Phosphate ULR reading .90 - how should I lower?

[old_lady_4am]

Hi there! I just tested my phosphates for the first time with the Hannah Phosphate ULR checker. Result was .90! How do you recommend I lower? Tank is 75 gallon, 2 months old, Tunze 9012 skimmer, rock, sand and a few fish only.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[KrisReef]

My fish tank is at the same level as yours is today.
Two weeks ago it were at 160ppb, or 0.491ppm phosphate!

I had an old reactor in the garage that I set up with gfo and and started lowering it. (Nitrates are ~0.1ppm). I feed my fish a lot of food and thus far nothing has happened bad for fish or the few corals I have, outside of the SPS getting a tad bit duller.

To remove phosphates, huge 50%< will lower it to 0.45<, or gfo, but you need to be careful with gfo if you have corals it can easily strip p to zero and kill coral from shock/nutrient death. If you don't have coral, and if you are not having algae issues then there is no compelling reason to get excited by the high number. Fish don't mind.

 

[Miami Reef]

Water changes are not an efficient means of phosphate export. It’s likely the dry rocks and sand (calcium based) that were enriched with phosphates. They will remain in equilibrium with the water. If the concentration of water drops (via phosphate export) then the rocks will unbind to reach equilibrium again (which will make the phosphates in the water climb back up again).

To lower that level, I’d initially use Lanthanum chloride with 1-5 micron filter socks. You can bring them down slowly and inexpensively with that method to remove the phosphates from the water column. The rocks will start unbinding the phosphates so you’ll need to keep at it (go slow). Eventually you’ll get the phosphate concentration lower.

Once you’re around .2ppm, I’d use GFO to get it to your target level. Again, going slow. Higher phosphates are better than undetectable.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

.9 is the highest reading it can show, so it might actually be higher.
However, I would bet a cold beer that it's a test error.

 

[old_lady_4am]

.9 is the highest reading it can show, so it might actually be higher.
However, I would bet a cold beer that it's a test error

Retested. Still .90
You owe me a Jim Beam & water in a short glass with extra ice

 

[old_lady_4am]

Water changes are not an efficient means of phosphate export. It’s likely the dry rocks and sand (calcium based) that were enriched with phosphates. They will remain in equilibrium with the water. If the concentration of water drops (via phosphate export) then the rocks will unbind to reach equilibrium again (which will make the phosphates in the water climb back up again).

To lower that level, I’d initially use Lanthanum chloride with 1-5 micron filter socks. You can bring them down slowly and inexpensively with that method to remove the phosphates from the water column. The rocks will start unbinding the phosphates so you’ll need to keep at it (go slow). Eventually you’ll get the phosphate concentration lower.

Once you’re around .2ppm, I’d use GFO to get it to your target level. Again, going slow. Higher phosphates are better than undetectable.

I don’t have a sump, or filter socks, only internal skimmer. Should I use a gfo reactor now? I have the bulk reef supply one I can put in the tank.

 

[old_lady_4am]

My fish tank is at the same level as yours is today.
Two weeks ago it were at 160ppb, or 0.491ppm phosphate!

I had an old reactor in the garage that I set up with gfo and and started lowering it. (Nitrates are ~0.1ppm). I feed my fish a lot of food and thus far nothing has happened bad for fish or the few corals I have, outside of the SPS getting a tad bit duller.

To remove phosphates, huge 50%< will lower it to 0.45<, or gfo, but you need to be careful with gfo if you have corals it can easily strip p to zero and kill coral from shock/nutrient death. If you don't have coral, and if you are not having algae issues then there is no compelling reason to get excited by the high number. Fish don't mind.

No corals yet, but I want to add them as soon as possible. I also don’t have any algae. My tank looks very clean.

 

[Vagabond]

Hi there! I just tested my phosphates for the first time with the Hannah Phosphate ULR checker. Result was .90! How do you recommend I lower? Tank is 75 gallon, 2 months old, Tunze 9012 skimmer, rock, sand and a few fish only.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Had the same 0.90 po4 level on my Hanna checker about a week ago, was dosing wrong amount of tsp.Had no effect on my fish at all or any of my corals which consist mainly of zoas,and 1 blastos.Yesterday my po4 was 0.08 I would give it couple more days and see if it lowers by itself.

