High Phosphates were killing my hammers!

[Entz]

Yeah that is more like it. I am not sure you would ever get 0 (+-5 accuracy) but it’s a bit high. I should test mine.

Since you use Red Sea you can use their batch lookup to get an analysis report.
https://www.redseafish.com/my-batch/

 

[road_runner]

So just so we regroupe. Do you still have a po4 problem or was the issue only the confusion of rodi tested po4?

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I definitely agree with the prior suggestion that chemicals are not the answer and I am even guilty of it. Adding nopox etc is very addicting to your fish and corals similar to a benzodiazepine for humans. If a human suddenly stops and or even tappers down they will have severe withdrawal symptoms the day they miss it, and smaller ones for life.
Now that you have started this chemical you can not stop it. If it’s redsea nopox like I use it clearly states in the directions you can not stop. That once you hit the limit you want then you do the min dosage per your water volume. Mine is 240 gallons so I’m about 16ml per day.
If your levels are that high from the rodi then something is wrong and would suggest buying pre made salt water and rodi from lfs till you figure it out. Have you changed all the cartridges in the rodi unit?

 

[Isaac Alves]

I’m curious about how you resolved this issue. Thank you for any follow up [emoji3]

 

[road_runner]

….

 

[Eddie K]

Im enjoying the stimulating discussion here and sharing experiences is a great way to advance this hobby!
I have used rodi from lfs and my silica increased (sent it for icp analysis after two of their visits) so I just make my own.
Water changes to lower my phosphates is not too practical on my 350 gal system.
I have tried nopox in the past. Eh, it was fine but too much work and it didn't really take care of phosphates, driving my nitrates too low. Plus I dont like having something that flammable around all my equipment.
Lanthanum trichloride works for now and its more cost efficient then gfo. I will always battle phosphates and my refugium with cheto growing is not enough. I even have the kessil red light. Yes, i have a skimmer too. 2 drops a day keeps me 10-20 ppb.
I only feed twice a day and my fish are 10 inches long

 

[Eddie K]

Too much text. Lets add some pics to tgis thread!

 

[Eddie K]

So just so we regroupe. Do you still have a po4 problem or was the issue only the confusion of rodi tested po4?

Yes, I still have po4 problem. They were 60-70 ppb in my tank. I dropped them and now my leathers are opening up as well as some hammers that were receding. The whole rodi thing was about trying to figure out where they were coming from. So 18 ppb from rodi water + calcium reactor (will test and post value next) + nori + frozen food + food pellets. Los of sources!

 

[road_runner]

Yes, I still have po4 problem. They were 60-70 ppb in my tank. I dropped them and now my leathers are opening up as well as some hammers that were receding. The whole rodi thing was about trying to figure out where they were coming from. So 18 ppb from rodi water + calcium reactor (will test and post value next) + nori + frozen food + food pellets. Los of sources!

60pbb us not that high for lps btw. Its bit that high for sps if its stable.
Avoid bringing your po4 low and up so fast this will shock the coral.

 

[Eddie K]

Po4 coming from calcium reactor, 41 ppb. Dripping at about 80 ml/hr so maybe about 2 litters per day (half gallon per day)

 

[Eddie K]

So out of curiosity, what is the po4 readings from the effluent coming out of peoples calcium reactor? I may have to start a separate thread about this.

 

[road_runner]

What media are you using? Guessing coral skeletons based?

 

[Eddie K]

Yea. Specifically: Two Little Fishies
REBORN CALCIUM REACTOR MEDIA

 

[road_runner]

Yea. Specifically: Two Little Fishies
REBORN CALCIUM REACTOR MEDIA

Yikes..
Yeh these will have po4 as part of what they release. Why do not you use pure media and remove that variable from your system...

 

[Eddie K]

Well, I went to a calcium reactor because it adds alk, ca, and trace elements in a balanced ratio so my alk is always 9 and my calcium is always 460. I anticipated that my cheoto growth would take care of phosphates. Calcium reactors are tried and true so it didnt feel like an experiment and I still want to make it work. Ive got great sps growth, my clam is happy, zoas and everything else does good too. See pics. The only problem I have are hammers and its annoying. I was 50/50 on survival rate but since I started the calcium reactor, things have been doing better all around. It just seems more physiologic to me to use a calcium reactor. Of note I mentioned earlier that my leathers are now opening up again after using the lanthanum to drop the phosphates. If we recreate the same levels we find in the ocean (i.e. phosphates of 1-2 ppb) we should still have a thriving system, hopefully.

 

[road_runner]

Well, I went to a calcium reactor because it adds alk, ca, and trace elements in a balanced ratio so my alk is always 9 and my calcium is always 460. I anticipated that my cheoto growth would take care of phosphates. Calcium reactors are tried and true so it didnt feel like an experiment and I still want to make it work. Ive got great sps growth, my clam is happy, zoas and everything else does good too. See pics. The only problem I have are hammers and its annoying. I was 50/50 on survival rate but since I started the calcium reactor, things have been doing better all around. It just seems more physiologic to me to use a calcium reactor. Of note I mentioned earlier that my leathers are now opening up again after using the lanthanum to drop the phosphates. If we recreate the same levels we find in the ocean (i.e. phosphates of 1-2 ppb) we should still have a thriving system, hopefully.

You po4 still low man. I would not stress too much about it and end up falling in zero po4 trap..
Currently my po4 is 0.14ppm. I still have thriving reefm