Phosphate reduction 101

[greenmaji]

You have 0 nitrates.. try doing bigger water changes.. 75% every day or other day, every day would be better if you can hack it.. it should fix the problem in less then a week, less time with every day id say only a few days.. have you started turning off the filter durring your feedings? If not do so it should help alot. HTH

 

[Fubie]

Filter is turned off (That is a nice thing about the Emporer design. It allows you to turn the main filter off while still running the bio-wheel.) during feedings. I'll try to get back to doing more PWC's during the week.

 

[caudelfin]

Phosphate Reduction 101

I have followed this thread carefully. I am having a Phosphate problem and lots of green algae, no green water yet, and summed up what I have read for a fish only tank. Is this correct?
to reduce phosphates in fish only tank:

1 Do as many water changes as it takes to get phosphates under control.
No Plants vac gravel extra well, with plants do not disturb the gravel with vac.
2. Clean Filter especially the intake.
3. Reduce Feeding of fish to what they can eat in 30 to 40 seconds. (I feed twice daily and give them all they can eat in 20 seconds
4. Cut off filter while feeding.
5. Short term solution use PhosGuard from SeaChem
6 Check tap water if used to fill aquariums and see the phosphate reading should be near 0. If it is high use Phosguard all the time.

and as I am starting a plant only tank soon using Hagen's Turbo CO2 Bio System. So I am looking at the phosphate problems using CO2.
Caudelfin

 

[greenmaji]

Sorry Caudefin.. I some how missed your post in this thread..

Your summation of how to get PO4 in check seems spot on.. the feedings in your case could last up to 30 seconds.. but 20 is on the safe side..

When you have a planted tank there is a small differance..PO4 is a nutrient that plants use.. there is a wide ratio, NO3:PO4, for what is safe to keep from getting algae problems in planted tanks.. it ranges from 23:1 - 10:1... I know this is a wide range but 10:1 is still suppose to be safe.. the NO3 is suppose to be somewhere between 10-15 ppm in a planted tank.. so the range of PO4 is.. .435 - 1.5 ppm and the greater then 1ppm through 1.5 ppm of PO4 is for the 15ppm NO3 target level only.. I hope this helps
You can calculate the needed PO4 ppm ratio if you have a planted tank that absorbs nutrients qickly (high-medium light CO2 injected) you might need to be doseing 20ppm NO3 to stay ahead so you would need to recalculate the PO4 levels... and yes you do dose PO4 in these cases.. greg watsons site has the raw fertilizers and cuck's calculator also does the dosing calculations for alot of the ferts....
http://www.gregwatson.com/products.asp?cat=8