Phosphate reduction method for high Phosphates

Kane32 · Sep 25, 2019

GFO reactor or kalkwasser or both? I have read several articles and many posts on this forum, but I am still a bit confused. I have habitually high phosphate levels. For the last several months that have caused various issues. I get one issue under control and a new one crops up. My current issue is a huge Cyanobacteria outbreak. I decided that I am going to ignore that and work on water quality. My system is a RedSea Reefter 525XL (110 display 30 gal sump) it has been set up for 10 months. Currently Salinity 1.025 Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates .2ppm, ph 8.2, DKH 9, Phosphate is over 1pp (my test doesn't go higher). I have not had luck with a refugium. It's a mixed reef but my coral are not doing well. I have a few softies and some Zoas and one LPS. Stock - 2 ocellaris clowns, 1 blue Green Chromis, 4 firefish, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 Rabbit fish, 1 ruby headed fairy wrasse and 1 Christmas Wrasse - assortment of CUC.

mta_morrow · Sep 25, 2019

I have the same tank. I’m at nitrates 12 and phosphates .15

What’s wrong that you feel you need to reduce your phosphates?

Socalreefgal · Sep 25, 2019

I've had good luck using Phosphate-E by Brightwell when my Phosphates went up. I started with a 50% of recommended dose, retested 24 hours later then dosed the other 50%. Cyano will come with there is an imbalance of nitrates to phosphates

Halal Hotdog · Sep 25, 2019

There are a few things you want to look at. Where are the phosphates coming from? If you are feeding a lot of flake/pellet food then that would be one of the causes. Did you set up with dry rock? I am a big fan of lanthanum chloride, works amazingly well at reducing just phosphates. Once phosphates gets low enough it also affects your alkalinity, so just want to keep an eye on that. I personally haven't used GFO in years, purely due to LaCl

mta_morrow · Sep 25, 2019

IMHO, I’m not sure you even have a phosphate issue.

You said you’re test kit only reads up to .1 ppm.

They may be .1.

Is anything changing in your tank? Algae? Coral issues?

No offense, I just don’t want to see you chasing numbers, just because.

Kane32 · Sep 25, 2019

mta_morrow said:
I have the same tank. I’m at nitrates 12 and phosphates .15

What’s wrong that you feel you need to reduce your phosphates?

Phosphates seem to be the only thing that stays high.

Kane32 · Sep 25, 2019

Halal Hotdog said:
There are a few things you want to look at. Where are the phosphates coming from? If you are feeding a lot of flake/pellet food then that would be one of the causes. Did you set up with dry rock? I am a big fan of lanthanum chloride, works amazingly well at reducing just phosphates. Once phosphates gets low enough it also affects your alkalinity, so just want to keep an eye on that. I personally haven't used GFO in years, purely due to LaCl

I do feed flake food and frozen. I use RO/DI water but I am going to change some of the filters since it's coming up on a year. I did set up with dry rock.
Thanks

Kane32 · Sep 25, 2019

mta_morrow said:
IMHO, I’m not sure you even have a phosphate issue.

You said you’re test kit only reads up to .1 ppm.

They may be .1.

Is anything changing in your tank? Algae? Coral issues?

No offense, I just don’t want to see you chasing numbers, just because.

I am guessing the issue is Phosphates - I am taking a water sample into my LFS tomorrow so that they can test my water. The issues I have had over the last six months all seem to be related to an imbalance between nitrates and phosphates. When I had a refugium I was at 0 nitrates but Phosphates also tested .5 to .9. Then I got Dinos. I removed all the macroalgae, reduced skimming and forced a bacteria bloom. After 6 weeks of that, I got the Dinos under control. I finally got Nitrates above 0 and then the Cyano hit. I had a tank about 10 years ago that I broke all the "rules" and it always looked great with no issues. This tank is driving me crazy, I'm at the point now where I may just hire someone to take care of it.

Larry L · Sep 25, 2019

mta_morrow said:
What’s wrong that you feel you need to reduce your phosphates?

Kane32 said:
My current issue is a huge Cyanobacteria outbreak.

mta_morrow · Sep 25, 2019

Kane32 said:
Phosphates seem to be the only thing that stays high.

