Rowaphos and Phosphate

[czoolander]

Which Hanna?

I cant confirm 100% right now as im not home but I am going to wager a guess that I have the High range one .

And I know you are going to suggest I get the low range test kit haha Yes this has been on my mind I will probably order one in the next couple days

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I cant confirm 100% right now as im not home but I am going to wager a guess that I have the High range one .

And I know you are going to suggest I get the low range test kit haha Yes this has been on my mind I will probably order one in the next couple days

The main importance of the difference is that with the higher range one, phosphate may not be too low even when detecting none since it may be as high as 0.04 ppm.

 

[czoolander]

The main importance of the difference is that with the higher range one, phosphate may not be too low even when detecting none since it may be as high as 0.04 ppm.

Yeah I mean for sure even if im reading 0.00 there must be phosphate in the system the algea is just consuming most of it .

Just how much is in the system is an unknown variable right now that makes planning difficult

Wish me luck ! I am proceeding with GFO . I will see you guys in a month or two on the dinoflaglettes forum hahaha jk jk

I am sure this plan will work out just fine !

 

[TheHunterYall]

Plug those crevices with some coral gum or similar.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah I mean for sure even if im reading 0.00 there must be phosphate in the system the algea is just consuming most of it .

Just how much is in the system is an unknown variable right now that makes planning difficult

Wish me luck ! I am proceeding with GFO . I will see you guys in a month or two on the dinoflaglettes forum hahaha jk jk

I am sure this plan will work out just fine !

That's not the issue. I think you are being misled a bit by that line of thinking.

A coral can only use what is available to it. If less than 0.01 ppm phosphate is available to it, regardless of whether something else somewhere else in the tank is getting some does not ensure that the coral will not be starving for it.

 

[czoolander]

That's not the issue. I think you are being misled a bit by that line of thinking.

A coral can only use what is available to it. If less than 0.01 ppm phosphate is available to it, regardless of whether something else somewhere else in the tank is getting some does not ensure that the coral will not be starving for it.

what do you suggest I should do ? If you have 3 ideas or suggestions

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

what do you suggest I should do ? If you have 3 ideas or suggestions

Many of us have said not to use GFO.

The fact that you say it is only in holes is suggestive that there are deposits in the holes that are releasing nutrients locally. The only other likely way that happens is if something is eating it that cannot get into the holes. Might that be happening?

Removing and carefully cleaning the rocks may be in order. Lots of people do this before putting them into a tank.

Are you certain what you have is hair algae and not other types?

Be sure it is not bryopsis or something else than hair algae.

.....Rabbitfish and Tomini tang wont touch it.
.....Hermits and snails wont touch it

That does not sound like hair algae, unless those creatures are getting too much better food. How are you feeding them?

 

[czoolander]

Many of us have said not to use GFO.

The fact that you say it is only in holes is suggestive that there are deposits in the holes that are releasing nutrients locally. The only other likely way that happens is if something is eating it that cannot get into the holes. Might that be happening?

Removing and carefully cleaning the rocks may be in order. Lots of people do this before putting them into a tank.

Are you certain what you have is hair algae and not other types?

Be sure it is not bryopsis or something else than hair algae.

.....Rabbitfish and Tomini tang wont touch it.
.....Hermits and snails wont touch it

That does not sound like hair algae, unless those creatures are getting too much better food. How are you feedi

Many of us have said not to use GFO.

The fact that you say it is only in holes is suggestive that there are deposits in the holes that are releasing nutrients locally. The only other likely way that happens is if something is eating it that cannot get into the holes. Might that be happening?

Removing and carefully cleaning the rocks may be in order. Lots of people do this before putting them into a tank.

Are you certain what you have is hair algae and not other types?

Be sure it is not bryopsis or something else than hair algae.

.....Rabbitfish and Tomini tang wont touch it.
.....Hermits and snails wont touch it

That does not sound like hair algae, unless those creatures are getting too much better food. How are you feeding them?

