Phosphates Through the roof

[BeanAnimal]

the ratio of phosphates in the water is lower . They bind to the rockscape and sand. Water changes do very little to lower phosphates. This is common knowledge.

Let me help you
"This is a common misconception"

Water changes lower the phosphates in the aquarium water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.
GFO binds phosphates in the water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.

One way or the other the phosphate in the water column is lowered and if there is bound phosphate (again depending on PH and other factors) it may leach back into the water column where it will also need to be exported.

If you are going to argue the efficiency of different methods, have at it. Of course there are efficient and less efficient ways to reduce phosphates.

 

[Lavey29]

Let me help you
"This is a common misconception"

Water changes lower the phosphates in the aquarium water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.
GFO binds phosphates in the water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.

One way or the other the phosphate in the water column is lowered and if there is bound phosphate (again depending on PH and other factors) it may find leach back into the water where it will also need to be exported.

If you are going to argue the efficiency of different methods, have at it. Of course there are efficient and less efficient ways to reduce phosphates.

Yes and no, yes a small portion of phosphates is removed via water changes but not at the same ratio as nitrates. Then the rocks and sand immediately release more phosphates back into the water column. Water changes alone will not solve your phosphates issues. Other remedies or modification to feeding. Etc...will be required. Perhaps if you did 50% or more daily water changes you might control it but no one is doing that.

Hopefully this helps you

 

[WavyAquatics]

Let me help you
"This is a common misconception"

Water changes lower the phosphates in the aquarium water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.
GFO binds phosphates in the water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.

One way or the other the phosphate in the water column is lowered and if there is bound phosphate (again depending on PH and other factors) it may find leach back into the water column where it will also need to be exported.

If you are going to argue the efficiency of different methods, have at it. Of course there are efficient and less efficient ways to reduce phosphates.

Weekly water changes with GFO would eventually help with the high phosphates already in his aquarium. Now what he needs to do is find the source of the issue, which is either overfeeding, lack of filtration/husbandry, or having too many fish in the tank. Reducing the PO4 is half the battle

 

[BeanAnimal]

Yes and no, yes a small portion of phosphates is removed via water changes but not at the same ratio as nitrates. Then the rocks and sand immediately release more phosphates back into the water column. Water changes alone will not solve your phosphates issues. Other remedies or modification to feeding. Etc...will be required. Perhaps if you did 50% or more daily water changes you might control it but no one is doing that.

Hopefully this helps you

Anything in solution is removed at the ratio of the dilution. That has nothing to do with what happens after.

And thank you, but I do not need help

 

[Lavey29]

Let me help you
"This is a common misconception"

Water changes lower the phosphates in the aquarium water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.
GFO binds phosphates in the water. Phosphates leach back out of the rock to find equilibrium.

One way or the other the phosphate in the water column is lowered and if there is bound phosphate (again depending on PH and other factors) it may leach back into the water column where it will also need to be exported.

If you are going to argue the efficiency of different methods, have at it. Of course there are efficient and less efficient ways to reduce phosphates.

It's simple, if I do a 20% water change my nitrates level will reduce by 20% but my phosphates level surely will not.

 

[Lavey29]

Anything in solution is removed at the ratio of the dilution. That has nothing to do with what happens after.

And thank you, but I do not need help

Thank you, nor do i

 

[Fish Styx]

Water changes will remove phosphates and nitrates from solution in the exact same proportions. If you do a 25% water change, 25% of ALL pollutants in solution will be removed. Yes, more phosphates may leach back into the water column depending on ph and other variables, requiring the use of GHO for control. That does not, however, change the fact that diluting a solution has an equal effect on all salutes in the solvent.

 

[workhz]

0.3 is through the roof?

 

[BeanAnimal]

It's simple, if I do a 20% water change my nitrates level will reduce by 20% but my phosphates level surely will not.

Again, the water change reduces anything in solution at the same ratio. The phosphate does lower, but it may come back as phosphate sequestered in the system is released to find equilibrium. The end result may not feel like lower phosphates, but you have removed phosphate from the system. No different than GFO, LaCl or any other method.