Is your tank looking good and happ

Kane32 said:
I am guessing the issue is Phosphates - I am taking a water sample into my LFS tomorrow so that they can test my water. The issues I have had over the last six months all seem to be related to an imbalance between nitrates and phosphates. When I had a refugium I was at 0 nitrates but Phosphates also tested .5 to .9. Then I got Dinos. I removed all the macroalgae, reduced skimming and forced a bacteria bloom. After 6 weeks of that, I got the Dinos under control. I finally got Nitrates above 0 and then the Cyano hit. I had a tank about 10 years ago that I broke all the "rules" and it always looked great with no issues. This tank is driving me crazy, I'm at the point now where I may just hire someone to take care of it.

?

Daniel@R2R · Sep 26, 2019

Halal Hotdog said:
There are a few things you want to look at. Where are the phosphates coming from? If you are feeding a lot of flake/pellet food then that would be one of the causes. Did you set up with dry rock? I am a big fan of lanthanum chloride, works amazingly well at reducing just phosphates. Once phosphates gets low enough it also affects your alkalinity, so just want to keep an eye on that. I personally haven't used GFO in years, purely due to LaCl

Was coming in to recommend LaCl as well

John08007 · Sep 26, 2019

I would look up lanthium, i believe thats what the brightwell is. I purchased mine at home depot, prob 15 for a massive bottle. Then just need a feeding bag(looks like iv bag) from ebay and some fine filter socks- forget the micron. I used a syringe to measure the lanthium and added it to rodi to dose. Just need to be careful to not dose too much because it causes a ph drop. Dose weekly for several weeks and cyano will be gone.

jordan10 · Sep 26, 2019

Kane32 said:
I do feed flake food and frozen. I use RO/DI water but I am going to change some of the filters since it's coming up on a year. I did set up with dry rock.
Thanks

Could have the red slime do to ur RODI water they should be changed ever 6moths. If everyone is saying ur po4 is ok

Florida Sunshine · Sep 26, 2019

I use old school Phosban and it seems to take care of mine. You have to be a bit careful because you don't want to strip out all of the phosphates.

Larry L · Sep 26, 2019

Daniel@R2R said:
Was coming in to recommend LaCl as well

If you decide to use lanthanum chloride, as others have mentioned go slow and be careful not to overstrip your phosphates. I wrote a dosing calculator for the common commercial products to help get the dosage right:

http://larryl.emailplus.org/fish/dosing-instructions-phosphate-removers.html

Kane32 · Sep 27, 2019

I had my water tested at my LFS yesterday and my Phosphates are .1. I came home and tested with a new test kit I bought at the LFS and I also got a .1 reading. So I am assuming my Hanna checker is in someway defective. So, now I know phosphate is not the issue. I am going to try and raise my Ph to 8.4 and the guy at my LFS suggested using Seachems Reef Fusion 1 and 2 so I am going to give that a try. I manually removed a bunch of the Cyano and doesn't seem to be coming back. Thank you everyone for the help!

John08007 · Sep 27, 2019

Kane32 said:
I had my water tested at my LFS yesterday and my Phosphates are .1. I came home and tested with a new test kit I bought at the LFS and I also got a .1 reading. So I am assuming my Hanna checker is in someway defective. So, now I know phosphate is not the issue. I am going to try and raise my Ph to 8.4 and the guy at my LFS suggested using Seachems Reef Fusion 1 and 2 so I am going to give that a try. I manually removed a bunch of the Cyano and doesn't seem to be coming back. Thank you everyone for the help!

I believe you can have low phosphate on a test but still have a phosphate problem. Your cyano can be using it up as fast as its produced so it will still test low.

Saltyreef · Sep 27, 2019

I wouldnt go and dump a bunch of crap in your tank to chase the ph. Its actually perfectly in range at 8.2.
Youll do more harm than good. Didnt read thru all the posts but someone advised to use 0ppm rodi. Could be the issue if you arent already using it. And lets see that sand bed cloud report after you pick up a handful. Could be feeding your phosphate issue and as noted above....this is free phosphate vs total. If the cyano is thriving off it, youll never test a negligible amount in the water column.