Phosphate lowering questions

[Steve Dillon]

Is there an advantage to using a phosphate reactor versus a product like chemi pure?

 

[rizorido]

Chemipure is not focused on just po4 reduction, thus less effective than a method mainly targeting po4.

 

[Steve Dillon]

So with no testable nitrates the reactor is better solution for my situation

 

[Chriscrna]

So with no testable nitrates the reactor is better solution for my situation

Is this a statement or a question?

The club has bulk GFO for sale at cost if you decide that's the direction you're headed.

 

[Steve Dillon]

Is this a statement or a question?

The club has bulk GFO for sale at cost if you decide that's the direction you're headed.

I guess I have to get the reactor first. Or will it do ok in a mesh bag?

 

[Chriscrna]

I don't know how effective a mesh bag would be. I suppose it would be better than nothing.

It's my understanding that GFO is most effective in a slight tumble.

 

[Steve Dillon]

I don't know how effective a mesh bag would be. I suppose it would be better than nothing.

It's my understanding that GFO is most effective in a slight tumble.

Ok it's at your house? I'll try to get a reactor this week.

 

[Chriscrna]

Yes, at my place.

 

[Steve Dillon]

Yes, at my place.

Ok will probably be the weekend if your available

 

[CastAway]

What kind of numbers are you getting for PO4 when you test Steve?

 

[Triggreef]

Disregard I read it wrong.

 

[Steve Dillon]

What kind of numbers are you getting for PO4 when you test Steve?

It has been staying at .04 but I tested today and it has moved to .05 only thing that has changed is I started feeding 3 smaller feedings vs 2 slightly bigger ones. I'd like to bring it down to .02-.03 getting some hair algea

 

[CastAway]

It has been staying at .04 but I tested today and it has moved to .05 only thing that has changed is I started feeding 3 smaller feedings vs 2 slightly bigger ones. I'd like to bring it down to .02-.03 getting some hair algea

So would you say that the total mount of food added to the system has increased, or decreased?

The reason I ask, and this is just a comment and not advice, is that an increase in nitrate (such that's it's actually detectable) may actually help to reduce phosphate. The ratio of NO3 to PO4 affects the ability of corals and algae to consume either; so as I understand it anyway.

If and when people increase feedings in an effort to increase nitrate, they're adding a lot more than just nitrate, and algae can increase as a result.

To increase nitrate specifically there are alternatives.

Anyway, GFO will surely bring your nutrients down. Keep us posted.

 

[Steve Dillon]

So would you say that the total mount of food added to the system has increased, or decreased?

The reason I ask, and this is just a comment and not advice, is that an increase in nitrate (such that's it's actually detectable) may actually help to reduce phosphate. The ratio of NO3 to PO4 affects the ability of corals and algae to consume either; so as I understand it anyway.

If and when people increase feedings in an effort to increase nitrate, they're adding a lot more than just nitrate, and algae can increase as a result.

To increase nitrate specifically there are alternatives.

Anyway, GFO will surely bring your nutrients down. Keep us posted.

Yes I would say it has increased. I went to 3 times a day cause my bio cube has a coral beauty and she has wiped out all algea. And they have really high metabolisms so I feed both tanks to avoid wasting food.

 

[Steve Dillon]

I'm just a bit confused on how nitrates are so low and po4 is going up.. that's why I want to lower it to see if the tank suffers but I also want it so the minute I see a change i can undo it if needed.

 

[CastAway]

I'm just a bit confused on how nitrates are so low and po4 is going up.. that's why I want to lower it to see if the tank suffers but I also want it so the minute I see a change i can undo it if needed.

Your increased feeding may explain it then. Most PO4 comes from fish food, I think.

Using GFO in a passive way, in a bag and not a reactor, may be a better/cheaper way to experiment. The Pura PhosLock that I use even comes with a bag.

It's often advised to start with much less than instructed, and increase gradually as it can shock a system.

Between a robust collection of Mexican turbos in my display, and GFO, I can keep most algae in my system confined to the refugium.

Good luck.

 

[Steve Dillon]

I looked at that today online. I'll grab a bottle and give it a shot. Thanks for the input

 

[BlueDevil]

I'm just a bit confused on how nitrates are so low and po4 is going up.. that's why I want to lower it to see if the tank suffers but I also want it so the minute I see a change i can undo it if needed.

Did you treat your rocks before adding them to the tank? Your rocks could possibly be leaching PO4. Just a thought.

 

[Steve Dillon]

No I didn't treat them. I didn't know about all that until way after I started the tank.

 

[CastAway]

If present in the rock, I think it's a low pH that causes it to leach. If you can keep the pH high, 8.3-8.4, any leaching PO4 should be minimal according to Holmes-Farley.

Likewise, it's pH that causes PO4 to precipitate out of the water column and bind with rock in the first place.

Personally, I wonder how common bound PO4 and leaching actually is. It's reportedly common with Pukani, but, that was not my own experience, having started with 80lbs of dry untreated rock.

If one starts with used rock from another aquarium, or even ocean rock, sure, muratic acid to remove organics on the surface that would otherwise decay and release PO4. Using acid on otherwise clean/new rock just never made sense to me because its only dissolving calcium carbonate. Right?

Using lanthium chloride on rock makes sense to remove phosphates bound on the surface, but again, at a desired pH......

Having blabbered all that, I confess, cooking and curing rock is all very confusing to me. I'm sure I'm missing something, as popular as it seems to be.