 

[ptrick21186]

I think the key word here is "solution". But aren't the phosphates locked into the rock NOT in the solution?

 

[Miami Reef]

Poly Filter will reduce your phosphate. It's available on Amazon and BRS.

Incorrect. Polyfilters do nothing for inorganic phosphates (the one we test for).

It [polyfilter] is far less effective than GFO. It won't take out any inorganic phosphate from seawater. It will bind some organic matter and possibly prevent it from breaking down to inorganic phosphate.

 

[Fish Styx]

I think the key word here is "solution". But aren't the phosphates locked into the rock NOT in the solution?

Bound phosphates get released into solution and removed via export. Exporting phosphate salutes from the water column means there are less phosphates to be rebound.

 

[ptrick21186]

While yes WCs will remove phosphates from the overall system I feel that GFO is an easier and more cost effective option. Also finding the source of the phosphates is important to mention here. You can run all the GFO and do all the WCs you want but if you have a dead fish or are severely overfeeding then you're just masking the problem.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Thank you, nor do i

I was not offering it. I was just providing a correction to your post. Please (honestly) don't take it personally. I just have a thing about making sure correct information is passed along.

If what you mean to say was that "water changes are not the fastest way to lower phosphates".. I would certainly agree with you!

 

[Fish Styx]

Incorrect. Polyfilters do nothing for inorganic phosphates (the one we test for).

I agree. Polyfilter will not remove phosphates from the water column. However, the OP may have meant something like these:

Phosphate Remover Media Pad 10x18" - Acurel

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

 

[BeanAnimal]

While yes WCs will remove phosphates from the overall system I feel that GFO is an easier and more cost effective option. Also finding the source of the phosphates is important to mention here. You can run all the GFO and do all the WCs you want but if you have a dead fish or are severely overfeeding then you're just masking the problem.

I think a combination of water changes and GFO are likely the best bang for the buck/time. But as other folks have already mentioned, unless the source is found and controlled then nothing is going to be effective.

Most of the other "fancy" cubes, bricks, pellets, etc. are GFO in one fashion or another, or resin. I am not familiar with any of the newer generation of resins and not sure what else they may absorb or how fast they work.

Chemipure is a good product as well.. though only part GFO or phosphate absorbing resin.

Take it from a guy who ran 1.0 phosphate or higher and has not done a single water change in almost 10 years.

 

[Lavey29]

Again, the water change reduces anything in solution at the same ratio. The phosphate does lower, but it may come back as phosphate sequestered in the system is released to find equilibrium. The end result may not feel like lower phosphates, but you have removed phosphate from the system. No different than GFO, LaCl or any other method.

I agree, but the impression you are giving people here is that they will see a similar reduction in phosphate as nitrates and that just does not add up in the final ratio because of the way phosphate binds to calcium carbonate and releases back into the water column. As stated before my nitrates will show a 20% reduction after a 20% water change if my testing is accurate. Will my phosphate show a 20% reduction also? Of course not because as you are taking it out it's being put back in right behind you.

 

[ptrick21186]

I think a combination of water changes and GFO are likely the best bang for the buck/time. But as other folks have already mentioned, unless the source is found and controlled then nothing is going to be effective.

Take it from a guy who ran 1.0 phosphate or higher and has not done a single water change in almost 10 years.

Anxiety level 5000 lol

 

[Lavey29]

I was not offering it. I was just providing a correction to your post. Please (honestly) don't take it personally. I just have a thing about making sure correct information is passed along.

If what you mean to say was that "water changes are not the fastest way to lower phosphates".. I would certainly agree with you!

Yes I can agree with you that they certainly are not the fastest way to lower phosphates.

 

[Miami Reef]

I agree. Polyfilter will not remove phosphates from the water column. However, the OP may have meant something like these:

Phosphate Remover Media Pad 10x18" - Acurel

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

Here’s another quote from Randy about this product:

The do not work better than GFO.

They are just a small amount of GFO or aluminum oxide trapped in a pad.

If you click on Randy’s name in the quote, you will get transported to the original thread he posted that message in.