PO4 spike

[Susan Edwards]

I'm not sure why but my po4 is super high. First test done toward end of Jan after not doing it for a long time, it was .20 Then the next day it jumped up to 0.5.4! I've added some gfo, and 2 bags of phosguard and it is now 04.1 The only thing I've added is some algone. The sump has purigen, purigen blue, carbon, phosguard, algone, live rock, marine pure blocks and bags of other bio beads/rocks. Also some macro algaes. I have no idea why is spiked. No new rock in tank. Even tried rinsing frozen food. No difference so not going to do that. From what I read it makes so little difference as to not be worth it. I use ketchup squeeze bottles to thaw enough food for a day or 2 and squirt it in

So I just took the same test bottle, used some new tank water for the c-1 part, then retested the same bottle that said .41 earlier, and now it reads .25 what is going on!

no3 still way high. It's red....
ca 320-340 upping doses to 2x's day
mg 1350
alk 8-10 Need to dose some each day now
po4 0.41 or .25

Tank is 2 years old and going thru a reboot!

 

[Travis Alderman]

I'm not sure why but my po4 is super high. First test done toward end of Jan after not doing it for a long time, it was .20 Then the next day it jumped up to 0.5.4! I've added some gfo, and 2 bags of phosguard and it is now 04.1 The only thing I've added is some algone. The sump has purigen, purigen blue, carbon, phosguard, algone, live rock, marine pure blocks and bags of other bio beads/rocks. Also some macro algaes. I have no idea why is spiked. No new rock in tank. Even tried rinsing frozen food. No difference so not going to do that. From what I read it makes so little difference as to not be worth it. I use ketchup squeeze bottles to thaw enough food for a day or 2 and squirt it in

So I just took the same test bottle, used some new tank water for the c-1 part, then retested the same bottle that said .41 earlier, and now it reads .25 what is going on!

no3 still way high. It's red....
ca 320-340 upping doses to 2x's day
mg 1350
alk 8-10 Need to dose some each day now
po4 0.41 or .25

Tank is 2 years old and going thru a reboot!

I would use phosphate rx. It binds with phosphate instantly and either gets removed via skimmer or a 10 micron or less filter sock. Preferably both.

Dont try and remove it all in 1 day as that can cause a dramatic drop. Keep in mind it will lower your alkalinity a little as well so dose some right before or right after you add it to the tank.

Also add it at night when the lights are out because it will make the tank very cloudy. It works great though!

 

[Susan Edwards]

I would use phosphate rx. It binds with phosphate instantly and either gets removed via skimmer or a 10 micron or less filter sock. Preferably both.

Dont try and remove it all in 1 day as that can cause a dramatic drop. Keep in mind it will lower your alkalinity a little as well so dose some right before or right after you add it to the tank.

Also add it at night when the lights are out because it will make the tank very cloudy. It works great though!

thxs

 

[destro]

"The sump has purigen, purigen blue, carbon, phosguard, algone, live rock, marine pure blocks and bags of other bio beads/rocks. "

I think something that you're using may have become exhausted and now leeching phosphate back into your aquarium water. That or you have an issue with the test kit. Just my thoughts.

 

[Susan Edwards]

"The sump has purigen, purigen blue, carbon, phosguard, algone, live rock, marine pure blocks and bags of other bio beads/rocks. "

I think something that you're using may have become exhausted and now leeching phosphate back into your aquarium water. That or you have an issue with the test kit. Just my thoughts.

Everything in there is fresh from last week of January. I even replaced one phosguard and added another. It is a new batch of hanna checker powder. I had to order as I was out. But the first test was at 2 which isn't unexpected. But jumping to 5 overnight?

What is really strange is the same test bottle values were different from an hour before. I used fresh tank water for the c1 but same test bottle for c2 hanna checker and got half the reading.

I'm a bit afraid to try the rx stuff mentioned above as some have had fish die. I used to do no pox but never really thought it did much good.

 

[Travis Alderman]

Everything in there is fresh from last week of January. I even replaced one phosguard and added another. It is a new batch of hanna checker powder. I had to order as I was out. But the first test was at 2 which isn't unexpected. But jumping to 5 overnight?

What is really strange is the same test bottle values were different from an hour before. I used fresh tank water for the c1 but same test bottle for c2 hanna checker and got half the reading.

I'm a bit afraid to try the rx stuff mentioned above as some have had fish die. I used to do no pox but never really thought it did much good.

Whenever I am starting a new batch of reagent for testing I always compare it to the last test right away to see what the difference is.

People who have had fish die when using phosphate rx either didn't use a 10 micron or less filter sock or they didn't dose it near the intake of their protein skimmer. It's also important to dose it at night when the fish are resting.

I have several wrasses and tangs and I've never lost one. I dose it every night too as my tank is old and heavily fed.

But it's up to you. I've also used rowaphos. That works well too.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Whenever I am starting a new batch of reagent for testing I always compare it to the last test right away to see what the difference is.

That's a good idea. I had already run out so no way to compare. I'll give it a bit of time. Going to add some chemipure and I ordered another remover in a filter pack-fluval. I will keep the one you use in mind though and the directions if none of this other stuff works.

I also changed all my rodi filters except the last one as amazon sent the wrong one--and it's the silica buster that I need! Output is 1 still. It was 2 so that might be some of my issues. I'm not going to dump all that water. Maybe I'll just add some phos remover to the 2 garbage cans-1 rodi water, 1 salt water. going to test again today to see where I'm at

 

[Susan Edwards]

Po4 today is at 2,7! I sure hope that is a true reading... I'll find out when I test again tomorrow or over the weekend. Going to add another bag of phos guard. Maybe I'll retest tonight. I'd like to buy some corals this weekend so trying to get that down. Nitrates high but they have always been high.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Okay, so I'm an idiot. I just realized I'd added 3 new rocks when I dealt with the huge toadstool that was laying on 2 rocks and taking up the entire middle. It didn't look good so I ended up righting it upright more, regluing it to 1 rock and raising it up. Because its so heavy, I couldn't get another rock under it without another pair of hands so braced the rock it was on with another rock and have another ready there to put under after it grows onto it's base a bit more (and I have 2 pr hands and can keep the mean clowns from biting).

So that is where some of my high numbers is coming from. The rock was in my other tank and then put in a garbage can outside. It's lost all it's coraline algae and has bleached. So prob. nitrates and po4 from that! Although my nitrates are always high...

Po4 has come down to 2,7. added some marine pure elite and some fluval stuff for phos and nitrate as well. Sump full of stuff for Po4!

ca is up to 340-360
mg 1200-1350
alk 8-9

 

[Susan Edwards]

Down to 1.9 tonight. There is hope....

 

[glb]

Down to 1.9 tonight. There is hope....

I’d do some water changes and keep an eye on it. I’ve dealt with high phosphates too and I agree with the others who said not to change things too quickly. I’d wait on corals until things have been under control for a while. Good luck!

 

[Susan Edwards]

I’d do some water changes and keep an eye on it. I’ve dealt with high phosphates too and I agree with the others who said not to change things too quickly. I’d wait on corals until things have been under control for a while. Good luck!

Yes, I'm going to wait on corals. And thank you.