Phosphates at 10?!

[Sick_man]

Hi, i just tested my water with API reef kit yesterday and my phosphates read 10 (not 1.0, I am not mistaken). I've been running some chemipure blue and it looks like that wasn't enough so I added some chemipure elite and the algae growth has slowed down a bit since adding yesterday. Is this the reason my goniopora isn't opened fully? The other corals are doing fine except for that and my rasta which opens halfway now. What do I do? I noticed more algae growth since last week when I started feeding reef roids. Please help.

 

[Sick_man]

Forgot to add that I have been using distilled water (switched from tap) about 2 weeks ago and my water was fine until now. Also did a 25% water change.

 

[vetteguy53081]

That level will upset goni and other coral. Elite is very good and will slowly bring it down. In the meantime, check your phosphate from your water source that you use for mixing. You may find half your issue. Check PH of that water also.

 

[Smarkow]

Have you tested your topoff water? I would expect distilled to have zero phosphates but probably worth it.

Do you have a new/2nd brand test kit to double check the result? Is this a sudden spike confirmed with repeat testing?

If real, I would think getting ahold of some NSW or RODI water and then mixing fresh, then do some serious water changes.

How old is the tank? Really I am asking how old is your rock?

Good luck

 

[Sick_man]

Have you tested your topoff water? I would expect distilled to have zero phosphates but probably worth it.

Do you have a new/2nd brand test kit to double check the result? Is this a sudden spike confirmed with repeat testing?

If real, I would think getting ahold of some NSW or RODI water and then mixing fresh, then do some serious water changes.

How old is the tank? Really I am asking how old is your rock?

Good luck

I plan on testing the distilled water later, I am not home right now but the tank is 2 months old with dry rock. What is NSW? I don't have another test kit but I feel like the api one is pretty bad because the ranges are .5-10 and isn't .5 already high?

 

[Pistondog]

Hi, i just tested my water with API reef kit yesterday and my phosphates read 10 (not 1.0, I am not mistaken). I've been running some chemipure blue and it looks like that wasn't enough so I added some chemipure elite and the algae growth has slowed down a bit since adding yesterday. Is this the reason my goniopora isn't opened fully? The other corals are doing fine except for that and my rasta which opens halfway now. What do I do? I noticed more algae growth since last week when I started feeding reef roids. Please help.

Reef roids are high in phosphate, if you didn’t know already.

 

[jda]

Get a better test kit. I have no doubt that they are high, but API is not good at phosphates.

Once you get a handle on where they are, your issues is likely the dry rock. You will need to get a plan to SLOWLY and methodically lower them. Just know that every time that you lower the water level a bit, the rocks will unbind some more P the water level will go back up.

 

[Smarkow]

NSW = natural seawater. Sometimes you can buy it at the pet store. Should be low in phosphates

 

[Sick_man]

Get a better test kit. I have no doubt that they are high, but API is not good at phosphates.

Once you get a handle on where they are, your issues is likely the dry rock. You will need to get a plan to SLOWLY and methodically lower them. Just know that every time that you lower the water level a bit, the rocks will unbind some more P the water level will go back up.

Would running a lot of gfo work in the meantime?

 

[jda]

Yes, but you have to be smart about how you do it. Small amounts changed very often is best.

You have to understand the chemistry. The water will hold a little bit, but the rock holds a bunch more. When you lower the water column level, the rock releases a bit to get back to "equilibrium." You do not want to use a bunch of GFO and have the tank level spike down just to spike back up again as the rock/sand releases. The spikes are the issue, not the GFO. You want to very slowly lower the tank level at the same rate that the rock/sand unbinds. There is a paper linked in my signature that has some thought on N and P in a bit more detail if you want to read it.

The spikes can hurt your coral... sometimes once is enough to make them mad and sometimes it takes a few, but avoid them in any case.

