need to raise my phosphates

[CoralWealth]

Hello!

I am having such a hard time getting my phosphates off 0 even though I am only running a skimmer and cheato.

For the last week, they have tested 0 on the Hanna ULR. I got it up to 2 on it once, but that was right after feeding a ton of formula 2 flakes.

I am looking into how I can slowly increase them to around 0.05-0.1 at the highest point. I feed my tank 6 times a day and still cannot get them up. I also dose 36ml on acropower 6 times throughout the day in my 180 gallon tank.

Please give me the best solutions to go about this, thanks!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

what else are you running that strips the P04 so fast? Huge skimmer, gfo?

 

[CoralWealth]

what else are you running that strips the P04 so fast? Huge skimmer, gfo?

No gfo, and no the skimmer is rated for my size tank definitely not huge. I think my cheato is doing the most as it has grown a ton.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No gfo, and no the skimmer is rated for my size tank definitely not huge. I think my cheato is doing the most as it has grown a ton.

Interesting. How do the corals look?

 

[CoralWealth]

Interesting. How do the corals look?

Theyre recovering now but I had an alk spike to above 10 from 7 about a month ago, now theyre back to 8 and slowly want to lower them to 7.5. I think if I could get some more phosphate, they would be even better.

I have a sunpower 8x80w, my nitrates are between 4-8 on the red sea test kit.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Theyre recovering now but I had an alk spike to above 10 from 7 about a month ago, now theyre back to 8 and slowly want to lower them to 7.5. I think if I could get some more phosphate, they would be even better.

I have a sunpower 8x80w, my nitrates are between 4-8 on the red sea test kit.

well, you could dose P04, but id try cutting back the chato first really. Yea Ive stripped my tank with macros(the zoas shriveled). IME its about two weeks of heavy feeding to increase PO4, and and a month or two to reduce it. That's with refugium only. I don't gfo.

 

[jwshiver]

I use this product when my PO4 drops to zero.
I use 3.0 ml to raise 100 net gallons to a PO4 of 0.03
I would recommend that you do not trust my math or anyone else. If you do trust my math dose half that amount to see how your system responds.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/neophos-balanced-phosphorus-supplement-brightwell-aquatics.html

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Please give me the best solutions to go about this, thanks!

I wouldn't target values that high. 0.01-0.03 ppm is adequate as far as I know.
Choices that all work are feeding more, exporting less, and dosing phosphate.

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

What's the livestock list? I have a butt load of anthelia that sucks up a ton of phosphate

 

[CoralWealth]

What's the livestock list? I have a butt load of anthelia that sucks up a ton of phosphate

I have 4 tangs, 5 lyretail anthias, 2 clownfish, 3 wrasses, 3 blue chromis, 1 diamond goby.

I use this product when my PO4 drops to zero.
I use 3.0 ml to raise 100 net gallons to a PO4 of 0.03
I would recommend that you do not trust my math or anyone else. If you do trust my math dose half that amount to see how your system responds.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/neophos-balanced-phosphorus-supplement-brightwell-aquatics.html

I will look into this.

I wouldn't target values that high. 0.01-0.03 ppm is adequate as far as I know.
Choices that all work are feeding more, exporting less, and dosing phosphate.

I can try to feed more but I think I feed a ton already with feeding 5 times a day at least. I am going to look into dosing phosphate

 

[HM1]

I just found your thread. I have the same problem, 0.00 Phosphates (tested on Hanna Checker). And I also have an algae problem that looks like flowing fur on the back glass and is on my rocks. I am very new to the saltwater world. Just started my Red Sea 69 gal tank in March 2017. Before the 0.00 readings I had high readings of .28 and was advised to install a gfo reactor, which I did. With the 0.00 readings I have turned back the flow through the reactor and actually scraped clean the back glass. I was told to only feed once a day when reading was high, but from reading your thread I am going to increase to twice a day. What else should I do?

 

[Detroit Dave]

The algae is using up all the excess in the water.

 

[HM1]

So should I use the NeoPhos or just turn my reactor off for a few days?

 

[Joe Batt]

At very low levels the Hanna Phosphate checker is at its limits of reading. You could well have 0.04 Phosphate and the Hanna checker reads zero. The Hanna Phosphorus checker is able to resolve and read to a lower range with a greater accuracy.