Should I give up on testing phosphates?

[PatW]

Well your tank looks really good. So you are doing this because the numbers are “bad”. I suspect that aquariums and corals can thrive at markedly different levels. And this is from a guy who runs at nitrates between 1 and 2 and phosphates at .03.

You could try Chaeto. It is good at reducing nitrates and phosphates. But you usually need to get. strong light for your refugium. Also, you do not want to get phosphates or nitrates too low. I think if you reduce phosphates, you might need to reduce nitrates. Oh, if you go with chaeto you might end up dosing nitrates and phosphates.

 

[New&no clue]

lanthanum chloride

What is this, and where can I purchase this?

 

[intricate_reefer]

What is this, and where can I purchase this?

That’s the chemical name, several companies make a solution of it. Brightwell phosphate E, two little fishes phosban L, Blue Life Phosphate RX. I use phosphate Rx.

 

[New&no clue]

That’s the chemical name, several companies make a solution of it. Brightwell phosphate E, two little fishes phosban L, Blue Life Phosphate RX. I use phosphate Rx.

Thank you, that's what I was getting when I googled it, but I couldn't see a list of active ingredients so I wasn't sure it was the same thing.

 

[motortrendz]

Thank you, that's what I was getting when I googled it, but I couldn't see a list of active ingredients so I wasn't sure it was the same thing.

Yea that stuff works and its prediluted. I basically buy it straight, most pool supplies sell it or on amazon. But then it needs to be diluted before use. But one bottle will basically last a lifetime lol.

To make is simple the brightwell product is a good product.

 

[Spare time]

Depending on how long your rocks have absorbed the phosphate for as your removing it the rocks will release what they have absorbed over time. It could take a while before you start to see the reduction stay down. I'd keep going. Me personally I like using lanthanum chloride. I remove the skimmer cap and drip it right into the skimmer foam, itll bind to the phosphate and get skimmed out of your system (your skimmate will look terrible.) I've always found with media you cant really tell if its exhausted, and when it is does, will it leach the po4 back into the system? And I'm sure the media would work better in a reactor that passively in a bag, so it may take more time to passively remove the phosphate.

Just my thoughts.

Thats why I think a refugium would be nice given she has room. It would continuously take out (and at a more stable rate) what might be leaching out of the rocks.

 

[New&no clue]

Thats why I think a refugium would be nice given she has room. It would continuously take out (and at a more stable rate) what might be leaching out of the rocks.

Do refuguiums reduce Phosphates, I've heard they are good are reducing nitrates but don't seem to impact phosphates. Also I'm happy with where my nitrates are at and wouldn't wont to lowers those any.

 

[Silent]

Macroalgae are great at removing phosphates.

 

[PatW]

Chaeto in a refugium reduces both nitrates and phosphates. I dose both to keep the nutrients from going to zero.

 

[Ultra Aquatics]

As others have said, your rock and sand most likely have po4 stored in them and as you remove some, they leach more out. I had this exact same scenario and ended up using lanthanum to reduce them. The stuff is very potent, only a few drops can reduce po4 by a considerable amount.

 

[Quietman]

PhosphateRX...(same as lanthanum chloride). Start about a 1/4 dose. Don't add more than once every 24 hours. I used/use when PO4 pops up a bit...at first I had to dose a few days suspect because of leaching, now it's just once every now and then. Haven't decided to go back to media yet.

 

[New&no clue]

Thanks everyone for the great responses. I think we found the issue of it leaching out of the rocks and sand. I was really concerned why it kept going up. Now I know that it will take some time to fully drop down to a better level. I think I'm going to stick with the phosguard as I've already bought it and as I don't see anything terrible right now in the tank so I don't necessarily need to drop it too fast. That should keep it at bay until it runs out. Then going forward I will try a lanthanum chloride based solution as that seems the easiest way. I appreciate you all.

 

[Spare time]

Do refuguiums reduce Phosphates, I've heard they are good are reducing nitrates but don't seem to impact phosphates. Also I'm happy with where my nitrates are at and wouldn't wont to lowers those any.

They remove both. In the same way that hair algae takes off when phosphates are high, macroalgae does the same. Macroalgae and other algae need nitrogen and phosphorus. However, in order for it to be effective you have to have a proper light (doesn't have to be a 300+ kessil, just the right color and intensity).

 

[SeaDweller]

It looks like you have a large amount of sand which is likely a huge nutrient sink, storing a lot of phosphate. Are you doing any sand bed maintenance? You can try phsphate Rx or other lanthanum chloride product, its highly effective. Might take a while though based on your elevated levels. Definitely getting some some detritus out of the sand bed will help as well as chemical removal.

LC works incredibly fast. I was able to lower my PO4 from 3.0 ppm to 0.0 ppm in under a week, but the see saw effect of it being released from the substrate, and then taking it back down, yo yo, up and down, up and down, etc, took another week or so. Once under control, Rowaphos is my preferred method.