Advice for phosphate problems

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

Hi all,

I'm measuring .13 on my Hanna low range checker. Some of my corals are acting a little funny... not fully puffing up, some brown strings from polyps. No bleaching tho.... Not sure if it's connected.

I also reintroduced all my fish (4) after a 3 month fallow period.

Additional parameters:
Nitrates 2ppm
Salinity 1.025
Temp 77.5
Alk 8.6
Ca 385

I've trimmed feedings down to once every two days. I did a 20% water change last Sunday, which brought it from .14 to .1. I bought some seachem phosphate remover. That's been in since Monday night.

I also lowered my photo period from 12 hours to 11.

I'm assuming the phosphate is the reason I'm getting some brown slime.

One thing to keep in mind. I use a canister. No skimmer. I'm wondering if I should invest in something like an aquamaxx hob-1?

Any advice?

As always, thank-you!!
Jay

Ari21 · Mar 25, 2017

I would get a GFO reactor and get a skimmer

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

It might also be worth mentioning that I switched carbon a couple months ago. Same brand, marineland premium activated carbon. Just switched from bags to bulk.

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

Ari21 said:
I would get a GFO reactor and get a skimmer

Would I even need the canister at that point?

Awesome Dennis · Mar 25, 2017

How are you running the phosban?

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

Awesome Dennis said:
How are you running the phosban?

Phosguard in a fine mesh bag in the canister.

Ari21 · Mar 25, 2017

ytsejam02 said:
Would I even need the canister at that point?

You would still need some sort of mechanical filtration

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

Ari21 said:
You would still need some sort of mechanical filtration

That's unfortunate since I'm sumpless. :-/

greenhorn reefer · Mar 25, 2017

Calc. Is a little low. What's the temp? Ammonia? Nitrite? Add all four fish at the same time? Size tank? What are you feeding?

Zack K · Mar 25, 2017

Just dose PhosphateRX. Doesn't take much and works wonders

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

greenhorn reefer said:
Calc. Is a little low. What's the temp? Ammonia? Nitrite? Add all four fish at the same time? Size tank? What are you feeding?

Yeah I know, I'm rebalancing thanks to FFM.

I'll have to test ammonia and nitrite. Haven't done it in awhile because they were always zero.

Yeah, readded all 4 at once. Two clowns, a long tail fairy wrasse, and Bartlett anthias. Again, there were none before.

Tank is 55gallon. None of the fish are bigger than 2-3"

I'm feeding kelp flakes every other feeding, and mix of frozen mysis and brine shrimp on the other feedings.

greenhorn reefer · Mar 25, 2017

Your nitrifying bacteria may have died off considerably during fallow. The fish are small but imagine a ten gallon with a low population of bacteria getting a new fish... Might lead to having ammonia present. The frozen shrimp, are you straining it or adding directly to the tank? I was adding it directly but switch to thawing in R/O and straining.

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

greenhorn reefer said:
Your nitrifying bacteria may have died off considerably during fallow. The fish are small but imagine a ten gallon with a low population of bacteria getting a new fish... Might lead to having ammonia present. The frozen shrimp, are you straining it or adding directly to the tank? I was adding it directly but switch to thawing in R/O and straining.

I thaw in a cup of tank water. What are you using to strain? Cheese cloth?

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

Also, I was feeding the tank a couple of times a week for the CUC. Plus feeding the corals reef roids.

Either way, I'll check ammonia and nitrite.

miyags · Mar 25, 2017

Let your clean up crew fend for themselves. Invest in a hang on skimmer. I do 10 gal a week WC on my 55. I use a eshopps HOB skimmer. And adding fish back all at once.Your tank should be just fine.

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

miyags said:
Let your clean up crew fend for themselves. Invest in a hang on skimmer. I do 10 gal a week WC on my 55. I use a eshopps HOB skimmer. And adding fish back all at once.Your tank should be just fine.

Thx. I know the majority of people use skimmers. I hadn't run into issues until now. So I would certainly do what I need to do.

Is a skimmer the appropriate first step, or should I try a gfo first?

ytsejam02 · Mar 25, 2017

Nitrites and ammonia reading zero.

rvlcf · Mar 25, 2017

Just feed frozen, no flake food until you get the phosphates down. A skimmer will help a lot.

Frop · Mar 25, 2017

ytsejam02 said:
Hi all,

I'm measuring .13 on my Hanna low range checker. Some of my corals are acting a little funny... not fully puffing up, some brown strings from polyps. No bleaching tho.... Not sure if it's connected.

I also reintroduced all my fish (4) after a 3 month fallow period.

Additional parameters:
Nitrates 2ppm
Salinity 1.025
Temp 77.5
Alk 8.6
Ca 385

I've trimmed feedings down to once every two days. I did a 20% water change last Sunday, which brought it from .14 to .1. I bought some seachem phosphate remover. That's been in since Monday night.

I also lowered my photo period from 12 hours to 11.

I'm assuming the phosphate is the reason I'm getting some brown slime.

One thing to keep in mind. I use a canister. No skimmer. I'm wondering if I should invest in something like an aquamaxx hob-1?

Any advice?

As always, thank-you!!
Jay