 

[Miami Reef]

I don’t have a sump, or filter socks, only internal skimmer. Should I use a gfo reactor now? I have the bulk reef supply one I can put in the tank.

No algae? What levels are your nitrates?

Do you use lights on your tank?

 

[old_lady_4am]

No algae? What levels are your nitrates?

Do you use lights on your tank?

No algae. I started the tank with live rock, had a brown diatoms outbreak on the rocks only during cycling. I run two Kessil a500x’s in the evening for 3 hours since I don’t have corals, during the day natural sunlight shines into the tank due to being located near a window. Nitrates have been a steady 5.0-10.

 

[Miami Reef]

No algae. I started the tank with live rock, had a brown diatoms outbreak on the rocks only during cycling. I run two Kessil a500x’s in the evening for 3 hours since I don’t have corals, during the day natural sunlight shines into the tank due to being located near a window. Nitrates have been a steady 5.0-10.

I believe there’s no algae because the lights are only on for 3 hours.

I’d work on bringing the phosphates down (you can go quicker since there’s no corals). I’d also bring your lights on for 4-5 hours a day and if you start getting undesirable algae you can get CUC.

This advice above is only my suggestion to get you closer to your goal of keeping corals.

 

[old_lady_4am]

I believe there’s no algae because the lights are only on for 3 hours.

I’d work on bringing the phosphates down (you can go quicker since there’s no corals). I’d also bring your lights on for 4-5 hours a day and if you start getting undesirable algae you can get CUC.

This advice above is only my suggestion to get you closer to your goal of keeping corals.

Since I don’t have a sump or filter socks, can I add lanthanum chloride in my gfo reactor and should I leave my lights on at sps level?

 

[Miami Reef]

That is my plan, to add corals as soon as my water is healthy. Since I don’t have a sump or filter socks, can I add lanthanum chloride in my gfo reactor?

You need a filter sock and a way to drip the lanthanum.

If not, then lanthanum percipients will get in the tank and may cause fish issues. Anecdotal reports show that tangs do not tolerate lanthanum precipitants well, but I’d personally not risk any fish.

GFO will work well by itself. I wouldn’t use lanthanum if you don’t have 1-5 micron socks and an IV drip line. GFO is more fool proof.

 

[old_lady_4am]

You need a filter sock and a way to drip the lanthanum.

If not, then lanthanum percipients will get in the tank and may cause fish issues. Anecdotal reports show that tangs do not tolerate lanthanum precipitants well, but I’d personally not risk any fish.

GFO will work well by itself. I wouldn’t use lanthanum if you don’t have 1-5 micron socks and an IV drip line. GFO is more fool proof.

Thank you for your help! I will try the gfo.

 

[1ocean]

yes. LC is a disaster waiting to happen, if you do not do it right...I know someone who almost wiped out his entire tang population..a sad day...I use gfo...

 

[old_lady_4am]

yes. LC is a disaster waiting to happen, if you do not do it right...I know someone who almost wiped out his entire tang population..a sad day...I use gfo...

I didn't use lc because I only have a skimmer that sits in my tank, so I ran Red Sea gfo. That brought it down to around 40. Saturday I started using nopox and phosphate E. Today my numbers were phosphate 0.07, nitrate 11.2. Yesterday they were 0.18 and 7.6. I'm running my lights on a regular schedule because I now have corals, but the green hair algae is getting out of control. Do you think the algae will go away since my numbers are lowering?

 

[1ocean]

I hope you do not have any tangs in your tank because it is believed that Phosphate E is or has Lanthanum chloride in it......I stay away from LC...

 

[Pistondog]

The algae is likely growing due to the sunlight hitt8ng your tank

 

[old_lady_4am]

I hope you do not have any tangs in your tank because it is believed that Phosphate E is or has Lanthanum chloride in it......I stay away from LC...

No tangs.

 

[old_lady_4am]

The algae is likely growing due to the sunlight hitt8ng your tank

I don’t have sunlight hitting it only my Kessil lights. Will the algae go away?