phos help........ :(

tgp4274 · Apr 23, 2016

ok so I've been fighting high no3 for quite awhile and have been vodka doseing for quite afew months. noticed last week that my no3 had gone down and cut my doseing in half when my api kit read 0
buuutt....... am really fighting phos now.. reading is off chart so am reading like a 1.0..
took readings on tank tonight and they are:
ph 7.6
alk 13.7
cal 450
mag 1400
nitrate 0
sal 1.024
phos 1.0+

I know my ph is low and am trying to fig out a way to get it up..
alk am not doseing anything and is coming down slowly
all tests done with red sea kit except alk done with hanna

so question is any way to reduce n get my phos down...
tank is 130gal dt with 30gal sump
any other questions please ask
thanks guys

Breadman03 · Apr 24, 2016

I've been using lanthanum chloride to get my level in check. It does carry some risk. It binds to the phosphate and also lowers alkalinity. The bound substance is like a fine powder that can irritate livestock, but can be addressed by using a very fine filter sock. I use 5 micron, though I've read that 10 micron is good.

With LACL, a very little bit goes a very long way, so go slowly. One person I respect suggests no more than 0.03ppm reduction per day. Before dosing, get a second test kit to confirm your high reading.

I assume you are using a RODI and have been regularly replacing your filters. Before going crazy, test your fresh RODI.

tgp4274 · Apr 24, 2016

yes am using RODI an have been changing them out. just changed to ro last week..
I wouldn't mind it lowering my alk as wanting to get it down too...
so if I get it just put the sump in a sock??
thanks

Breadman03 · Apr 24, 2016

You'll want to do some reading into it beyond a quick Q&A, but I feed the output of a reactor into the filter sock which gives me a high water turnover in the reaction area. I diluted 2ml of commercial Seaklear into about 2 gallons of water and dripped it over the course of a day and had to change socks twice on a 250 gallon system, but would probably halve that in the future.

jsker · Apr 24, 2016

Every food that you put into the tank is going to have some type of Phosphates. Some foods have more and some have less. If you are running a mixed reef you are going to want a small amount of phosphates in your system along with nitrates and you most likely know this.
Changing you carbon dosing is going to through things our of order until your system adjust. my suggestion would be to bump the carbon dosing up a bit and stabilize your system, and bring down your carbon dosing in small amount this you hit were you want to dose.
I do run GFO in small amounts for the reason is I feed heavy to keep my nitrates up around 5ppm. I do run carbon in the form of NP-Pro to keep my phosphates in line as well as with my nitrates.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 24, 2016

tgp4274 said:
ok so I've been fighting high no3 for quite awhile and have been vodka doseing for quite afew months. noticed last week that my no3 had gone down and cut my doseing in half when my api kit read 0
buuutt....... am really fighting phos now.. reading is off chart so am reading like a 1.0..
took readings on tank tonight and they are:
ph 7.6
alk 13.7
cal 450
mag 1400
nitrate 0
sal 1.024
phos 1.0+

I know my ph is low and am trying to fig out a way to get it up..
alk am not doseing anything and is coming down slowly
all tests done with red sea kit except alk done with hanna

so question is any way to reduce n get my phos down...
tank is 130gal dt with 30gal sump
any other questions please ask
thanks guys

There are many ways to reduce phosphate, including binders such as GFO and aluminum oxide.

I compare the methods here:

Phosphate In The Reef Aquarium
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/?p=3184