Best way to lower phosphates?

[SteelRain]

My phosphates have been getting a little high lately (.09) and I was wondering what’s the best way to keep them in check.

I have an aio and have had trouble with chaeto growing in the past. I cannot use phosphate e or rx due to a wrasse that’s in this tank.


Would you recommend a media reactor, maybe bio pellets or gfo? Thanks

 

[Lavey29]

That's not high. It's fine.

 

[SteelRain]

That's not high. It's fine.

I like to stay under .03

 

[JoJosReef]

I like using display macroalgae like Botrycladia and codium. Both work well, robust and easy to prune.

 

[Lavey29]

I like to stay under .03

That's bad

 

[bakbay]

Agreed - corals need PO4 to grow as well. I like mine between 0.1 to 0.2 tbh and NO3 around 10 to 20. Why go too low - Ive heard that some hobby-grade reagents may not measure properly. As for me, “close enough” is fine. I’ve been using Phosphrate Rx (Lanthanum Cloride-based) and happy with it. YMMV

Good luck!

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Depending what you have in your tank, and how old your tank is. You are probably ok at that level, although some prefer a lower range. You can try TM Reef Actiff (mild carbon dosing) or TM bacto balance. Do you use a protein skimmer?

 

[Trimixdivin]

is there any negative effect of Lanthanum with tangs?

 

[Miami Reef]

My phosphates have been getting a little high lately (.09) and I was wondering what’s the best way to keep them in check.

I have an aio and have had trouble with chaeto growing in the past. I cannot use phosphate e or rx due to a wrasse that’s in this tank.


Would you recommend a media reactor, maybe bio pellets or gfo? Thanks

GFO in a reactor is the answer. Just be careful from stripping the tank too much, and observe to see what levels your corals like best.

 

[Nano_Man]

is there any negative effect of Lanthanum with tangs?

This does work very well but too well. I have used this in small nanos with no ill effect’s . Go slowly and half the dose then check and raise from there . As far as tangs I don’t know but some one may chime in @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[SteelRain]

is there any negative effect of Lanthanum with tangs?

With yellow tangs, yes

 

[Miami Reef]

With yellow tangs, yes

Is that true? I have had multiple yellow tangs do fine with lanthanum. Seems hit or miss, and I don’t think it’s fair to say lanthanum is the culprit. Be cautious and slow? Yes.

Don‘t use it altogether? IMO, probably not.

 

[Thunderrap]

Okay, either my corals have adapted or my Hanna phosphate checker is off. My po4 sits at about 1.0 and my nitrates sit at 15. I wish I could get it lower but I think it’s leaching out of my rocks somehow. Water changes don’t seem to lower it much either. I run carbon and chemi-pure blue, it’s a 15 gal peninsula tank.

 

[Rich Klein]

I have success with Chaeto - small refugium and a PaxBellum N24 Macro Algae reactor. It enables me to feed my fish and critters a lot, which then feeds the corals fish poop. Everyone is happy. Since my tank is mature (grown-out and ~ 8YO) I am able to keep my PO4 at .02 - .05 without any issues with Dino.

 

[GDiaz]

If you have any filter floss, sock or sponges you may want to change/clean it every other day. I have a 15gl cube so I feel your pain. Also moving your sand bed (if you have one) around too much during water changes can bring up trapped nutrients and can raise those phosphates. 2gl water changes every other day until the phosphate was in check did the trick for me. Also phosphate can be in what you’re feeding.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My phosphates have been getting a little high lately (.09) and I was wondering what’s the best way to keep them in check.

I have an aio and have had trouble with chaeto growing in the past. I cannot use phosphate e or rx due to a wrasse that’s in this tank.


Would you recommend a media reactor, maybe bio pellets or gfo? Thanks

I'll take this number all day long
Adding a pouch of ChemiPure elite which contains GFO will lower while ChemiPure blue which ive used for over two decades will keep phos in check

 

[PhilSD211]

is there any negative effect of Lanthanum with tangs?

100% do not use lanthanum chloride if you have tangs. Just not worth the risk.

 

[Anthony Wood]

The question that should be asked is how are your fish/coral doing with it being .09? If the answer is no different or better then when it was lower and has been gradual over months changing nothing in your routine or in the tank….keep your hands out of the tank and enjoy it lol now if it’s on a continuous rise over a short period of time then there’s a source. Find it and get rid of it.

Personally I’ve always had more troubles “micro managing” my tank trying to make everything perfect then just sitting back and letting the tank do it’s thing while I monitor doing routine maintenance. An aquarium is it’s only little ecosystem and nature always corrects itself. The way I see it, as long as nothing changed as far as die off, adding biolode, extra filters, the change is gradual over a long period of time….etc whatever the tank is doing was meant to be and trying to “fix” the change will only make it worse.