Having trouble keeping phosphates up

[Knotyet]

I have a 75 gallon tank. 6 months old but cannot for the life of me keep any phosphates. I've probably went through 3 bottles of neophos since I started the tank. I know marco rock is supposed to absorb alot in the beginning but for how long?
Fish
Scopas tang, 2 clowns, yellow coris wrasse, 3 chromis and a sand sifting goby. I've only done one water 2 water changes since I started it. Any advice I'd appreciate it!!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I recommend a DIY using food grade sodium phosphate. It is cheaper and has a purity guarantee that the Brightwell product lacks, and can be made much more potent. It can take a lot if there are substantial bare calcium carbonate surfaces present. No need to dose less than 0.1 ppm per day for a while if you are monitoring it.

 

[Knotyet]

I love been dosing like 15 or 20 ml every other day of neophos. Supposed to raise it to like .08. I come home from work and check and it's always back at zero ‍ I just started soaking my fish food in reef roids to see if that helps at all. Do you have any idea how long till the tank levels out? Maybe get another fish? Haven't ran my skimmer since I started either. Just socks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I love been dosing like 15 or 20 ml every other day of neophos. Supposed to raise it to like .08. I come home from work and check and it's always back at zero ‍ I just started soaking my fish food in reef roids to see if that helps at all. Do you have any idea how long till the tank levels out? Maybe get another fish? Haven't ran my skimmer since I started either. Just socks

Using reef roids is fine, but is really not better. No matter what you do you need to add a lot of phosphate, and that is BY FAR easiest by dosing phosphate, such as food grade sodium phosphate. Cheap, easy, and fast, if you add it faster.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I had the same issue for a long time. I would add a couple more large fish, and an auto feeder to drop pellets.

 

[Reeferbadness]

By doing only 1 water change in 6 months you could also be depleting some trace elements that are crucial to your corals. I wouldn't worry about chasing Phos numbers. Feed heavy, do regular water changes (+ or - 10% a week) and try to keep your parameters stable (Alk, Cal, Mag). Once your tank is more established, you monitor Phos and Nitrate but don't obsess over them. My $0.02

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, while I agree that specific phosphate numbers are not needed, I do think that detectable phosphate is very important for a new tank, or there's a substantial risk of dinos.

 

[jda]

What are you using to test phosphates? Even if the aragonite is binding a lot, it leaves some in the water. I would not chase phosphates on the low or high side without a reliable tool like a Hannah Ultra Low.

Edit: if your current test is not reliable, it would really stink to have to now take the time to remove po4 if you add too much.

 

[Knotyet]

I'm using a hanna checker. I've already had dinos twice and slowly got rid of them both times by dosing neophos. The dinos came up after the only 2 water changes I've done since I started the tank. I think the best option right now is to just get another big fish and go from there. I hope it levels out soon. I'm honestly not chasing numbers just trying to get them readable after each test I do, All other parameters are good. Nitrates like 10 or so