After using Phosphat-e...My reading goes up!

[bfazio1030]

Im very confused...after 3 days of dosing Phosphat-e to remove phosphates, My levels are bouncing all over the place.....from 15 to 25 to 60ppm. Is there some sort of bounce back effect im not aware of? Do they get higher before lowering? HELP!

 

[Fishurama]

All phosphate e(lanthanum chloride) does is bind the phosphates together and allows them to precipitate , you still need to use a 10 or even a 50 micron sock filter to filter it out, otherwise it's just floating around in your tank binded together.

 

[bfazio1030]

I see. How can i lower phosphates? Phosguard isn’t working out for me.

 

[bfazio1030]

All phosphate e(lanthanum chloride) does is bind the phosphates together and allows them to precipitate , you still need to use a 10 or even a 50 micron sock filter to filter it out, otherwise it's just floating around in your tank binded together.

Will a protein skimmer filter out the binded phosphatec

 

[Fishurama]

I see. How can i lower phosphates? Phosguard isn’t working out for me.

Water change, feed less, carbon and GFO especially help, skimmer, more flow which will keep decaying particles from sitting and if running a sock will catch them so you can clean it out.

Will a protein skimmer filter out the binded phosphatec

Somewhat, but no enough to make a difference. You need a 10 micron sock, a 50 being the highest. We normally use 100 or 200 micron socks, lanthanum is a lot smaller hence needing a finer sock. It will fill up fast, so buy a few and get ready to clean them.

 

[waterskiguy]

50ppm po4?!? I didn't know it could get that high! What are your nitrates at?

 

[Pistondog]

Will a protein skimmer filter out the binded phosphatec

Yes to skimmer and or 5 micron sock for a day or 2.
The phosphate also binds to the rock and sand, so after you lower it, some more leaches into the water.
Keep at it. You'll get it.

If those are ppb, you can probably stop now, or wait a few days then check again.

 

[bfazio1030]

50ppm po4?!? I didn't know it could get that high! What are your nitrates at?

Sorry. Im using the hanna ulr phosphate checked. It measures in ppb!

 

[waterskiguy]

Sorry. Im using the hanna ulr phosphate checked. It measures in ppb!

Have you dosed any aminos or anything else that would cause either no3 or po4 to change, in either direction? A fluctuation in no3 could change your po4 levels too.

 

[bfazio1030]

Have you dosed any aminos or anything else that would cause either no3 or po4 to change, in either direction? A fluctuation in no3 could change your po4 levels too.

Only thing i dose is calcium and alkalinity and Vibrant. Trying to get my phosphates down because i think it is slowing down my coralline growth. I have 0 nitrites and very very little nitrates. No Amonia. PH is at about 8.2

 

[waterskiguy]

Only thing i dose is calcium and alkalinity and Vibrant. Trying to get my phosphates down because i think it is slowing down my coralline growth. I have 0 nitrites and very very little nitrates. No Amonia. PH is at about 8.2

If you bring your nitrate up, your phosphate will naturally go down. You can either dose nitrate or lower your nitrate export, if you have any. With zero nitrate, starting out with fairly low phosphate level (if if I read it right, at 15ppb), your numbers should balance out without any extra export methods at all. I had nitrates that registered the lowest level on the Salifert test kit (I think 2.5 PPM) and high phosphates @.1. After I started dosing nitrate, my levels balanced out around .03 / 5-10.

 

[waterskiguy]

If you bring your nitrate up, your phosphate will naturally go down. You can either dose nitrate or lower your nitrate export, if you have any. With zero nitrate, starting out with fairly low phosphate level (if if I read it right, at 15ppb), your numbers should balance out without any extra export methods at all. I had nitrates that registered the lowest level on the Salifert test kit (I think 2.5 PPM) and high phosphates @.1. After I started dosing nitrate, my levels balanced out around .03 / 5-10.

If you want good corralline growth, look into dosing kalk. I use it to raise my ph from my calcium reactor and my rocks have never been so purple. I think it's a combo of the cal / alk and extra ph buffer that probably cause this.

 

[Pistondog]

Only thing i dose is calcium and alkalinity and Vibrant. Trying to get my phosphates down because i think it is slowing down my coralline growth. I have 0 nitrites and very very little nitrates. No Amonia. PH is at about 8.2

Vibrant is bacteria and vinegar = carbon dosing, which will reduce nitrates.
Any alge, coraline included likes some nitrates and phosphates.

 

[bfazio1030]

If you want good corralline growth, look into dosing kalk. I use it to raise my ph from my calcium reactor and my rocks have never been so purple. I think it's a combo of the cal / alk and extra ph buffer that probably cause this.

I was thinking about trying kalkwasser. I have a 4 gallon top off i was thinkinging about using to dose. Although i need to read up on proper dosing amounts. Im new to all of this. Thank you for your help! Much appreciated!

 

[bfazio1030]

Vibrant is bacteria and vinegar = carbon dosing, which will reduce nitrates.
Any alge, coraline included likes some nitrates and phosphates.

Interesting. Thought it was the opposite. Thought they hated phosphates and nitrates.

 

[Pistondog]

Interesting. Thought it was the opposite. Thought they hated phosphates and nitrates.

My nitrate 3 to 5 ppm, phosphates 0.1 to 0.2 or higher. Coralline thick on rocks and tank walls.
Light makes a big difference.
I did seed with coralline spores from arc, 2 years ago.

 

[bfazio1030]

My nitrate 3 to 5 ppm, phosphates 0.1 to 0.2 or higher. Coralline thick on rocks and tank walls.
Light makes a big difference.
I did seed with coralline spores from arc, 2 years ago.

What is your lighting like? I have a radion xr15 blue gen 5. Is it true coralline likes more blues in the lighting? I run from 7:30am-9:30pm

 

[Lasse]

50 ppb as P (Hanna ULR measure in PO4-P) correspond to around 0.15 ppm PO4. If you dose lanthanum chloride it should go down. However - you use Vibrant and what vibrant do is to kill your algae and therefore probably release more PO4 into the water.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Pistondog]

What is your lighting like? I have a radion xr15 blue gen 5. Is it true coralline likes more blues in the lighting? I run from 7:30am-9:30pm

Kessil ap700 on 4th bluest, brs reccomendation. 75% intensity from 9 to 6 with 1 hour ramp on either side.
You can see where the xenia on the back glass has pulled a section of coralline off.

 

[bfazio1030]

50 ppb as P (Hanna ULR measure in PO4-P) correspond to around 0.15 ppm PO4. If you dose lanthanum chloride it should go down. However - you use Vibrant and what vibrant do is to kill your algae and therefore probably release more PO4 into the water.

Sincerely Lasse

thank you! I was unsure how to read the hanna ppb to ppm chart.