high phosphates! Advice needed...

scott711 · Jan 17, 2012

So I decided to test my tank for phosphates. I have the hanna pocket tester and followed the directions. It tested over 2ppm! I wanted to make sure it was accurate and found another test kit and it measured pretty close to that too. Now I have to figure out how to get my PO4 down. I do daily water changes (~2 gallons) on my 200 gallon tank and I have a good skimmer. I also only feed my fish once a day. I have a high bioload (I love my fish!) which I am sure is the cause of the high PO4.

I have read a lot about the different pelletized GFO/resin and trying to figure out which one to use. I know to start with a very small amount and gradually work up to the recommended dosage. I was thinking either rowaphos or extraxphos by Brightwell. Has anyone used either with success?

thanks,

Scott

tinkerman · Jan 17, 2012

I use BRS gfo and am happy with it. Make sure to use a reacter with it.

swannyson7 · Jan 17, 2012

I've always used Rowaphos with good results. It's pricy as far as GFO goes, but IME it requires less media for the same results and takes longer than other brands before it reaches exhaustion. I've never used the Brightwell's stuff, but it's pretty new and I haven't heard too much about it.

maharsreef · Jan 17, 2012

Do a search for lanthanum chloride. It binds po4 and is used
In commercial aquarium industry. Also is the main ingredient in
"Phosphate E"

CJO · Jan 18, 2012

GFO stands for granular ferric oxide, basically rust pellets. The only difference between the brands of GFO is the size of the pellet. I have used the BRS GFO and have been happy with it. I don't use Brightwell products in general because they tend to be more of an advertising-based company rather than a scientifically-based one.

CJ

MBG75 · Jan 18, 2012

I use ROWAphos and love it. Much more forgiving, and seems to last longer. I test the output of the reactor, and when it starts creeping upto or past tank level, I change it.

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scott711 · Jan 18, 2012

how much rowaphos are people using in your tanks?

Tony Caliente · Jan 18, 2012

I use seachem's phosguard, only use RODI water, and change 25 to 40% of my water once a month. i use a seachem test kit and seldom get a phosphate reading.

shred5 · Jan 18, 2012

Tony Caliente said:
I use seachem's phosguard, only use RODI water, and change 25 to 40% of my water once a month. i use a seachem test kit and seldom get a phosphate reading.

A word on phosguard, It is aluminum based and should not be used in a reef see Randy Holmes Farleys article on aluminum.

To orgional poster:
Now gfo is a good idea to lower phosphates. Yours are quit high which means some of the phosphates are probably bound. It is going to take a while to get them down and keep them down.

A word on lanthanum chloride.. If you are not advanced in this hobby I would not recommend the use. It is also relatively new to the hobby even though it has been used for a while else where. It can drop phosphates very rapidily.

Tab28 · Jan 18, 2012

MBG75 said:
I use ROWAphos and love it. Much more forgiving, and seems to last longer. I test the output of the reactor, and when it starts creeping upto or past tank level, I change it.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

I used Rowaphos for years but found GFO from BRS is basically the same thing but cheaper. I use 2 cups for my 150 gallon tank and switch it when I get a reading of 0.03. Rowaphos requires less the GFO/BRS cheaper grain. The Rowaphos would be more like the GFO/BRS premium grain. You would not need as mush. Do not over use thinging high phose use more. It will shock your system, BRS has a online video on how to use.

scott711 · Jan 18, 2012

Would it be safe to use just the 100 ml size to start with and then increase it gradually to the recommended amount ~250ml size? Or is the 100ml size not sufficient to do anything?

Tab28 · Jan 18, 2012

How large is your tank? I always used the recommened for name brand products. If using the bag and not a reactor place it where it will get good flow through of the water or it will not work. It was not util GFO/BRS that it is recommened to start at half and raise after that. But at your level of Phos you will be going through it pretty fast. The label staing it stats months is not correct unless you have a very low level to begin with. When I started the Phos lasted maybe a week before I had to replace it. It tooks months to get to 0.0. Now I change it maybe evey month or two. If you feed like you state you will be using a new canister often.

