Phosphate Problem!

[Ladykrup]

Our 55 gal. FO tank is 1 1/2 yrs. old. We have the wet/dry filter - nitrate is 40, nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, PH is 8.2, temp 79, Phosphate is off the chart!

Over the last few months we had unexplained fish death with new fish. LFS said this is common, as water conditions degrade, old fish are used to it, new fish can't handle it. They determined that we had low PH and high phosphate. We could have been better about water changes in the past but now do it every two weeks. I brought up the PH and am trying to get the phosphate down with no luck. All the water for changes and top off is run through a tap water filter, tested for phosphate, ph, etc.- 0 phosphate! I have cut back feeding and will not get another fish until this problem is resolved! Where is this phosphate coming from? Two fish, a damsel and a cuban hog, disappeared about one month ago, didn't jump out, I have no idea what happened to them. Could they be rotting under a rock and putting phosphate in there. We are running a big protein skimmer. It actually needed a new airstone so perhaps it was not running for a while but it is skimming like crazy now. LFS says we are on the road to recovery but when will the phosphates improve? They are off the chart!
We also stuck a poly filter down in the sump (LFS advice) to soak up some phosphate, I guess! My questions is, does anyone agree that we could be on the road to recovery? Or what might we do better? Sorry for the long post. Thanks!

 

[lando]

Have you been using any product like SeaChems PophsGuard? I would give that a try. Goal one is to get your PO4 down to an acceptable level. Goal two is to find the source and eliminate it. You may have to do serval water changes to get it out of your tank. Who is testing your water? I would buy another kit just to validate readings. Test PO4 in your tap water, filtered tap water and tank and post the results. When you say "filtered tap water" do you mean from an RO/DI unit? Having a DI stage is really the only way to eliminate PO4 from tap water. Also, I have heard of carbon leeching PO4 into the water. Do you run carbon and how often is it changed? Good Luck...Lando

 

[Ladykrup]

Thanks for the help! I have just ordered this Phosguard and will give it a try. The tap water filter says on the box "makes deionized water for aquariums with organic removal chamber and color changing ion exchange resin", so I am assuming this is DI. I have been testing the filtered water for phosphate and every time it is 0 (top off water and water change). We have no carbon. Until about 1 month ago I was using tap water to top off the tank. I only used the filter for the water change water. Maybe that is where the phosphate came from, I hope it is, at least that way I would know. Will try the phosguard, will only put water in that has been through the filter, do a bunch of water changes and see how it goes. The four fish, two stars, and sea urchin that I have left seem to have adapted to the conditions. Hopefully life will get better for them! I have no algae problem, not at all. I thought high phosphates caused algae problems. Thanks!

 

[lando]

Sounds like you are on the right track. You are correct that high PO4 can cause cyno and algea problems. It is just excess nutrients in the water. Do aggressive water changes over the next couple of weeks, like 10-15% every two or three days. Also, do you currently have a protein skimmer? Any more info on the type of tap filter you have like brand and model? Good luck...Lando

 

[Ladykrup]

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals #175 is the filter, tall thing the water runs up through, you can change the cartridge. Seems to work, I tested the water right out of the tap this morning for the phosphate and it was off the scale - way off! Filtered water is 0. We do have a protein skimmer. The airstone was in need of a change - it was full of gunk! Interesting how you learn these things over time! Skimmer is skimming again, we will see!

 

[lando]

good luck...keep on the water changes.