OMG my Phosphate levels are through the roof

[ddkyork]

Well since I first planted my swords and moneyworts, I had a big diatom bloom. So bad that everything turned brown. After searching, I went down to the [acronym:c3a91567ed="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:c3a91567ed] and bought 4 OTO cats. One has died, but the others are going strong after day 3. There's so much brown algae that they only have about 35% of it clean. What's cool is they started with the plants and now the plants seem to be thriving. I measured my phosphates before I bought them because IR ead on here silicates and phosphates can cause this. WOWWW, the phosphates reading go off the chart above 10. I went and bought some phosphate absorber and added to the canister. Still after day 3, it's reading above 10. The water turns almost black when I start to shake the test tube. 10 is blue on my chart. What's a nother way of getting rid of this stuff? Should I get an [acronym:c3a91567ed="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:c3a91567ed]/[acronym:c3a91567ed="Deionization"]DI[/acronym:c3a91567ed] unit at home and do more water changes or is there another way besides going to the [acronym:c3a91567ed="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:c3a91567ed] and buying the water. Anyone know where any [acronym:c3a91567ed="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:c3a91567ed]/[acronym:c3a91567ed="Deionization"]DI[/acronym:c3a91567ed] units are that can make about 5 gallons a weeks? Thanks all, and I'll post some pics here in the next day or so.
One other thing, is one of my swords are really pushing itself out of the substrate showing a lot of roots. That's the pic I really want to post. I brushed some gravel around it and the next day the plant seemed higher out of the substrate. Is this normal?

Also, what's a good fish for 2.5 [acronym:c3a91567ed="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:c3a91567ed] I bought my little girl last week. I'd imagine I Can only add a few fish. I used my tank water so it didn't have to cycle, but forgot to add bacteria. She lost her first fish and dropped a few tears. I told her we'd go back tomorrow and get her another one.

Is [acronym:c3a91567ed="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:c3a91567ed] [acronym:c3a91567ed="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:c3a91567ed] even worth it on a 45 gallon tank? Malkore has seen pics of it, should I even bother? It's cylinder shaped and about 28 inches deep.

thanks to all!

Dale [acronym:c3a91567ed="Kelvin or Potassium, depending on context"]K[/acronym:c3a91567ed].

[black udder]

you can use [acronym:e8c32110ab="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:e8c32110ab] [acronym:e8c32110ab="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e8c32110ab] on a 45 gallon just fine. You'll need the [acronym:e8c32110ab="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:e8c32110ab] to make it worthwhile though. I'd test the water straight from the tap to see what your phosphate reading is. If that's not bad, then you could do [acronym:e8c32110ab="Partial water change"]pwc[/acronym:e8c32110ab] every day/every other day and that might ease the problem. I know folks here will say find the source, but that might get things under control a bit so you can see if it balances out at all.

I'm sure everybody will need your current water stats to be able to really help you.

I believe you're only looking at a 1-2 fish for 2.5. Maybe a betta & a snail or something.

Is the tank getting any natural light? What's the [acronym:e8c32110ab="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:e8c32110ab]?

Keep us posted.

[TCTFish]

There is another type of brown algae which are dinoflaggelates (spell?). Pick up a glob of this brown algae and rub it between your fingers. If it feels gritty and easy to break apart, then it's diatoms. If it's slimy and resists breaking up, then it's dinoflaggelates. The diatoms should eventually disappear on it's own, unless you have a lot of silicates again. High silica will gross the population of diatoms. This is when we actually see them in the form of what looks like nasty brown algae.

Phosphates are in almost everything. Tap water generally has phosphates because that's what's used to keep water pipes from rusting. It's in food and additives. Phosphates are an important part of respiration, but not that much. Phos-X by Hagen I hear works fairly well. Using R/O water can help as well. Though phosphates may not be completely filtered out. It does slips through, but there is less of it. Feed a premium food like Ocean Nutrition or Omega One. They are likely to have less phosphates than general brands such as Wardley or Tetramin. It's like the difference between Iams/Eukanuba and Purina.

[TankGirl]

If you just need 5 gals a week then go to Walmart, or possibly some grocery stores, and use one of their filtered water machines and fill a 5gal jug, or 5 milk jugs.

Definitely take black udder's advice and check your tap water, because some phosphate is not unusual but it should not be that bad. If the source is not your tap water then partial water changes to get the levels down are in order, as suggested. You also might consider a new phosphate test kit, just to be sure it is accurate. If it is still high, then there is something you are putting in the tank or something in the substrate doing this.

Rather than the sword pushing up out of the substrate, is a tank inhabitant digging and exposing the roots overnight?

The only thing I would put in a tiny tank is a betta, or better yet, some shrimps and a snail. A tank that small is difficult to keep stable, so especially when it is for a child that takes it hard when fish die, a 10gal would be so much easier to keep under control, and they are cheap. One of our chain pet shops locally is offering a free 10gal when you buy a Whisper power filter for $18.00.

[malkore]

petco regularly has 10gallon tanks for $10 too. i'm positive I paid more than that for the 5.5gallon I own.

Definitely test your tap water for phosphates.
Next time you get a phosphate test kit, make sure it's SeaChem brand. It's the only inexpensive one I trust (obviously LaMotte and Hach are very high quality, and price).