High phosphate's

[andys]

Hi All

Just like the title Says. 1.17 ppm via the hanna checker
All my other #'s are great. 35 salinity' Alk 8.4 ca 450 and nitrate 6 and phosphate's are 1.17
I have a extremely heavy load I would think. 6 large tangs 3 small ones, 20 longspine cardinals, 12 firefish, couple of wrasse and a few blue chromis, bunch of sps coral, soft corals and such


All been good but I'm seeing little growth and some of my sps's are loosing tissue on there tips

Is phosphate's causing my slow growth and Burnt tips

 

[Diesel]

That's a super high Po4.
Are you sure it's this high?
A high Po4 will go together with a high No3 as well and yours is sitting at 6ppm.
If you do a 30% water change will it drop any?
Yes that Po4 # can cause all kinds of trouble if not corrected soon.










#reefsquad

 

[andys]

Well I'm sure it's that high. It was the first time I checked it in a year. I also feed very heavy. Have not done 30% I do 15 gal every week. Total system volume is around 130 gal. Red Sea 525xl

 

[Brew12]

Well I'm sure it's that high. It was the first time I checked it in a year. I also feed very heavy. Have not done 30% I do 15 gal every week. Total system volume is around 130 gal. Red Sea 525xl

Do you have serious algae or bacteria issues?

 

[redfishbluefish]

The Red Sea 525 is a five foot tank that holds 139 gallons.....so no sump? Or skimmer?....and 9...that is nine...Tangs!!!! Tangs are crap machines. I'll say it: You have too much fish in too small a tank.....and it looks like not the filtration system to handle it all.

I'd up water changes to 25-30 gallons a week until you could get phosphates under control. Oh, and yes, high phosphates will impact coral growth.

 

[andys]

The Red Sea 525 is a five foot tank that holds 139 gallons.....so no sump? Or skimmer?....and 9...that is nine...Tangs!!!! Tangs are crap machines. I'll say it: You have too much fish in too small a tank.....and it looks like not the filtration system to handle it all.

I'd up water changes to 25-30 gallons a week until you could get phosphates under control. Oh, and yes, high phosphates will impact coral growth.

Of course I have a sump and a skimmer

 

[andys]

Do you have serious algae or bacteria issues?

No Algae at all

 

[redfishbluefish]

Of course I have a dump and a skimmer

Sorry, I assumed no sump because in post #3 you stated, "Total system volume is around 130 gal" in a tank that should hold 139 gallons.

 

[Diesel]

What test kit are you using?
And as you stated that it's been a year ago your test kit could be expired as well.
I suggest to take a water sample tomorrow to a LFS to do a second test and pick up a new test kit or a Hanna Low Po4 checker.

 

[andys]

Sorry, I assumed no sump because in post #3 you stated, "Total system volume is around 130 gal" in a tank that should hold 139 gallons.

Correct but after adding rock i wanna say i put in 120 to 130 Gal of water

 

[andys]

What test kit are you using?
And as you stated that it's been a year ago your test kit could be expired as well.
I suggest to take a water sample tomorrow to a LFS to do a second test and pick up a new test kit or a Hanna Low Po4 checker.

testing the PO4 with a hanna checker with brand new regents. the only reason i have not checked it is because i ran out of the PO4 regents and never refilled them

 

[Diesel]

Still I would do a second opinion from maybe a local reefer or LFS short term.
If you do a 30% water change test before and test after to see if any change.
Also did you checked your ATO on TDS or new mixed saltwater on Po4?
I assume you don't run any nutrient reducing reactors other than a skimmer?

 

[andys]

Still I would do a second opinion from maybe a local reefer or LFS short term.
If you do a 30% water change test before and test after to see if any change.
Also did you checked your ATO on TDS or new mixed saltwater on Po4?
I assume you don't run any nutrient reducing reactors other than a skimmer?

You are correct. The only thing running is the skimmer. I just bought the BRS dual reactor to run GFO and Carbon. I have checked my ATO/RODI and its 0 for TDS. Im almost positive its from over feeding or having to many fish or both

 

[Diesel]

You are correct. The only thing running is the skimmer. I just bought the BRS dual reactor to run GFO and Carbon. I have checked my ATO/RODI and its 0 for TDS. Im almost positive its from over feeding or having to many fish or both

You see now we getting closer to the problem.
Start running just some GFo but start up slow as you don't want to strip the nutrients to fast as you will create an other problem on the coral topic.
If you can get it under control you're fine if not I'm afraid that you have to many tangs in your tank as @redfishbluefish already mentioned.

 

[andys]

You see now we getting closer to the problem.
Start running just some GFo but start up slow as you don't want to strip the nutrients to fast as you will create an other problem on the coral topic.
If you can get it under control you're fine if not I'm afraid that you have to many tangs in your tank as @redfishbluefish already mentioned.

Ya I know i need to sell a couple but it's hard. they are my babies. I agree i need to rehome at least 2 of the big ones

 

[andys]

So BRS says use 1.88 cups of GFO. should i start out with maybe a cup and a half or less ?

 

[Diesel]

So BRS says use 1.88 cups of GFO. should i start out with maybe a cup and a half or less ?

I would start with half a cup at first and test twice daily.

 

[Diesel]

Ya I know i need to sell a couple but it's hard. they are my babies. I agree i need to rehome at least 2 of the big ones

Hey you always can upgrade

 

[Elementalj]

Hey you always can upgrade

I wish I could write a check for sea world!

 

[andys]

Upgrade LoL. I suggested a 500 were our flat screen hangs and I was looked at like I was a criminal