Need help with phosphate control

[PacsAdmin77]

Hi All,

I have a Red Sea 170 (45-gal) that’s been up and running for about four months now, that’s lightly stocked with 3 flasher wrasses, a jawfish, some CUC, but no corals (yet!). I’ve only recently started testing my phosphates; initial test on 8/19/20 was at 0.9ppm (Hanna meter) and immediately I started dosing with SeaChem Phosguard (85mL in media bag, no GFO reactor). Four days later, PO4 tested at 0.11ppm and after reading from other R2R threads about replacing Phosguard every 4 days, I placed a new media bag of 85 mL. However, after additional 4 days, my PO4 tested at 0.27ppm (what the heck!). Some relevant info: I perform weekly 10% WC’s, I dose NoPox daily, and my nitrates have consistently been at around 2 ppm since May 2020. I feed my fish a cube of mysis daily (split into 3-4 intervals) via pipette to make sure very little food goes to waste. At this point, I don’t know what’s causing my gradual PO4 increase (despite continued Phosguard use) and I don’t know how to get my PO4 down.

I would appreciate any suggestions offered. Thank you.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Which Hanna checker are you using?

 

[PacsAdmin77]

Which Hanna checker are you using?

This https://www.marinedepot.com/hanna-instruments-checker-marine-ultra-low-range-phosphate-colorimeter

 

[MERKEY]

What kind of rock did you start with?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Ok, just checking as the Hanna phosphorous checker require a conversion so it confuses people.

Gfo should really be tumbling in a reactor for good results

 

[PacsAdmin77]

What kind of rock did you start with?

Dry reef rock

 

[PacsAdmin77]

Ok, just checking as the Hanna phosphorous checker require a conversion so it confuses people.

Gfo should really be tumbling in a reactor for good results

I put the Phosguard media bag in the overflow compartment in the sump , which I’ve been told is OK as long as it’s not getting tossed around and being pulverized. Is Phosguard considered GFO?

 

[Reefertime]

H

Hi All,

I have a Red Sea 170 (45-gal) that’s been up and running for about four months now, that’s lightly stocked with 3 flasher wrasses, a jawfish, some CUC, but no corals (yet!). I’ve only recently started testing my phosphates; initial test on 8/19/20 was at 0.9ppm (Hanna meter) and immediately I started dosing with SeaChem Phosguard (85mL in media bag, no GFO reactor). Four days later, PO4 tested at 0.11ppm and after reading from other R2R threads about replacing Phosguard every 4 days, I placed a new media bag of 85 mL. However, after additional 4 days, my PO4 tested at 0.27ppm (what the heck!). Some relevant info: I perform weekly 10% WC’s, I dose NoPox daily, and my nitrates have consistently been at around 2 ppm since May 2020. I feed my fish a cube of mysis daily (split into 3-4 intervals) via pipette to make sure very little food goes to waste. At this point, I don’t know what’s causing my gradual PO4 increase (despite continued Phosguard use) and I don’t know how to get my PO4 down.

I would appreciate any suggestions offered. Thank you.

Do you make your new water or by it from a lfs sometimes the water can have P04 from the start so doing water changes only adds back p04 your taking out or sometimes adds more and chemicals get depleted faster than they can work

 

[PacsAdmin77]

H


Do you make your new water or by it from a lfs sometimes the water can have P04 from the start so doing water changes only adds back p04 your taking out or sometimes adds more and chemicals get depleted faster than they can work

I mix my own SW, using Red Sea Coral Pro salt.

 

[Reefertime]

I mix my own SW, using Red Sea Coral Pro salt.

have you tested your freshwater?

 

[robbyg]

I put the Phosguard media bag in the overflow compartment in the sump , which I’ve been told is OK as long as it’s not getting tossed around and being pulverized. Is Phosguard considered GFO?

