are nutrients in your Tap that are adding to the Phosphates once in the tank?

 

[seaham358]

If you have any PO4 in your tap your just adding it back to the tank every time you top off. ro/di is the way to go... a phosban reactor will work well also. But if you keep using tap water you will burn through the phosban fast and will be changing that out every month.. RO/DI .....

 

[hcuellart]

Start using RO/DI with your weekly 15% water changes plus 1 or 2 oz. of Phosban and in 3 to 4 weeks you should have 0 PO4s if not then you are most probably overfeeding...

 

[SkinnyPete]

Question, which may actually help with usaco's issue...

... I'm having a similar problem and I AM using RO/DI (My TDS out of my RO/DI is 1ppm - I'm assuming that's acceptable) and am only feeding a small amount every other day. I'm also running phosban and I have (had, it's now dead) some chaeto going in my fuge. My PO4 will not drop under 0.5. I've heard of certain rocks leaking PO4. Is there a possiblity that some rock rubble that I got dry from a lfs is leaking PO4? It's the only thing I can think of.

usaco, could there be another source of your PO4? Maybe a rock of unknown origin?

 

[lando]

PO4 is also introduced via food. If you feed frozen food you should rinse it in RO/DI water first to get rid of the toxic "juice" that is produced when it thaws.

 

[MarineFlake]

The use RO/DI is a typical and justified response. However, some tanks due to long term PO4 issues must take further measures. Obviously, changing water with high concentrations of PO4 only exacerbates the issue. So, the golden rule does apply. However, take it from me, ro/di from day 1, you can still have plenty of po4 issues. Mine resulted in the unsightly hair algea. I used RowaPhos and 2 little Fishes PhosBan. PhosBan IMO is the best. This stuff *will* lower your PO4 quickly if used proper. I read on another site (Maybe WetWeb, B Fenners stomping grounds) about 'embedded PO4 issues. Where as the PO4 has been prevelant in a tank for so long, its practically everywhere. Changing water helps...helps stirr up more PO4 bound to other things in the tank. With that in mind I did begin using a 'sponge' and did acheive much lower levels of PO4. However, my tank is loaded, though I do not feel over loaded. Everyones scenario is a tad diff, so I'll go out on the 'limb' and say if you have used RO/DI and its testing clean, back off your feedings. (In my case, I had to make special arrangements for my tang. You can and will starve your tang if you have one, by placing them on a too stringent schedule of feeding. They are grazers and must be fed as such. So, please do not starve your fish to death in order to fix your PO4 issue ) I know its hard cause there they are everyday up against the glass waggin their tails at you begging. But believe me, your never going to get anything lowered if you don't enforce the change. (Also make sure your spouse isn't doing you a favor and double feeding...) Anyway, after cutting back on the food, I used, as stated, a PO4 sponge. This made a very big dent in my PO4 issue. PO4 was like 5 plus ppm and dropped to about 0 in a month or so. My next issue, lowering my Nitrate..over 25ppm. Working on that with a couple methods however, like it or not, water changes are still the best way.

GL!

 

[seafan]

Thanks so much Lando, I had the algae bloom of the century and it occurred right after I introduced frozen food to my tank. I stopped using it and was going to write to the manufacturer, but now I know the true issue.

 

[usaco]

usaco, could there be another source of your PO4? Maybe a rock of unknown origin?

Maybe??!! All rocks are bought from my LFS

 

[usaco]

Thanks everyone for the tips.. I'll let u all know how it goes..

More tips are welcome..