I am hesitant on removing rocks as before I did this and ended up killing two of my hammer corals . It is an option to remove the rocks and try to get a tool to scrub the crevices . I was hoping for an option where the rockscape could stay as is but I might consider this if other plans don't work

I am not 100% sure on hair algae as it hasn't been under a microscope . but it doesn't appear to be branchy at all it looks like long slender dark hairs like a super dark hair algea. the pieces that I could rip off are stringy and slimy . I am 90% sure its hair algea

The rabbitfish and tomini are lazy and have never really picked at the rocks . They were getting daily nori I tried taking them off nori to see if they would work on the rocks but it might be too late for them they are spoiled on fresh nori not dirty rock algea haha

 

[Manny’s Reef]

I'm on team let the fish do it. Maybe let the fish get a little hungry and see what they do. I'm surprised to hear they aren't touching the GHA. I used to think that tomini tangs were the most voracious GHA eaters. Then I met the convict tang. Not stop machine. No other tang has ever come close to being as active as my 3 convict tangs were. Do you by chance have room for another tang? If so, are you willing to give this one a try? If so, be advised that many convict tangs are farmed using cyanide. It's pretty tough on the fish. It makes it really hard for them to survive long term in the aquarium because the cyanide appears to cause pretty severe damage. You will notice, as many threads here can support, that the convict tangs randomly start spazzing out. Looks like they are having seizures. If you can get one to survive, then I highly recommend one to deal with GHA.

I spoke to @Dr. Reef over the phone about this issue once. He was the one who educated me on the cyanide problem.

Anyhow, I could not, in good faith, recommend GFO is you're registered 0 phosphates. If fish were not doing it for me, I would start manually removing.

Sorry, probably not the answer you were looking for. Best of luck my friend.

O, maybe do some research on dosing peroxide and its benefits. I have used it in the past but because I have no concrete evidence to give you, I will not share my usage.

 

[czoolander]

I'm on team let the fish do it. I used to think that tomini tangs were the most voracious GHA eaters. Then I met the convict tang. Not stop machine. No other tang has ever come close to being as active as my 3 convict tangs were. Do you by chance have room for another tang? If so, are you willing to give this one a try? If so, be advised that many convict tangs are farmed using cyanide. It's pretty tough on the fish. It makes it really hard for them to survive long term in the aquarium because the cyanide appears to cause pretty severe damage. You will notice, as many threads here can support, that the convict tangs randomly start spazzing out. Looks like they are having seizures. If you can get one to survive, then I highly recommend one to deal with GHA.

I spoke to @Dr. Reef over the phone about this issue once. He was the one who educated me on the cyanide problem.

Anyhow, I could not, in good faith, recommend GFO is you're registered 0 phosphates. If fish were not doing it for me, I would start manually removing.

Sorry, probably not the answer you were looking for. Best of luck my friend.

I have a tomini tang in currently and in my 109 gallon display I am limited for tangs to add. I was planning on getting a purple tang once they are available to me.

I would love more tangs but alas my tank size does not allow for this .

yeah GFO and 0 phosphates will be a gamble for sure and a risk for Dino's down the road if the nutrients get stripped . A gamble I am willing to take the risk on right now because the juice is worth the squeeze

I am not going to run full recommended dose of GFO to reach .03 levels of phosphate .

Worst case scenario I get dinos. well my tank is always high nutrient normally I cant see dinos surviving long in my reef . My tank is definitely never low nutrient haha

 

[RockyMountainReefing]

I have a tomini tang in currently and in my 109 gallon display I am limited for tangs to add. I was planning on getting a purple tang once they are available to me.

I would love more tangs but alas my tank size does not allow for this .

yeah GFO and 0 phosphates will be a gamble for sure and a risk for Dino's down the road if the nutrients get stripped . A gamble I am willing to take the risk on right now because the juice is worth the squeeze

I am not going to run full recommended dose of GFO to reach .03 levels of phosphate .

Worst case scenario I get dinos. well my tank is always high nutrient normally I cant see dinos surviving long in my reef . My tank is definitely never low nutrient haha

What was the result