Diatoms

[Mattking1202]

Hi All, Losing the will to live with my Phosphate levels.

So I upgraded with new sand, same live rock and filter media from a 90l marine to 200l.
Clean up crew - 3 Conch, Tuxedo Urchin, 3 Peppermint Shrimp, 3 Trochus Snails, 6 Nassarius Snails.

Stocking is 2 clowns (in the previous tank), cleaner wrasses and firefish I hae had the tank running for 2-3 months. Added the two fish 1 month apart.
Mainly Soft corals

Parameters are
24 Degrees
Ph 8.2
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Phosphate - 1
Calcium 400
Alkalinity 11.2

How do I decrease these phosphates its causing Diatom issues or any advice. I have just added in a Cheato Refugium in the sump.

 

[T-J]

Feed less, GFO. I'd also increase nitrates and raise your temperature.

 

[MalteseOne]

I am almost in the exact same position as you. upgraded tanks, kept old rocks, found phsophates went crazy high (actually i started testing them). when i first measured phosphates, i was at over 1.5ppm, today i am around 0.29.

i am at day +167 since adding my fish. still have diatoms and phosphate issues, everything else ok.

i believe the problem was the rocks were phosphate sponges that are still releasing. the things that worked for me were: adjusting skimmer correctly, microbacter7 (added and on going), GFO, and time. I am getting impatient and lately experimenting with phosphat-e. i found i needed at least 50 micron filtering capability to use it.

biggest thing was patience and time for me. I imagine you could slowly dose phosphat-e, with suffeicient filtering to get it lower faster.

i think also if you can, add a UV sterilizer. It is something I have yet to do.