Floyd R Turbo
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have been trying to pinpoint the possible source of phosphates in both of my aquariums for some time. In my 55, they seem to stay around 3-4 ppm and in my 10 they were around 1ppm. In my 10g, they are suddenly gone - 0ppm. Here's the history:
Started tank 2/13 as a bare birthing tank, since out tap water is bad (high pH) I was pulling water from the 55 3 times a week until I pretty much gave up on that after the fry were several weeks old. Phosphates matched the 55 at about 4-5ppm as recently as 3/28 (started tap water changes 3/22, so it was probably much higher than 5ppm).
On 4/27 it was around 1 ppm
4/28 40% change
5/1 30% change
5/3 tested 1 ppm, then did 40% change
5/6 35% change
5/9 tested 1 ppm, 30% change
On 5/9, I added a Tetra Whisper EX 20 HOB to transition over from my sponge/bubbler so I could add plants and Flourite. I left the carbon filter in there to help clear up the water of any organics and knew I'd need it there for when I added the Flourite.
On 5/12 I added the Flourite, rinsed it about 20 times man that stuff is dirty. Around the same time, I jury-rigged my HOB intake with the existing sponge filter so I could remove the bubbler and air pump and not lose my well established bio-filter. It works great. I am awesome. OW! Sorry, just broke my arm patting myself on the back...
5/13 I rinsed the filter pad to get rid of the flourite dust. Water nice and clear.
Yesterday, 5/16, I finished my overhaul of my 55g (removing UGF) and transplanted one string of Vallisneria (5 chained together) into the 10g.
Today, about 11:30 this morning, I added 1 ounce of Flourish Comprehensive.
I tested for Phosphates at 3pm today and they are completely gone.
I have had a clump of hornwort in there pretty much since the tank was started, and the phosphates were always there. My 55 has several dozen Vals and the phosphate is always there.
So why on earth have the phosphates gone away? I don't believe that carbon filtering will remove phosphates - am I wrong?
Could the Flourite have absorbed the phosphate from the water?
Could there be something else in the water throwing off the phosphate test that was removed by the carbon?
Started tank 2/13 as a bare birthing tank, since out tap water is bad (high pH) I was pulling water from the 55 3 times a week until I pretty much gave up on that after the fry were several weeks old. Phosphates matched the 55 at about 4-5ppm as recently as 3/28 (started tap water changes 3/22, so it was probably much higher than 5ppm).
On 4/27 it was around 1 ppm
4/28 40% change
5/1 30% change
5/3 tested 1 ppm, then did 40% change
5/6 35% change
5/9 tested 1 ppm, 30% change
On 5/9, I added a Tetra Whisper EX 20 HOB to transition over from my sponge/bubbler so I could add plants and Flourite. I left the carbon filter in there to help clear up the water of any organics and knew I'd need it there for when I added the Flourite.
On 5/12 I added the Flourite, rinsed it about 20 times man that stuff is dirty. Around the same time, I jury-rigged my HOB intake with the existing sponge filter so I could remove the bubbler and air pump and not lose my well established bio-filter. It works great. I am awesome. OW! Sorry, just broke my arm patting myself on the back...
5/13 I rinsed the filter pad to get rid of the flourite dust. Water nice and clear.
Yesterday, 5/16, I finished my overhaul of my 55g (removing UGF) and transplanted one string of Vallisneria (5 chained together) into the 10g.
Today, about 11:30 this morning, I added 1 ounce of Flourish Comprehensive.
I tested for Phosphates at 3pm today and they are completely gone.
I have had a clump of hornwort in there pretty much since the tank was started, and the phosphates were always there. My 55 has several dozen Vals and the phosphate is always there.
So why on earth have the phosphates gone away? I don't believe that carbon filtering will remove phosphates - am I wrong?
Could the Flourite have absorbed the phosphate from the water?
Could there be something else in the water throwing off the phosphate test that was removed by the carbon?
