High phosphates using zeovit

[lilbitreefer]

Ok, so I am about to give up on this zeovit. I want it to work but the last few weeks my phosphates have been soo high (>1.0) despite dosing per directions. Nitrates at 5. I have used zeozyme and coral snow trying to bring phosphates down and it doesn't seem to be working. I have just did a ~20% give or take H20 change.30 gallons is what I changed out, on a 120gallon tank I am not sure what the overall volume is with rocks/sump)
Phosphates are still reading just over 1.0, Nyos stops at 1.0 and it is just a bit darker than the 1.0 reading. Should I do another water change tonight or wait till tomorrow? I ordered some phosphate Rx but I has not come in yet I plan to use it the future as salt gets pricey after a while and my Ca/mag is too high to be doing multiple water changes.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I've never heard zeovit driving P04 like that. Use of GFO would help or trying phosphate rx.

 

[lilbitreefer]

I did try GFO before zeovit and my corals and anenomes was royally ticked about it so I want to avoid that.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Plenty of people use GFO so there is nothing inherently wrong with it that would tick off your corals. You may have dropped phosphate too quickly when you used it in the past.

 

[lilbitreefer]

After getting my high phosphate reading again the other day I stopped dosing any zeovit. I was really thinking it was the zeovit as that is when I started zeovit and about a month later my phosphates spiked. My phosphates are still not going back to normal and still continue to be high. Should I keep at the zeovit as it may really be helping and not hindering like I thought it was?

I was using the zeozyme and coral snow and my corals all seemed happier after using it, so I think that may be really lowering my phosphates. I just thought earlier that may be the culprit. I just read on the zeovit forum that zeozyme can give high phosphate readings. They did not say if it was causing a false high or if it actually was increasing the phosphates. Either way I freaked and stopped that.

I was looking over what might be causing a spike in phosphates, a few weeks ago I started sifting the sand ( I havent sifted the sand in a year as I lost the adapter to my gravel siphone peice) yes, I know bad on me. please spare me the tisk tisk, shame on you parade.
I have been very careful in preventing the big nasty clouds and my corals all appear happy after a water change. With phosphates still being high despite water changes could that be be the culprit?

With my phosphates and nitrates reading 0 last month I went a bit overboard with feedings. I am now doing 1.00-1.5 tsp of reef roids a week (I was doing double this a week), 1.5 tsp a week is the recomended amount for my size tank. I usually split up this amount into 1-3 feedings throughout the week and target feed my LPS with it and some frozen mysis. I feed the fish PE mysis pellets daily/every other day but make sure they eat all the peices instead of just letting it float into the overflow. The fish do get a heavier feed on coral feeding days to keep them from picking at the corals trying to eat. I thought all this would increase my nitrates as well but there has been no spike.


Is my problem really in just over feeding and cleaning the sand bed? Or is it zeovit. Should I continue the zeovit?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It sounds like you just do not have an adequate export method for phosphate.

How are you expecting to export it?

 

[lilbitreefer]

I thought the zeovit was meant to keep it low and then do monthy h20 changes. Ive done at least 4 in the last 1.5 months.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Well you done the deduction on the time frame of P04 increase and it sounds like at the time when you started zeo. Could be overfeeding.

As @Randy Holmes-Farley stated, what's your plan on reduction of P04?

 

[lilbitreefer]

I've been dealing with turf algae problem so I think that was secretly taking care of my nitrates and phosphates without me realising, now that this is not in the picture anymore then need to compensate for it.

 

[lilbitreefer]

The zeovit and addition of urchins I think is what got the algae undercontrol but then got rid of my main export method. I am not a fan of h20 changes but I understand that needs to happen unless I am doing triton or something.

Probably the best method is just do monthly h20 changes once I got it stabilized.

 

[lilbitreefer]

I am waiting on phosphate rx in the mail. So if my phosphates is still through the roof then I will use that to get it under control. Then start a new routine of h20 changes. And actually siphoning the gravel on a regular basis. I think that is a big problem there.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I've been dealing with turf algae problem so I think that was secretly taking care of my nitrates and phosphates without me realising, now that this is not in the picture anymore then need to compensate for it.

How long having GHA? When did that start?

 

[lilbitreefer]

It's been growing for over a year. I never have managed to control it until now. First picture was 2 weeks ago, second was 9 months ago ( I was in school)

 

[Flippers4pups]

It's been growing for over a year. I never have managed to control it until now. First picture was 2 weeks ago, second was 9 months ago ( I was in school)

Okay, looks like your rock could be the culprit. P04 was locked up in it and it's slowly releasing it back into the water collum.

 

[lilbitreefer]

Even if the algae was physically removed. The rock has been. In the tank for over 2 years.

So it just got locked up from the algae? I’m not sure I quite understand.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Even if the algae was physically removed. The rock has been. In the tank for over 2 years.

So it just got locked up from the algae? I’m not sure I quite understand.

I'm sorry I was doing a consultation with a local reefer for a couple hours and was busy. Even well established live rock can absorb P04 if it gets elevated. Sand, rock can hold P04 and release it till it equalizes with the water collum. This can cause nuisance algaes to grow on surfaces.

You said that your P04 was at 1.0 at one time. It's likely leaching out of your rock and sand. Phosphate rx will help as would GFO.

 

[lilbitreefer]

Oh ok that makes sense. Yeah it’s still at 1.0 despite that water change. I guess it’s just weird cause it t was like a sudden onset. Thanks for explaining.

 

[Hemmdog]

Is there a reason you keep your light so white ? Algae grows a lot more rapidly under white since it has more red specrum in it. Not just on the rock but in the water column

 

[marvelousone]

How long have you been running zeovit.

 

[lilbitreefer]

The light is just set to white when taking pictures.