High P04 Question

[maffia]

My po4 is about 4-5ppm . How do I lowers this? All other readings are perfect . No fish in tank just janitors and 2 candy striped shrimp, plenty of LR, and skimmer. Only use RO water and tested the water and salt for po4 with 0ppm results in both. I have heard a lot of different ways to treat just want to hear some of your ways. Thanks in Advance for the help !!

[seaham358]

My question is where did it come from? Did you use other nonfiltered water to fill the tank?
Water changes with the RO water and you can try rowaphos or phosban they are suppose to work well.

[djmpj2]

We had this problem and found out it was coming from the store bought salt water we were buying from the LFS.

We removed it with a couple of rounds of phosphate remover pads and water changes. That worked very well.

But Seaham is right. You have to figure out where it is coming from or it will just happen again. You mentioned in another post giving your tank a good cleaning a few weeks ago. When you cleaned your tank, did you wash anything in tap water? How about what are you feeding your tank? If it is frozen brine or mysis are you defrosting it in tap water? Even if you don't (and you defrost in tank water) I was told you should drain it because the water it is frozen in can contain Phosphates. Also are you running carbon? I heard that can contain phosphates sometimes.

I'm by no means versed on all this, but having just been through it myself, I can tell you, you have to become a detective.

What are you using to test the phosphates?

DJ

[maffia]

DJMPJ2

Out of all the suggestion you have for the root of my P04 problem the only thing it could be is carbon. That is the only thing I have done recently that would have caused this. When I cleaned the tank I only used RO water, when I feed I only defrost in RO water than drain, I was running a small over the wall filter to clear the water for about 24-48 hours with a new carbon media filter. This may have caused it? What type of Phophate pad did you use, and what are your thoughts on Phophate sponge balls in my skimmer?

[djmpj2]

I don't know anything about phosphate spongeball in the skimmer. I purchased various phosphate sponges (from BigAlsonline and LFS) that we put in our canister filter. Take it out after a week. No brand name in particular. They are inexpensive. Now I try to keep one or two on hand just in case.

As for running carbon - my understanding is you just need to find one that is phophate free. Supposedly, the more expensive ones are best.

Hopefully someone more knowledgable than me will come in here and offer additional suggestions.

DJ

[seaham358]

Buy a good carbon not a cheap carbon, I have had good luck with ESV and Black diamond carbon.