Anyone ever use Phoslock?

[Jereli]

so i am still having some issues with red algae that gets really thick on the sand like carpet and sticky looking..my phosphate appear to be at .25 which is probably the cause of it..i bought some Phoslock and stuck it into my canister filter. its been running in my canister for about a week now and have not seen any reduction in algae or my phosphates. phosphates are still at .25 even after a week of running the Phoslock. Am i being impatient Does this process take longer? anyone using or has used phoslock?

 

[Jaybird]

What are you using for your top-off water and to mix your salt in?

As well, what and how much are you feeding?

If this is a new tank, I've heard that sometimes even rocks can leach phosphate into the water. I've never had that happen to me but I have heard people mention it.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Substrate and LR will soak up Phosphate like a sponge, so when you remove the P, it will leech out of the substrate and LR over a period of time, depending on how high the P was and for how long. Even if your P drops down to zero, you will probably still see algae growth for a period of time until the P is all depleted.

 

[Jereli]

I am using RO water for my top offs..my saltwater I just buy at the local fish store.. as for feedings I feed once a day little by little so it all gets eaten hardly any gets wasted. My phosphate level was .25. I didn't know rocks and substrate release phosphates maybe I just need to give it more time then. Its been few months wth phosphates like that I am guessing since I have had an algae issue that long. I just recently began testing phosphates since I am transitioning into corals from FOWLR

 

[Jaybird]

It could also be from the the RO water, the saltwater from the fishstore (depending on what they use to make it), or the food. Odd that using a product to remove phophates isn't effecting your test results. Is the test kit relatively new?

Test for phosphates in the RO water and saltwater mix. If you have zero on both then it can either be from the food or the LR or substrate

 

[Jereli]

The kit maybe like 3 months old at the most.. I will test my top off water when I get chance and also the fish stores saltwater..but yea I have read some people within 24-48 hours their phosphates drop to zero which is why I was wondering..so far this has been one of my biggest issues controlling algae

 

[Jereli]

when using phosphate removing media what are the steps i should take first. should i fist vacuum all the algae out and clean as much of it up as possible before running the media or will the phosphate media eventually starve the algae and begin disapearing on its own?

 

[Gloomisboy]

I just started using ROWAPHOS in a reactor with carbon. all algea disappeared within a day. I didn't have to siphon anything. I too buy my saltwater from my lfs i dont by premix but ocean, san diego scripts water.

What LFS in LA do you go to? I work in the san gabriel valley and go to total fish in Alhambra. not the best lfs but the guy gives me good deals.

 

[Jereli]

Well for live stock I try to go to Jims exotic fish..everything else I usually end up at southbay aquarium much closer to me..I think ill try rowaphos or phosban if I can't get results using phoslock..this red slime stuff is out of control and I don't think my chaeto is doing anything as it hasn't really grew yet