Got ALGAE, Here is a GREAT Treatment, not a CURE!

[Alabamareef]

Found a great product and would like to share with everyone. PhosBuster Pro by CaribSea. Let me start by saying this will not take the place of good husbandry. Limiting the amount of food, water changes, great flow are the staples to a GREAT Tank. I've had my tank up and running for about 3 years and it seems you learn something new everyday. All was going great. I've even switched out some SPS colonies to start a better SPS tank. About a month ago I noticed some brown, like diatoms, on my sand bed. This puzzled me because all my levels were good. I had just put in some new poweheads so I thought the silicates were causing a diatom bloom. So I did like anyone else and waited and stayed on top of my water changes but it kept coming back. Had a good friend come over and he immediately said I"ve got phosphates. He took home a water sample and sure enough my level was at 0.12. Bingo! So I got in my sump on my next cleaning and made sure there was nothing that could be causing the issue. I had really cut back on my feeding and done a few water changes. Even bought a Hanna P04 meter, its awesome. But nothing was working so I checked my top off water and Bingo, I was putting p04 into my aquarium with my water changes and top off water.

So the current level in the aquarium was 0.19 and I was worried. I changed all my filters in my 6 stage RODI system. Checked my water and Bingo, po4 was at 0.05. So I decided to change the RO membrane and Bingo 0.00 P04. So now I've got my aquarium to worry about, p04 at 0.19, and I came across this product, PhosBuster Pro. I thought it was just another snake oil and its a bit expensive. $40.00 for 473ml. It takes 60ml for one treatment but I had some Christmas money burning a hole in my pocket. Treated the tank once and yep you guessed it,,,,,,Bingo in one day the P04 went from 0.19 to 0.05 and no algae on my sand bed. This made me real happy since I had a new coral on its way, Tierra de Fuego from Steven Tyree at reeffarmers.

This stuff is great somehow it binds to the p04 and just drops into the sand bed. The only thing you'll notice is that your p04 is down and your tank looks better and your corals are happy. But remember this does not take the place of the basics so get to the root cause then treat the rest....

 

[Lionheart513]

Ur tank looks great on the background btw nice colors

 

[johnstonstms3]

Great looking tank. Did you get it at your LFS?

 

[Alabamareef]

The phosBuster I did buy at a local store. And thanks for the complements...

 

[Sahin]

This is MOST likely a Lanthanum Chloride based product. Check out RC and Randy's thoughts on it. Works extremely well. However, be aware that the particulate can cause gill irritation for fishes - there are some reports of this effect.

The thing is these companies are making so much money out of a relatively CHEAP product. People use the same stuff for phosphate removal from their swimming pool. The non aquatics industry product isnt a rip off, and costs SIGNIFICANTLY less. Search it up.

But nevertheless it has it uses and it works extremely well. :wink:

 

[Alabamareef]

Well if Randy Holms-Farley says it you can believe it. Sure wish he would come to R2R. Dont know if I'd go to the pool store and get something to put in my aquarium though, LOL. Just like everything in this hobby,$$$$$$$$.
Removing P04 from your tank can be a difficult task. I really liked this product because I found the root of my p04 issue and the PhosBuster helped get my tank back inline, overnight. Would reccomend to anyone.

 

[jcdeng]

Well if Randy Holms-Farley says it you can believe it. Sure wish he would come to R2R. Dont know if I'd go to the pool store and get something to put in my aquarium though, LOL. Just like everything in this hobby,$$$$$$$$.
Removing P04 from your tank can be a difficult task. I really liked this product because I found the root of my p04 issue and the PhosBuster helped get my tank back inline, overnight. Would reccomend to anyone.

When you say it got your tank back inline, overnight. Did you mean the phosphate level dropped to zero overnight or did your algae get wiped out overnight?

I might have to try this product since I have very stubborn hair algae.

 

[Singlefin]

i have the same brown stuff on my sand, but according to my salifert test kit, my po4 is at 0. i think is excess food. will have to find this product and give it a try. thanks

 

[Raggamuffin]

Wish I could remember the name of the spa/hot tub stuff, it is the EXACT same thing but at 1/8 the price, everybody I know that buys BRS pukani rock treats it with that stuff... of course I found this out AFTER I set up my tank with the rock and it leached for 6 months...those jerks anyway

 

[yanks1]

Ragamuffin ,, I think your referring to seaklear? That is what I'm using now to cook my dry rock from brs

 

[Alabamareef]

When you say it got your tank back inline, overnight. Did you mean the phosphate level dropped to zero overnight or did your algae get wiped out overnight?

I might have to try this product since I have very stubborn hair algae.

Po4 went from 0.19 down to 0.05 and the algae on my sand bed was almost completely gone. Today sand bed is clear. I also used it in a small tank with hair algae along with vaccuming it out. It also looks better but I still see some. The small tank is a QT.

 

[Alabamareef]

i have the same brown stuff on my sand, but according to my salifert test kit, my po4 is at 0. i think is excess food. will have to find this product and give it a try. thanks

My salifert test kit also read 0. That's when I got a Hanna phosphate meter. Then I got a phosphate reading. Another must have IMO.

 

[Reefnjunkie]

My salifert test kit also read 0. That's when I got a Hanna phosphate meter. Then I got a phosphate reading. Another must have IMO.

I used to like my hanna meter but it is no longer trust worthy. I would get one reading, then test a second time and get a whole new lower reading. I took a sample to my LFS who has the 200.00 dollar low range unit and it was another reading altogether. i've had it since they first came out so maybe they just loose accuracy over time.

As for the lanthium chloride, I know of a distributor of corals that uses this on his 1,000's of gallons system and it works for him

Just sayin

Also be careful when dropping PO4 to fast, it can kill all your corals depending on how high it was or far it drops-maybe not ALL your corals, but losing any when its avoidable is not good.

Great post of the product thi, I'd prefer to use something that says its for saltwater vs my swimming pool