Paul_N · Jan 18, 2012

scott711 said:
Would it be safe to use just the 100 ml size to start with and then increase it gradually to the recommended amount ~250ml size? Or is the 100ml size not sufficient to do anything?

I would start with half the recommended amount and then move up form there. Also the more phosphates you have in your system the more rapidly the GFO will exhaust itself. If it is high enough, you can literally exhaust it in a couple days. You DO NOT want to drop phosphate levels very quickly. It can put stress on your coral and you may lose some.

LILBUDDHA · Jan 18, 2012

shred5 said:
A word on phosguard, It is aluminum based and should not be used in a reef see Randy Holmes Farleys article on aluminum.

To orgional poster:
Now gfo is a good idea to lower phosphates. Yours are quit high which means some of the phosphates are probably bound. It is going to take a while to get them down and keep them down.

A word on lanthanum chloride.. If you are not advanced in this hobby I would not recommend the use. It is also relatively new to the hobby even though it has been used for a while else where. It can drop phosphates very rapidily.

Phos guard is made of Aluminum Oxide which is basically insoluble in normal reef conditions . Seachem did a report on it . I have used sea-gel for many years without any harm to the corals.

This was way before GFO became popular .

I can say it does leach back into the water column after it is exhausted unlike GFO which does not do this .

I have not used it recently since I switched to carbon dosing and a complete media (Pura Complete )

scott711 · Jan 18, 2012

double post

scott711 · Jan 18, 2012

Tab28 said:
How large is your tank? I always used the recommened for name brand products. If using the bag and not a reactor place it where it will get good flow through of the water or it will not work. It was not util GFO/BRS that it is recommened to start at half and raise after that. But at your level of Phos you will be going through it pretty fast. The label staing it stats months is not correct unless you have a very low level to begin with. When I started the Phos lasted maybe a week before I had to replace it. It tooks months to get to 0.0. Now I change it maybe evey month or two. If you feed like you state you will be using a new canister often.

about 200 gallons

Tony Caliente · Jan 19, 2012

Thank you for the warning!

shred5 said:
A word on phosguard, It is aluminum based and should not be used in a reef see Randy Holmes Farleys article on aluminum.

To orgional poster:
Now gfo is a good idea to lower phosphates. Yours are quit high which means some of the phosphates are probably bound. It is going to take a while to get them down and keep them down.

A word on lanthanum chloride.. If you are not advanced in this hobby I would not recommend the use. It is also relatively new to the hobby even though it has been used for a while else where. It can drop phosphates very rapidily.

Tab28 · Jan 19, 2012

That is a large tank. Does that include your sump if you have one? It will take awhile to get your phosphates down. It will leach from your live rock back into the water so it will take awhile. You may want to go to Bulk Reef Supply and look into their GFO and I would use a reactor large enough for you tank. One normal reactor sold by BRS holds 2 cups of GFO and that is how much I use on my 120 so yours will be double. In the long run the BRS GFO will be much cheaper. You will be exhausting it after only a few days with levels that high.

scott711 · Jan 19, 2012

Tab28 said:
That is a large tank. Does that include your sump if you have one?

That is total gallons. Tank/fug/sump/frag tank.

Tab28 · Jan 19, 2012

Whatever company's GFO you use I would start with 1/2 the recommened dosage to start. When you measure to start it will go down slowly if you drop the Phos too fast it will shock your tank and corals will suffer. I never used the full strength of GFO for my tank the 2 cups is the 1/2 recommened. I never wanted to add another reactor. My tank is 150 with sump. A good reactor with good sponges will work much better than just using the bag. In the beginning you will be changing out the GFO about every couple of days. The lower your level goes the less often you will be replacing it. Rowaphos, like others states it will hold a certain amount of Phos per container but I have never known that to be the case. Do not think using one recommended bootle will half your Phos and another will totally get rid them that is not how it works. Phos are made constantly in you tank and once removed from the water table it leaches back in from sand/rocks. GFO has been a permanent addition to my tank. I just use less of it today than I did last year. But now I have no algae and more corals look much btter.