Phosphate mystery / new salt?

[catmel]

As some of you may remember Ive been battling algae. I bought a phospate test last week and tested my aquarium water. It was between 0 and 0.1 ppm It certainly had a very light green tinge to it. ( Using the red sea test kit, btw).

I decided to test my source water just for the heck of it and see what happened since I was still having problems after doing several PWC.
RO/DI fresh = 0 phosphate. Yellow. Not even a trace of green
Ro/DI saltwater in bucket before PWC ( reef crystals ) = 0 - 0.1ppm. Light color green

is this normal? its about the same reading I was getting in the tank with all the algae. I was kind of surprized by this.

Should I possibly change my salt? Confused on these results.
Thanks!!

 

[melosu58]

I`m surprised that would be like that on their salt. Maybe a change is needed.

 

[catmel]

I tested again today. Still between 0-0.1 ppms, a definate light green color but not quite 0.1 ppm

I just recently bought this new bucket of reef crystals and would hate not to use it. Is there anything I can do to salvage it? I have no idea if its possible to decrease the amount of phosphate showing up. Im at my wits end. I've now got hair algae along with green algae growing.

At this point should I try a phosphate removal product? I thought PWC would really help, no luck so far. Maybe do a larger PWC? Ive been doing pwc of 10% every week for the past 6-7 weeks.

source water ( ro/di with salt) 0-0.1ppm
tank: ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate about 20ppm
phospate 0-0.1ppm

maybe its actually the nitrate along with the trace of phospate. a bigger PWC might help? Should I do a 50% change for now ( along with 10% every week) or go with 20% every week instead?

Any other suggestions welcome!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

There's a trace of phosphates in all salts. A trace though. Using a higher sensitivity kit (Salifert) on my Reef Crystals, I've never seen any color show up, and it tests down to 0.03.

I don't think it's the salt. There are bazillions of tanks out there using RC and there's no call to arms regarding algae. It would never hurt though to run a GFO phosphate remover. I'm of the opinion that it's something that should be run 24/7 just like carbon.

 

[austinsdad]

Try one of these.

BRS GFO and Carbon Reactor Bulk Reef Supply

The reactor is of nice, sturdy construction. Buy the bulk GFO to put in it and a Maxijet 900. I think I came out around $100. for everything shipped.

 

[catmel]

There's a trace of phosphates in all salts. A trace though. Using a higher sensitivity kit (Salifert) on my Reef Crystals, I've never seen any color show up, and it tests down to 0.03.

I don't think it's the salt. There are bazillions of tanks out there using RC and there's no call to arms regarding algae. It would never hurt though to run a GFO phosphate remover. I'm of the opinion that it's something that should be run 24/7 just like carbon.

Yeah I would think it would be a bit odd that I got unlucky and got a bad batch. Im just about going crazy though with this algae. I'll make up a new batch of ro/di salt water and do a 50 % PWC and continue with 10% weekly changes and see if that helps.

Thanks too, for the info about the phospate remover. What do you recommend? a media in a bag in a HOB filter? or something else? ( I have a penquin 400 along with my skimmer and LR)

 

[austinsdad]

Hmmmm. Not sure about hang on varieties and how they might work. I just know that the reactor, pump and large bag of GFO (phosphate remover) cost about the same as two ready to go media bags. They're expensive.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I'd just buy some bulk GFO, put it in a fine mesh bag, and stick it somewhere in that HOB filter that gets flow, but not alot of flow. You want water pushed through it, but not pushed through it with such force that it causes all the particles to rub against each other and grind themselves to dust. I use the generic DrFosterSmith stuff, but the stuff sold at the link austinsdad gave you I've heard is pretty darn good.

 

[Innovator]

Better yet, Lanthanum chloride

 

[catmel]

thanks

 

[jhampton_wsu]

What kind of food/ type/ brand do you feed your fish?

 

[catmel]

I posted this in another thread I believe, but I've since changed a few things. I use formula 2 flake ( been feeding very little of this lately) new life spectrum marine pellets, frozen ( drain off excess water) and small sections of seaweed. I only usually do one of the above items and rotate them. A small pinch a day to every other day.
I did a 10 gallon pwc today, making more RO/DI to do another ( probably 50%) here soon. I think the higher (20 ppm) nitrate was the culprit. I'll let you know how all that goes

thanks as always for the help