Phosphate at 10.0 ppm???

[Nemguy123]

Hi I just got a new 93 gallon cube fully stocked I got it home tested the water parameters and noticed really high phosphates and nitrates I add some mangroves some phosphate e and phosguard it's been about 24 hours tank is 6 years running and I have quite a few tanks and never had this problem is there anything els I can do to get rid of the phosphates I assume they are high because the guy I got it from fed flakes and pellets. Thanks so much -Tom

 

[reef_junkie]

Wowza, is that an accurate test?

 

[Nemguy123]

Yeah it's the Api reef master test kit but it doesn't seem to be affecting the fish, corals or inverts!

 

[787will]

Er I wouldn't trust the API test, get yourself a good test like Hanna or salifert

 

[Nemguy123]

Cool I'll try it is there any signs I should notice with high phosphates? My avatar is a picture of the tank I took today not sure how to post pics.

 

[BoneXriffic]

Algae outbreak would be a sign

 

[Nemguy123]

Yeah there's no algae in the tank at all no hair no brown just a light purple hughe the the rocks in guess coralline starting.

 

[blacktippr]

I Would start with different Test kit.

Hanna for phosphates.
Red sea for Nitrates.

 

[Nemguy123]

Okay thanks It just got me so worried about the tank I have my purple tang and majestic angel in there along with a sea Apple so I started to get nervous. This morning I tried the test kit on my anemone tank and the phosphates read .05 ppm so could it only be messing up with the one tank?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There are many ways a kit can give wrong answers (including user error), but a kit can be reasonably accurate in one range and way off in another.

 

[Nemguy123]

Yeah I figured I have been vodka dosin and have noticed a decrease this morning in phosphates it's been a week of dosing .2 ml per 25 gallons and phosphates went down a color box