My GFO is on the way. Current po4 is 0.53. No3 is 0 I used neonitro to increase no3 from 0 to 0.5 but po4 still no change. Yesterday I did WC and added neonitro again and used red sea nopox. Today...po4 no change but no3 is 0 what should I do...thank you～
po4 issue
- Thread starter kai hen
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I beleive you are on the right track already with the GFO. IT just needs to come.
You can add NO3 into your tank to get the carbon dosing bacteria to uptake NO3 and Phosphate to utilize in reproducing more bacteria. How long have you been using Nopox?
You can add NO3 into your tank to get the carbon dosing bacteria to uptake NO3 and Phosphate to utilize in reproducing more bacteria. How long have you been using Nopox?
Sarah24!
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Hello,
If you haven’t dosed nopox I wouldn’t start. Once your tank is on it, you can’t stop it. I dose mine 25ml a day do to the size of my tank. I’d probably add phosguard before dosing nopox or increasing it. In addition it’s really really bad on your tank (corals), if you miss more than 1 day. They are technically addicted to it, once you start. I would also dose seed to help with the better bacteria. My tank is 2 years old and every once in a while it’s great for it.
If you haven’t dosed nopox I wouldn’t start. Once your tank is on it, you can’t stop it. I dose mine 25ml a day do to the size of my tank. I’d probably add phosguard before dosing nopox or increasing it. In addition it’s really really bad on your tank (corals), if you miss more than 1 day. They are technically addicted to it, once you start. I would also dose seed to help with the better bacteria. My tank is 2 years old and every once in a while it’s great for it.
maroun.c
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What's the tank volume?
Itll take some time to bring po4 down especially if it has many rocks that would also be saturated with phosphates and will start leaching back when levels in the water drop.
Itll take some time to bring po4 down especially if it has many rocks that would also be saturated with phosphates and will start leaching back when levels in the water drop.
I struggled with phosphate for awhile and had good success initially lowering my phosphates with brightwell aquatics extrax phos media when gfo wasn’t cutting it for my 250g system. If you go that route just be mindful it’s aluminum based so it comes with some risks associated with aluminum leaching into the water. After getting levels down I use dilute lanthanum chloride (two little fishies phosban L) on an auto doser into my skimmer neck to keep levels down long term.
But for a tank your size I would imagine gfo in a reactor will do the job fine. Probably be good to try that first, then consider other options. Also if you don’t have a low range Hanna checker I would highly recommend one for testing.
But for a tank your size I would imagine gfo in a reactor will do the job fine. Probably be good to try that first, then consider other options. Also if you don’t have a low range Hanna checker I would highly recommend one for testing.
I see you have a secondary thread asking about the same thing. I think my best advice to you is to be patient. It is very hard to do in reefing. I have made many mistakes killing off corals by changing water chemistry too quickly.
You can wait for your GFO while trying to get your NO3 up.
I don't know how many days it will take for your PO4 to go down with Nopox while waiting for the bacteria that uptakes PO4 to grow.
Try watching this video from BRStv with Lou Ekus: Reef aquarium chemistry. It has helped me with understanding carbon dosing more.
You can wait for your GFO while trying to get your NO3 up.
I don't know how many days it will take for your PO4 to go down with Nopox while waiting for the bacteria that uptakes PO4 to grow.
Try watching this video from BRStv with Lou Ekus: Reef aquarium chemistry. It has helped me with understanding carbon dosing more.
maroun.c
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Gfonshoukd drop po4 quicklynin a small.volume, make sure to go very slow with GFO
IslandLifeReef
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Your tank is NO3 limited right now. Dosing NoPoX won't fix the PO4 issue because it is just carbon dosing to encourage bacteria growth that feeds on both NO3 and PO4. Without enough NO3, these bacteria won't consume PO4. It's the same with any algae and coral in your tank, they need both NO3 and PO4. Not enough of one will limit the consumption of the other.
Don't dose NoPoX for now.
Increase your NO3. You can do this through dosing NO3.
Be very careful if you use GFO. It can strip your tank of PO4 rather quickly. If you have 0 NO3 and PO4, other bad things can and will happen.
