It's going to take a bit of time if the readings are that high. Unfortunately, since the reading was off the charts, you don't know if it is being reduced but hasn't reached the level on the charts yet. I'd still have another source test your phosphate level to confirm your reading.
Like I said, that means you have a lot organics in the tank. I would do daily water changes to help get the phosphate level under control. 20%-25% for each change.
That is a bit redundant. Water changes are better than products where you can't tell if they working. This is what I like about the Poly filter pad, you can see it's working.
Is it the same color as it was when it came out of the package?
It was white when it came out of the package. As soon as I put it in the filter after a little while it turned brown.
That shows it IS working. You have high phosphates and the pad is removing them.
Just an FYI: Poly filter pads can hold a lot so just because it turns a color on the outside does not mean it needs immediate replacing. What you do is make a slice around the middle of the pad and see how far into the pad the color has gone. If it's brown on the outside and white( ish) on the inside, it is still working. If the middle has also turned brown ( or another color depending on what it is removing), then it needs to be replaced. That's the miracle of the Poly filter and why I'm always recommending it.
I did cut it and it's brown the whole way through. Our aquarium is in a wall and it would be difficult to put another filter in there. It's difficult with the current filter we do have in there. Not a lot of room.That shows it IS working. You have high phosphates and the pad is removing them.
Just an FYI: Poly filter pads can hold a lot so just because it turns a color on the outside does not mean it needs immediate replacing. What you do is make a slice around the middle of the pad and see how far into the pad the color has gone. If it's brown on the outside and white( ish) on the inside, it is still working. If the middle has also turned brown ( or another color depending on what it is removing), then it needs to be replaced. That's the miracle of the Poly filter and why I'm always recommending it.
As for the internal filter with just the polyfilter pad, that's a 50/50 idea. 1) You will have the cost of the pad ( I'd use the big pad and cut it to size to save money long term) vs the cost of dechlorinator and time doing daily water changes since the replacement water shows zero phosphates. 2) Then you have the convenience of seeing the pad in the HOB vs having to dig out the internal filter to see if the pad needs replacing or is still working. 3) Then you have the "I'll just replace the pad every X days/weeks" which means you could be throwing away working pad vs only replacing the pad when it is full. So your internal filter idea is good but I'd do that after the phosphate level is under control vs as a means to reduce it. But that's just me, I hate to waste $$$
Well, that only goes to show that you have a tank full of organics and it's going to take multiple steps to get rid of them since there's more than one polyfilter can absorb.
At this point, you have to decide which is better for you: A: Get more Polyfilter pads (I recommend getting the big pad so you can make multiple smaller pads for replacements) or B: Do the daily water changes or C: take the livestock out of the tank, do a 100% water change so that you are starting with 0 phosphates , acclimate the livestock back into the new water and then do routine weekly water changes to keep the phosphate and nitrate levels from getting too high. I'm not trying to spend your money but you have a problem that is not going to go away on the cheap. It's either going to cost you money or it's going to cost you time or it's going to cost you money & time. It's your decision.
I'd be surprised, based on the first pad, that a single water change will fix this issue so water change, water change and then water change until you get those phosphates to a level that is acceptable.
I have a sneaky suspicion that you are not reading the color right. That said, ammonia at .25 is not really an issue, especially if it's actually under .25. ( Our hobbyist test kits will not give you exact values but general values) You can test to see if the woods are leeching anything by taking a bucket ( or use 2 buckets )of water, test the values then place one of the pieces in the bucket ( or use 1 piece per bucket) then test again in 5-7 days. If there is a change, you'll know which wood is the problem.
I'll try that with the wood. I've already removed the cholla wood. Tomorrow I'll remove the mopani driftwood and see if that is the problem. I'm debating on whether I should get rid of the Seachem Tidal 75 filter and go with the Fluval 407 filter and seeing if that would solve the problem. Now I'm missing both African Dwarf frogs. I can't seem to find them anywhere now. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.I have a sneaky suspicion that you are not reading the color right. That said, ammonia at .25 is not really an issue, especially if it's actually under .25. ( Our hobbyist test kits will not give you exact values but general values) You can test to see if the woods are leeching anything by taking a bucket ( or use 2 buckets )of water, test the values then place one of the pieces in the bucket ( or use 1 piece per bucket) then test again in 5-7 days. If there is a change, you'll know which wood is the problem.
You can also do the same thing for the phosphates to see if anything in your tank is leeching phosphates. I'd also consider switching to a frozen food diet and skip the flakes and pellets which are known for increasing phosphates. Between the water changes and the poly-filter, you should have seen some reduction by now. That means to me that either the test results are inaccurate or you have a continual supply of phosphates that are more than the water changes are removing being introduced back into the tank.
Too small of a filter will not produce or reduce phosphates at any great speed so I'd look into the cause of the phosphates more than the getting rid of them faster part.
I just tested the water for phosphates that the cholla wood has been sitting in for several days and it was between 1.0 and 2.0.Too small of a filter will not produce or reduce phosphates at any great speed so I'd look into the cause of the phosphates more than the getting rid of them faster part.
Bingo?? So keep the cholla out of the tank and see if between water changes and the Poly filter, the phosphate level goes down.