No, it is just going to turn into a brick! You really need to buy a small reactor and let it gently tumble.
There are several good youtube videos on setting the flow rate so that its just tumbling gently and not hard enough to crunch the media yet not so slow that it starts to bond together.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

No, it is just going to turn into a brick! You really need to buy a small reactor and let it gently tumble.
There are several good youtube videos on setting the flow rate so that its just tumbling gently and not hard enough to crunch the media yet not so slow that it starts to bond together.

I mixed mine with one cup of carbon and only 3.5 tsp of high grade gfo in panty hose by a reactor. I change it out every 3 weeks and will check if that turns into a brick.

as far as bring it down, WC won’t help but LC.

 

[robbyg]

I mixed mine with one cup of carbon and only 3.5 tsp of high grade gfo in panty hose by a reactor. I change it out every 3 weeks and will check if that turns into a brick.

as far as bring it down, WC won’t help but LC.

That’s not nearly enough GFO and on top of that it’s not being used in an efficient manor.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

That’s not nearly enough GFO and on top of that it’s not being used in an efficient manor.

You know you can easily strip your tank if a full recommended amount was used correct? 3.5 tsp is about 15% of the recommended dose. In general, you’re only supposed to used 50%. I am using the high capacity gfo btw.

 

[robbyg]

You know you can easily strip your tank if a full recommended amount was used correct? 3.5 tsp is about 15% of the recommended dose. In general, you’re only supposed to used 50%. I am using the high capacity gfo btw.

I am not following. Your using 15% of the recommended amount and it's not in a reactor that would make it 10 times more efficient! What am I missing here?
If it's working for you then keep on doing what your doing.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I am not following. Your using 15% of the recommended amount and it's not in a reactor that would make it 10 times more efficient! What am I missing here?
If it's working for you then keep on doing what your doing.

Sounds like you’re not familiar with gfo. I am using a gfo.

 

[robbyg]

Sounds like you’re not familiar with gfo. I am using a gfo.

No, I have only been using it successfully for more than a decade.
I am outta here.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

No, I have only been using it successfully for more than a decade.
I am outta here.

If you’re running 100% recommended dose and that didn’t strip your corals, then good for you but sure did for me and most reefers.

 

[Heart of Dixie]

The last tank I started with dry, pukani rock from BRS. I kept the rock in a big plastic bin filled with saltwater with a powerhead, dosed Seaklear and did 30% water changes every week or so. The P04 was still reading .135 after 6 weeks. The thing about P04 is it will leach out of the rock and equalize with the water. As you pull more out of the water column, more leaches out of the rock. This goes on until the PO4 is gone. How long will it take? How long is a piece of string? I was finally able to pull my rock out of the bin and place it in the aquarium after 4 months.

 

[SkyDoodles]

Hi All,

I have a Red Sea 170 (45-gal) that’s been up and running for about four months now, that’s lightly stocked with 3 flasher wrasses, a jawfish, some CUC, but no corals (yet!). I’ve only recently started testing my phosphates; initial test on 8/19/20 was at 0.9ppm (Hanna meter) and immediately I started dosing with SeaChem Phosguard (85mL in media bag, no GFO reactor). Four days later, PO4 tested at 0.11ppm and after reading from other R2R threads about replacing Phosguard every 4 days, I placed a new media bag of 85 mL. However, after additional 4 days, my PO4 tested at 0.27ppm (what the heck!). Some relevant info: I perform weekly 10% WC’s, I dose NoPox daily, and my nitrates have consistently been at around 2 ppm since May 2020. I feed my fish a cube of mysis daily (split into 3-4 intervals) via pipette to make sure very little food goes to waste. At this point, I don’t know what’s causing my gradual PO4 increase (despite continued Phosguard use) and I don’t know how to get my PO4 down.

I would appreciate any suggestions offered. Thank you.

A friend of mine does tank maintainace for people /company that have super crazy big tanks...he reccomended I use phophate -e. He said he's tried a ton of different product over the years and this is his go-to. I have a red sea cube, so I'm not familiar with some of the other words people are saying yet, lol! But that works for me when I need it, which isn't often. I also get my water from him, so I don't know how he mixes it (big batches), but I could ask.