IslandLifeReef
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@Sarah24!, I successfully got my tank off of NoPoX. It took about 4 months, but I slowly reduced the amount that I dosed daily until I was only dosing every 3rd day. Then I stopped dosing. Been off of it for a year now and my tank still runs like it was on NoPoX.
As others have mentioned just be careful with GFO! I also have a 20gal and when I was first starting I stripped PO4 way to fast with GFO and threw everything out of whack. It can remove it extremely fast so I would recommend lower then the recommended amount and test frequently! Take it slow reducing it down.
Edit: Test frequently not yes frequently lol
Edit: Test frequently not yes frequently lol
Last edited:
What issues have you noticed in your tank with the p at this level? If few or none, then you have time so go really slow. If your corals are suffering and you can run filter socks and have a good skimmer, then Lan Chloride works at this high of levels.
Water changes can work too and are inexpensive and do so many other good things. Always change your GFO when you change water since the bind with GFO is not permanent and the GFO can release a bunch if you lower your water P level with a water change - it is like you wasted a water change.
When using GFO, use about 1/3 of what they recommend, tumble it ever so gently (it should not break apart) and the change it every few days.
What you have to understand about phosphate is that it is not just in your water column. Your rock and sand will have a massive amount bound in the crystalline structure that has to be removed too. As the water level drops, the aragonite will release some. It can take a long time. What you want to try and do is to remove it from the water SLOWLY so that the rock and sand have time to release at the same rate - if you do this, then GFO works well. If you use too much, then the water level can drop down to nothing in a few hours and then go back up to nearly where you started the next day - this up/down is the bad part of GFO. GFO binds to equilibrium, so it will always leave some and once you get pretty low, it cannot really take you to zero even if our bad test kits say so. If you are interested in chasing very low P (which is not really necessary), then a Hannah Ultra Low is the only tool to use.
Water changes can work too and are inexpensive and do so many other good things. Always change your GFO when you change water since the bind with GFO is not permanent and the GFO can release a bunch if you lower your water P level with a water change - it is like you wasted a water change.
When using GFO, use about 1/3 of what they recommend, tumble it ever so gently (it should not break apart) and the change it every few days.
What you have to understand about phosphate is that it is not just in your water column. Your rock and sand will have a massive amount bound in the crystalline structure that has to be removed too. As the water level drops, the aragonite will release some. It can take a long time. What you want to try and do is to remove it from the water SLOWLY so that the rock and sand have time to release at the same rate - if you do this, then GFO works well. If you use too much, then the water level can drop down to nothing in a few hours and then go back up to nearly where you started the next day - this up/down is the bad part of GFO. GFO binds to equilibrium, so it will always leave some and once you get pretty low, it cannot really take you to zero even if our bad test kits say so. If you are interested in chasing very low P (which is not really necessary), then a Hannah Ultra Low is the only tool to use.
You can never get to 0 P with GFO - you can get pretty low but since it will only bind to "equilibrium," you will always have "some" even if your test kit cannot detect it. This is the same relationship that aragonite has - it will always leave "some" in the water. The issue that people have is that they drop too quickly or do the up/down swing that I described above - user error and they did not know what they were doing. It is possible that some followed some of the BRS advice to run the GFO as soon as you set your tank up (not sure if this is still out there on the web, but it was HORRIBLE advice and I hope that they took it down years and years ago) - I suppose that this could get to zero by never allowing any P to establish in the rock and sand, but this is user error, not an issue with the product, IMO.
Other types of media can take you too low (organic carbon, LC, for example). You need to be careful with these as your levels get lower.
Other types of media can take you too low (organic carbon, LC, for example). You need to be careful with these as your levels get lower.
ReefGeezer
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.53 P is elevated if you tank is not mature. I agree you tank is N limited so NoPox won't help much in the short term. GFO & water changes are probably the best route to reduce P. Careful, not to drop P too quickly if you have sensitive corals. This process will take time, particularly if you have a lot of rock or sand in the tank. Go slow and be patient.
