Phosphate Levels in My Tanks

[carey]

I've got a FW and SW tank so I couldn't decide which forum to put this in so hopefully it's ok here.

When I last added stock I had the lfs do a water test just to make sure I've been good reading mine. Everything on 2 tanks came back fine except for a high phosphate level. I tested when I got home and its at 2.0 in both tanks.

I figure RO water is the perfect solution but not for my pocketbook right now unfortunately.

What will phosphate do and how do I remove it? PWC's? Or can I use the fluval clear max on my fw? The SW I can put some clearmax in my aquaclear in a bag. Or is there a chemical solution? Not my first choice tho....

 

[fort384]

PO4 in excess is toxic to fish, and it can also help algae flourish. Do you have a test kit? Can you test your tap water? I am curious if the source is your tap water, if something else within the system. Commercially prepared flakes and pellets have a lot of PO4. Is it possible you are overfeeding? That could cut down on your level of PO4. If it is your tapwater, there are PO4 removers that can be run in your filter... RO water would be a good way to go... but if you use it in the FW tank, you have to add buffers back into the water so you don't end up with a pH crash. For SW it is in the salt mix. For FW, it is a different story.

 

[carey]

Off to check my tap water. lol

 

[carey]

It's the tap water. Getting a 2.0, the exact same readings I got off my 2 main tanks.

So now that we know the source what should I do?

In the FW I can add the phos remover media to my fluval, not a problem.

Not sure if the SW tank would work the same way. I know they have products like phosguard but not sure how to proceed and I don't have a canister on that one.

At what level will it harm my fish? is it like ammonia, anything but 0 is not good?

Thanks a ton folks

 

[fort384]

Anything above 0 is bad for algae (unless you have live plants uptaking it). It takes higher levels to be toxic to fish.

Not sure on the SW side, will leave that to someone with experience.

For the FW, you could add some plants that will help uptake it, or run some kind of removal media in your filter. The problem is, since it is in your tap water, you will have to continually replace it. It might be cheaper in the long run to just invest in some kind of filtration system... especially since you are running multiple tanks. I am not a big fan of long term chemical solutions for an aquarium...

 

[carey]

Yeah I've been in the market for some live plants. Only thing is the FW tank is african cichlids. Kinda narrows down my choices. lol

I have no algae currently in the big tank, in fact i think my pleco is hungry. He's always looking for someplace to eat. lol

 

[fort384]

ah, I missed that in the signature... there aren't really any fast growers that will help with the PO4 that would work well in a chichlid tank.

 

[kenny69]

Hi there Carey, did you sort out a solution to your phosphate problem? I am trying to sort out a brown algae prob right now and am waiting a delivery of some phosban. I have done a lot of reading regarding the best way to utilize the phosban media and from what I have read I am considering a phosban reactor. Little fishies do a reactor called phosban 150, all though there are many different ones to choose from. I am seriously considering setting one up for my Malawi tank..... Not permanent but until I can control the brown algae.

 

[marchmaxima]

Hi there Carey, did you sort out a solution to your phosphate problem? I am trying to sort out a brown algae prob right now

Sorry to interject but brown algae tends not to be related to a phosphate problem. Not usually.

Brown algae is likely to be diatoms and caused by excess silicates. Very common in new tanks and if the tank is new it's a matter of time before the silicates are eaten and the algae goes away on it's own.

Course I know nothing of the history of either your issue or your tank here so I may be completely off the mark here.

And Ottos looooove brown algae. They'll fix your issue if it is indeed brown algae.

 

[kenny69]

Sorry to interject but brown algae tends not to be related to a phosphate problem. Not usually.

Brown algae is likely to be diatoms and caused by excess silicates. Very common in new tanks and if the tank is new it's a matter of time before the silicates are eaten and the algae goes away on it's own.

Course I know nothing of the history of either your issue or your tank here so I may be completely off the mark here.

And Ottos looooove brown algae. They'll fix your issue if it is indeed brown algae.

Hi there, thanks for the info, my tank is three months old so it the norm I know. The phosban will also help with the silicates so I am hoping that that combined with reduced feeding and patients will get rid of the brown algae. The below is an extract of some info I read, it falls in line with many other articles inane checked out.


"If brown algae appears in an established tank, check nitrate and phosphate levels. Increased water changes or more thorough substrate cleaning may be necessary. Using a phosphate-adsorbing resin will also remove silicates, which are important to the growth of this algae. However, as noted above, it is essentially impossible to totally eliminate algae with this strategy alone. Due to its ability to grow at low light levels, this algae may also appear in dimly lit tanks, where old fluorescent bulbs have lost much of their output. If a problem does occur, otocinclus catfish are known to clear this algae quickly, although you may need several for larger tanks, and they can be difficult to acclimatise initially."

Thanks again, I appreciate your advice.

 

[marchmaxima]

That snippet was referring to an established tank. Your tank is 3 mths old. That's still a step away in so far as being established.

I realise its awfully unsightly and this situation doesn't do much in terms of promoting patience. But diatoms can take 6-8 months to consume the silicates and only after that amount of time would I think you need to think about an alternate cause.

Avoiding any unnecessary changes and letting it all settle in is, in my opinion, a better route to take with a new tank when brown algae is what you have. If it were me, I'd be letting it thrive, so it dies. Once it dies, it tends not to back unless there's another reason.

Good luck with it. Hope you sort it out, one way or another.