 

[Timfish]

I I use API for pH, calcium and alkalinity but for phosphates I use Elos. As mentioned above you want to test your source water. Personally I would stop feeding your corals anything, wait untill you have a lot more experence with individual species. This paper by University of Hawai'i found feeding can be very problematic and the feeding response were not only species specific but the amount a coral found prefereable could be very specific. Also keep in mind fish poop is a much better food having organic nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium and magnesium. Here's fig 3 from this paper on nutrients and corals

 

[Sick_man]

I I use API for pH, calcium and alkalinity but for phosphates I use Elos. As mentioned above you want to test your source water. Personally I would stop feeding your corals anything, wait untill you have a lot more experence with individual species. This paper by University of Hawai'i found feeding can be very problematic and the feeding response were not only species specific but the amount a coral found prefereable could be very specific. Also keep in mind fish poop is a much better food having organic nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium and magnesium. Here's fig 3 from this paper on nutrients and corals

I have a goni and I heard that it needed to be fed 2 times a week, should I stop completely for a while? is it gonna be okay?

 

[terraincognita]

Would running a lot of gfo work in the meantime?

If you had a Pho SPIKE running GFO to bring it down suddenly would be appropriate, however I'd say in a 6 hour period, then you're changing it from how it was back to how it was.

If it's been sitting at 10PHO for a week like someone else said try to make a little more gradual, everything gradual, unless you're fixing a dire instant error to revert it.

 

[Sick_man]

If you had a PHOSPHATE Spike running GFO to bring it down suddenly would be appropriate, however I'd say in a 6 hour period, then you're changing it from how it was back to how it was.

If it's been sitting at 10PHO for a week like someone else said try to make a little more gradual, everything gradual, unless you're fixing a dire instant error to revert it.

do you think slowly using nopox by redsea will be a good option?

 

[terraincognita]

do you think slowly using nopox by redsea will be a good option?

Never used it, would have to find someone else who has.

I always have used PhoGuard or BlueChem Elite for my GFO BlueChem is a GFO and Carbon in 1 though.

Also,

Before we do all this, take a new test and post your test with a picture so we can see if it's actually 10 Also .

I've found in my own newer tanks right at the end of the cycle i get pho spikes up to 5 Pho. Idk why I do or if others do as well and just miss it? Who knows.

Two 15% WC's always handle it for me

 

[Sick_man]

Never used it, would have to find someone else who has.

I always have used PhoGuard or BlueChem Elite for my GFO BlueChem is a GFO and Carbon in 1 though.

Also,

Before we do all this, take a new test and post your test with a picture so we can see if it's actually 10 Also .

I've found in my own newer tanks right at the end of the cycle i get pho spikes up to 5 Pho. Idk why I do or if others do as well and just miss it? Who knows.

Two 15% WC's always handle it for me

Okay i will do it later, im in school atm

 

[Thales]

Triple check that reading before doing anything

 

[Timfish]

I have a goni and I heard that it needed to be fed 2 times a week, should I stop completely for a while? is it gonna be okay?

I would say that depends on where you got it from. If it was a wild collected specimen keep in mind there's a couple dozen species and they are impossible for most aquarist to identify. Some are cosmopolitan indicating some adaptability and others are found only in very specific habitats which should be read as difficult to keep.
If yours is wild you can try spot feeding it in the hopes it's an adaptable species. If however you have a maricultured or aquacultured specimen you need to duplicate as closely as possible the conditions it was kept under including feeding regimen.

 

[Sick_man]

Never used it, would have to find someone else who has.

I always have used PhoGuard or BlueChem Elite for my GFO BlueChem is a GFO and Carbon in 1 though.

Also,

Before we do all this, take a new test and post your test with a picture so we can see if it's actually 10 Also .

I've found in my own newer tanks right at the end of the cycle i get pho spikes up to 5 Pho. Idk why I do or if others do as well and just miss it? Who knows.

Two 15% WC's always handle it for me

API is bs, just tested with Seachem phosphate test. Came back at .15. A little high but corals seem fine and I'll keep running gfo.

 

[Bfragale]

It’s totally worth the $50 for a Hanna. Sometimes can even get them used for cheap.

I would first take a water sample to a lfs and have it tested to be sure. Or a friend with different test. Or just get a different test

If it is 10- maybe small doses of Phosphate E can get it down but go slowly! Like .5 or even .25 every few days.

Most likely leaching from rocks as dry rocks are pretty young. Maybe some beneficial bacteria in a bottle to give a little jump start.

Never had good results with API phosphate tests.

Good luck my friend!