Crazy Weird Po4 issue - insight needed

[afamousjohnson]

Are you still using the GFO reactor? Have you tested the effluent from it?

I am. I tested it but it was more of a check where i was at than testing against anything. Once i get some more test regs in my hands i will be testing that and doing a DT test at the same time to cross check the #'s.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

OK, sounds good.

 

[fishroomlady]

I'm afraid I'm not knowledgeable enough to solve your problem but I wanted to wish you luck that you get it figured out. Hang in there!

 

[afamousjohnson]

I'm afraid I'm not knowledgeable enough to solve your problem but I wanted to wish you luck that you get it figured out. Hang in there!

Thanks - holding strong.....just like my po4 #'s.lol

 

[afamousjohnson]

So got my hands on a few phos reg's and pulled a couple more tests.
my phos sponge routine was this and ran for 7 days.
had 3 batchs each at 1 1/2 cups ran thru reactor
each batch was put on in the am and changed the following am
batch taken off was cooked per se the instructions to replenish
went like this(tested in the middle of the run on 26th phos 1.69)
1st new batch 24hr
2nd new batch 24hr
3rd new batch 24hr
re ran 1st batch and so on on 2nd and 3rd(after cooking)
on the last day
ran a single batch for 1/2 the day - switched it out and put on 2nd and 3rd together (3cups filled entire reactor)
at this point I tested about 20min after putting on the full reactor batch
DT phos - 2.31
reactor -2.01
ran this batch over night and swapped out for 1 cup new gfo in the am along with a 5gwc.
ran another test shortly after adding gfo
DT phos 1.31
reactor - .76

 

[fishroomlady]

I'm confused, the batchs are phos sponges or gfo?

 

[afamousjohnson]

The batchs are the media phos sponge - was running a cup and a half gfo previous to that changed every 4-5 days. Just put gfo back on this morning.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm confused about what's being done here, but I would say that when phosphate is at 2 ppm, GFO will be depleted very fast. Probably less than a day, and maybe less than an hour.

 

[tigerdragon]

Still say we need to put an ats on and see what happens or you can come get one of my hydra reactors for bio pellets but that will take a bit to work

 

[Diesel]

So got my hands on a few phos reg's and pulled a couple more tests.
my phos sponge routine was this and ran for 7 days.
had 3 batchs each at 1 1/2 cups ran thru reactor
each batch was put on in the am and changed the following am
batch taken off was cooked per se the instructions to replenish
went like this(tested in the middle of the run on 26th phos 1.69)
1st new batch 24hr
2nd new batch 24hr
3rd new batch 24hr
re ran 1st batch and so on on 2nd and 3rd(after cooking)
on the last day
ran a single batch for 1/2 the day - switched it out and put on 2nd and 3rd together (3cups filled entire reactor)
at this point I tested about 20min after putting on the full reactor batch
DT phos - 2.31
reactor -2.01
ran this batch over night and swapped out for 1 cup new gfo in the am along with a 5gwc.
ran another test shortly after adding gfo
DT phos 1.31
reactor - .76

I see you trying to do everything in your power to lower your Po4.
If you do a WC how much you changing?
Maybe a large WC like 50% or more.
I know you'll be running some salt but not sure where all that PO4 is coming from as you were before at 0.03 and all you did is ad a stick of putty.

 

[afamousjohnson]

I'm confused about what's being done here, but I would say that when phosphate is at 2 ppm, GFO will be depleted very fast. Probably less than a day, and maybe less than an hour.

Just taking a different approach. I dont bounce around on supps or media that I use but after everything decided to try a different approach. This was a media sold at my LFS and looks like broken up bio pellets sort of with a more ceramic texture. Suppose to suck it up real fast so you can pull it out - you can than cook it at 450 for 1hr to replenish(looses efficientsy greatly each time you cook). I should have been changing it out every few hours like you say - that maitennece schedule is just unreal and unubtainable. I thought changing every 24hrs was rediculous.

That is my problem. I can hold them at a high # with extreme aggressive action and maitenence on pretty much a daily basis and if not my #'s reach unreadable levels-so high. Not looking at the time it has and is continueing to take - the cost is getting unbarable. An example would be changing out 1 cup of gfo lets say daily(which isnt even close as it seems it does need changed every 2-4hrs) think of that after even 7 days - the costs alone even there are rediculous.

I have bio pellets still as I started the tank with them and gfo for the 1st year or so. I took them off because I dont like them.lol maybe I should just put those on seed and be done with it??? I dont see being able to fix the problem in my power. Or it is looking like the tank needs to come down. If you guys haven't seen my tank...it is not one that can just be disassembled and reassembled.lol built structures and susspended hanging shelfs. It would be impossible. I would frag my fav's and start over if it came down. All new rock with no purple cloves...mmmmmm.lol

just sucks.

 

[Diesel]

Show us some pics from your tank and the stuff you're using to lower your Po4.

 

[afamousjohnson]

I see you trying to do everything in your power to lower your Po4.
If you do a WC how much you changing?
Maybe a large WC like 50% or more.
I know you'll be running some salt but not sure where all that PO4 is coming from as you were before at 0.03 and all you did is ad a stick of putty.

So for the last 2 years I have done a 5g a week wc sometimes 10 depending on maitenence. like 110-120g total water volume in system I think.
In the last month since the beggining of the problem I have changed 110g of water. This has been broken up into mostly 15g wc at a time. I did one large 30g at once, and it drained almost 1/2 of the display.

Was thinking about pulling off 1 more large one, and draining 3 quarters of the tank.
I also think I remember using that $store smell good powder you put on the carpet before vaccumming the day of the prob and im pretty sure the stand front was off.
Had a random from OR stop thru to pic up some corals and I have questioned it many times but I think all my dates are right and he was over 3 days after it started.??. Plus he left his full name for facebook to stay in touch so you wouldnt think that would go along with poisening a tank.lol

 

[afamousjohnson]

Show us some pics from your tank and the stuff you're using to lower your Po4.

tonight for sure

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know what you are using, but no phosphate binder can be replenished by heating to that temp, except to drive off a small amount of organics that might occupy some binding sites.

 

[afamousjohnson]

Here is the sponge product by kent. Gfo i use is bulk reef supply.

 

[afamousjohnson]

Diesel Randy Holmes-Farley fishroomlady

Here is a pic of the tank today. Minus a few colonies Good from far but far from good

 

[afamousjohnson]

Here is how the death starts. In the circles at base it starts whitening from a small spot on the edge and will start moving upwards usuall in a horizontal line.

 

[afamousjohnson]

If i press it and dont remove it from the dt it will continue to over take the coral out to the tips. Polyps out n all. Couple pieces i pushed to far. One is still in the dt because that coral has always been trouble. My giant gi joe stag- 1 of my 1st corals in here. And the base to my giant garf that is still slowly dying because i couldnt get it out. You can see how the flesh waves off in the flow on that 1. The colony is in the FT alive and seemingly well.?.

 

[afamousjohnson]

So what do you guys think i should do -

3quarter display tank wc (obviously with b4 test and after test along with 24hr test)
Take on a brutal maintenance sched at high cost to more aggressively fight it (seems it isnt just coming out) 12hr gfo changes for a week or 2
Use a portion of water from a successful running tank to add back to dt during wc
Get some bactor7 and try just that or in combination with
Putting back on bio pellets
Take down and start new - if i went thru the hassle of taking down i would start over and try and correct certain things missed in the 1st build. I dont want to do this 1 - i think my tank is pretty cool but if its a battle i cant win without breaking down that would have to be the end result.