Phosphate testing and management

[glb]

I have an API phosphate test that always tests at 0 but I've read that they are inaccurate, so I'm planning to get a salifert or hanna tester. If I have phosphates, which I assume that i do, I've read that adding phosguard to the sump can help. Is there any downside to doing this? I'm asking because when I added chemipure a month ago, I lost a few zoa colonies and things didn't start getting better until I took it out. Now I'm hesitant to add anything new to the sump without asking a lot of questions. I have a 12g nano. Is there anything about phosguard that I should be aware of, or is there a better way to lower phosphates if I have them? Also, I don't have any algae in the tank, so I guess that's a good sign. Any help is welcome!

 

[glb]

I should add that when I added the chemipure, I removed some very old carbon and ceramic rings which were filthy. I thought cleaning things up would help but it seemed to be too many changes at once.

 

[rworegon]

The carbon should be replaced or run intermittantly but the ceramic rings are something that probably holds some of the beneficial bacteria. I would just rinse them really well in some of the water from a water change and put them back. This way it doesn't kill the bacteria and clears the pores of the ceramic rings for better filtration. But I doubt that had much to do with you r losses.

A Hanna CHecker is your best bet for Phosphate testing. If you don't have any algae though I would bet your phosphates are pretty low.

 

[glb]

The carbon should be replaced or run intermittantly but the ceramic rings are something that probably holds some of the beneficial bacteria. I would just rinse them really well in some of the water from a water change and put them back. This way it doesn't kill the bacteria and clears the pores of the ceramic rings for better filtration. But I doubt that had much to do with you r losses.

A Hanna CHecker is your best bet for Phosphate testing. If you don't have any algae though I would bet your phosphates are pretty low.

Thanks! I just got a hanna checker for alk and I love it!

 

[Reefing Madness]

Chemipure doesn't have GFO in it, you need to be running Chemipure Elite.

 

[akitareefer]

Also be careful when running any phosphate lowering media. If you drop it too quickly you can cause some damage (I'd imagine it'd be easy in a 12g). Phosphates should stay around .03. You can get the phosphate or phosphorus(more accurate but requires math skills) Hanna checker.

I prefer to use gfo or the iron binder. Phosguard is an aluminum based binder and I've read that it can irritate leathers. In such a small tank I'd be hesitant to use anything since you can easily do a water change, lower feeding, and vacuum to lower phosphates.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

 

[Shadow1]

I agree way easier and less expensive to do even a 50% water change if you have to.

 

[glb]

I agree way easier and less expensive to do even a 50% water change if you have to.

I thought this might be the case. So it shouldn't get higher than 0.04?

 

[glb]

0.03.

 

[glb]

Chemipure doesn't have GFO in it, you need to be running Chemipure Elite.

That will help with phosphates? I'm sort of afraid to add carbon to the tank after what happened when I put regular chemipure in there. Right now I have purigen, denitrate rocks and sponges in the filter. I clean all of them weekly.

 

[glb]

Btw, thanks everyone!!

 

[Reefing Madness]

Its kinda like carbon. But yes, Elite contains GFO (Granular Ferric Oxide) which clean up phosphates. Also, you want your phosphates lower than .005
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/

 

[Shadow1]

Randy suggests in your article a level of .02 or lower PO4 .005 would be difficult to test for accurately and to obtain or maintain in a normally stocked mixed reef.

I believe great success can be had at a level of .03 or so. Better yet, get to a level and stay stable, a stable .06 over a long period of time would be better than a swing to .001 and back to .02.

Stability in a reef seems to be the best goal.

 

[glb]

I shouldn't rely on an API reading of zero should I?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Ah, no not really.

 

[aquabuddy]

The Hanna Checker is great, dont bother with any of the color/chart chemical ones, because where it matters most a phosphate level under 0.10 is to vague with those charts. I too had a 0 reading with API and Salifert but still had algae problems, when i got the Hanna it read 0.38

Currently i dose carbon in the form of Brightwells Reef Bio Fuel along with Brightwell Phosphat-e. The Carbon must be dosed slowly and gradually over the course of several weeks but it really does work. I use the Phosphat-e in the meantime to lower the phosphate from 0.30 levels down to the 0.10 level which it can do very quickly in 3 hours or so when dosed daily.

I recently tested and my Phosphate is now at 0.05 which i think the bacteria population from the carbon dosing is finally reaching an optimal point! aand can be sustained more naturally with bacteria rather than the phosphat-e which is quite costly if used on a longterm daily basis. ill have my updates posted soon!

 

[glb]

The Hanna Checker is great, dont bother with any of the color/chart chemical ones, because where it matters most a phosphate level under 0.10 is to vague with those charts. I too had a 0 reading with API and Salifert but still had algae problems, when i got the Hanna it read 0.38

Currently i dose carbon in the form of Brightwells Reef Bio Fuel along with Brightwell Phosphat-e. The Carbon must be dosed slowly and gradually over the course of several weeks but it really does work. I use the Phosphat-e in the meantime to lower the phosphate from 0.30 levels down to the 0.10 level which it can do very quickly in 3 hours or so when dosed daily.

I recently tested and my Phosphate is now at 0.05 which i think the bacteria population from the carbon dosing is finally reaching an optimal point! aand can be sustained more naturally with bacteria rather than the phosphat-e which is quite costly if used on a longterm daily basis. ill have my updates posted soon!

Thanks! I'll get the Hanna checker soon.

 

[glb]

Ah, no not really.

Lol. I didn't think so.

 

[glb]

Just ordered the hanna checker for phosphorus! How do I do the math?

 

[aquabuddy]

Just ordered the hanna checker for phosphorus! How do I do the math?

The phosphorus? model 706? You should of ordered the Low Range Phosphate Colormeter 713. Im not sure if they measure the same parameters, you can find the right one on Marinedepot.com, heres the link they price match too
Hanna Instruments Checker Colorimeter