Question about PhosGuard.

[EpisodeMnH]

So I just started using PhosGuard for the first time last Sunday. I was running Reef Flux for a 6 week cycle so I had no filtration other than filter floss during that time, and no water changes. As a result, phosphate went up to 0.70 PPM. However the good news is that I suffered no coral loss except some of my Xenia dying off (Go figure lol.) and combined with a Tuxedo Urchin and a bunch of Blue Leg Hermits, the treatment was mostly a success on my turf algae problem. But I started the PhosGuard after that first initial water change and within the 4 days that it tells you to test your water again, I was down to 0.22 PPM, but today, 24 hours later, it was up to 0.34 PPM. This may have been error on my part tho, because I did the test shortly after feeding, so that may have temporarily spiked the results.

In any case tho, it got me wondering about how to properly redose the PhosGuard. Are you essentially supposed to replace it with fresh media as soon as you see the Phosphates start to raise back up? That would basically mean the PhosGuard is exhausted, correct?

 

[Dan_P]

So I just started using PhosGuard for the first time last Sunday. I was running Reef Flux for a 6 week cycle so I had no filtration other than filter floss during that time, and no water changes. As a result, phosphate went up to 0.70 PPM. However the good news is that I suffered no coral loss except some of my Xenia dying off (Go figure lol.) and combined with a Tuxedo Urchin and a bunch of Blue Leg Hermits, the treatment was mostly a success on my turf algae problem. But I started the PhosGuard after that first initial water change and within the 4 days that it tells you to test your water again, I was down to 0.22 PPM, but today, 24 hours later, it was up to 0.34 PPM. This may have been error on my part tho, because I did the test shortly after feeding, so that may have temporarily spiked the results.

In any case tho, it got me wondering about how to properly redose the PhosGuard. Are you essentially supposed to replace it with fresh media as soon as you see the Phosphates start to raise back up? That would basically mean the PhosGuard is exhausted, correct?

You are correct. Replace the medium. It is exhausted.

 

[Reef.]

So I just started using PhosGuard for the first time last Sunday. I was running Reef Flux for a 6 week cycle so I had no filtration other than filter floss during that time, and no water changes. As a result, phosphate went up to 0.70 PPM. However the good news is that I suffered no coral loss except some of my Xenia dying off (Go figure lol.) and combined with a Tuxedo Urchin and a bunch of Blue Leg Hermits, the treatment was mostly a success on my turf algae problem. But I started the PhosGuard after that first initial water change and within the 4 days that it tells you to test your water again, I was down to 0.22 PPM, but today, 24 hours later, it was up to 0.34 PPM. This may have been error on my part tho, because I did the test shortly after feeding, so that may have temporarily spiked the results.

In any case tho, it got me wondering about how to properly redose the PhosGuard. Are you essentially supposed to replace it with fresh media as soon as you see the Phosphates start to raise back up? That would basically mean the PhosGuard is exhausted, correct?

Yes, if using in a reactor which I recommend you can test the water coming out of the reactor to get an idea when it’s exhausted, could be within hours which such high lvls of po4.
Using it in a media bag will be very inefficient.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Phosphate binding media is depleted faster at higher phosphate concentrations. Assuming the flow through it is good, it can be depleted in hours or less if phosphate concentration is high.