Phosphate removal

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Punkroc701

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Feb 2, 2010
Messages
141
Location
Virginia
Ok so other then water changes and backing off on the feeding what is another way to reduce and/or remove phosphates? Should I use chemicals or a phosphate reactor?
 
a phosphate reactor is a great way to get rid of phosphates but are you using tap water? that could be the source of them
 
You could grow Chaeto in a sump and dump it in the trash when it gets too big. I would research carefully before using a chemical removal, because many can leach aluminum and other metals into the water which is definitely a bad thing depending on what you have in your tank. I'm sure there is some safe chemical remover out there though.
 
I am using RO water. I was thinking of a Reactor, but wanted to get some more opinions.

I need some Cheato, but no one around here is getting rid of any yet. Just looking to get something for now.

Thanks for the help.
 
a phosphate reactor wont leach anything back into your tank.
 
Yeah that's the main reason that is the main thing I am looking at right now other then trying to find some Cheato. LOL. Thanks for the input and help.
 
I just checked one out on line. Is it easy to hook up? Is it placed in line with you're existing filter? And with this phosphate reactor will you be able to use treated tap water? And what size should I get for a 75 gal tank? I know this is a lot of questions but this is the first I heard of this. All I have ever been told about are the chems.
 
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Bulk Reef supply sells bulk GFO (granulated ferric oxide) and reactors. Very easy to install and change out when exhausted.
Get a Hanna handheld phosphate checker (approx $40) to check phosphates.

@punkroc: I need to prune some chaeto from my sump. It might make shipping to VA (should only take 2 days to get there). I'll send you a handful for the cost of shipping if you want to take the chance. Probably wait till the weather warms up again next week.
 
Do you siphon detrius out of your tank when you do water changes? Also having a higher amount of flow will help keep detrius in the water column and reduce the amount of siphoning required. Thats a good way to remove phosphates without having to buy any additional equipment.
 
Phosban worked like a charm for me, well along with weekly 20% changes. It was rather inexpensive as well, just rinsed suggested amount of media briefly in media bag and placed it blow my bioballs in my sump where all the water passes under the first baffle.
 
Thanks again everyone, I got a Phosphate reactor and everything looks good. Will test here after I do my water change and see how the Phosphates look then. Thanks again for all the help. And Cmore I got some from a friend who was trimming theirs down. Thanks anyway.
 
Punkroc,

Watch your phosphate in about 3 weeks. If you have been running high then you will more than likely exhaust it's capacity. I installed a two little fishies reactor with GFO a couple of months ago and forgot to check it out after a couple of weeks and then all of a sudden....bam.....
WC and new media and I'm good again. I got it on the schedule now....
 
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