Safest way to drop Phosphates

[Johnic]

In the recent test both ICP and Red Sea Pro my Phos is about .25-.34
Is this to high for a LPS tank? And if so what's the safest way to drop it slowly I assume.
Is dosing 1-2 ml of Lanthum bad ?

Note my Nitrates are 15

 

[KrisReef]

Are your coral and fish unhappy?

I use lanthanum chloride to chase away phosphates but the trick is to lower them slowly and avoid the “drop” especially to low numbers where your coral might get sick and die from starvation and nutrient shock.

Read up on the process and ease the numbers down while you keep an eye on all your creatures.

Some people run high phosphate and don’t report any harm, until they start trying to fix things and find out that they should have left them alone.

 

[gbroadbridge]

In the recent test both ICP and Red Sea Pro my Phos is about .25-.34
Is this to high for a LPS tank? And if so what's the safest way to drop it slowly I assume.
Is dosing 1-2 ml of Lanthum bad ?

Note my Nitrates are 15

I consider the use of Lanthanum Chloride to be an advanced topic and risky for the beginner.

Using an Aluminium based remover such as Phosguard, or using GFO are much easier to control and safer both for the coral and potentially the fish.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't know that there's any urgency, but I'd ordinarily use GFO if I wanted to reduce phosphate.

 

[Johnic]

I don't know that there's any urgency, but I'd ordinarily use GFO if I wanted to reduce phosphate.

Do you feel .25-.35 a safe phosphate level in a LPS/Softie tank...I mistakenly dosed too much phos to tank and it went from .16 to .34 in a day.
Should I leave it alone ?
I'm not sure I trust the test kits - Red Sea Pro.
Do use GFO is a reactor ? How much would I need for an 80 gal to drop it down safely ?

Other than potential algae growth, is high .3-.4 phos bad for LPS corals ?

 

[Johnic]

I consider the use of Lanthanum Chloride to be an advanced topic and risky for the beginner.

Using an Aluminium based remover such as Phosguard, or using GFO are much easier to control and safer both for the coral and potentially the fish.

I have some Rowaphos....is this a safe product to use...I heard it leaches Allum?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Do use GFO is a reactor ? How much would I need for an 80 gal to drop it down safely ?

I've found the Red Sea Phophate Pro test to be one of the more accurate tests available.

 

[Johnic]

Are your coral and fish unhappy?

I use lanthanum chloride to chase away phosphates but the trick is to lower them slowly and avoid the “drop” especially to low numbers where your coral might get sick and die from starvation and nutrient shock.

Read up on the process and ease the numbers down while you keep an eye on all your creatures.

Some people run high phosphate and don’t report any harm, until they start trying to fix things and find out that they should have left them alone.

Good point on leaving it alone...corals are looking ok this morning.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have some Rowaphos....is this a safe product to use...I heard it leaches Allum?

There's some confusion there.

Aluminum oxide (such as Phosguard or Kent Phosphate Sponge) may release aluminum. Granular ferric oxide (GFO, such as Rowaphos) is iron based, and GFO has been suggested by some to bind aluminum, although I've not verified that myself.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you feel .25-.35 a safe phosphate level in a LPS/Softie tank...I mistakenly dosed too much phos to tank and it went from .16 to .34 in a day.
Should I leave it alone ?
I'm not sure I trust the test kits - Red Sea Pro.
Do use GFO is a reactor ? How much would I need for an 80 gal to drop it down safely ?

Other than potential algae growth, is high .3-.4 phos bad for LPS corals ?

If it came from an overdose of phosphate, I'd leave it and let it decline on its own. It's not urgent and jerking it around may be worse than any possible effects from being a bit high.

 

[Johnic]

If it came from an overdose of phosphate, I'd leave it and let it decline on its own. It's not urgent and jerking it around may be worse than any possible effects from being a bit high.

Got it, thanks for advice !