Sos with phos

[thatcoraldood420]

Help I don’t know how to get my phos down I do weekly water changes in my (Max Nano) 6gals at a time. Everything is happy except my acantho this dude was happy for like 3 weeks after I got him but now is throwing a fit with a gaping mouth and won’t eat

I’ve posted my parameters and I dose all for reef 5ml a day

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I doubt the phosphate is causing the acantho problem. While higher than some people keep, your phosphate level isn't bad. In fact, if your alk is really almost 11, you want higher nutrient levels.

What have your parameters been over the last few months? Any swings?

Have you only had the acantho for 3 weeks? It can take a while for LPS to show problems so it might have been stressed before you got it (or during shipping, acclimation, etc)

 

[coralboi56]

You can add GFO or PhosBond. But do add small amounts of it and gradually bring it down. You don't want to bring it down drastically. That'll just make everything else mad.

 

[coralboi56]

I doubt the phosphate is causing the acantho problem. While higher than some people keep, your phosphate level isn't bad. In fact, if your alk is really almost 11, you want higher nutrient levels.

What have your parameters been over the last few months? Any swings?

Have you only had the acantho for 3 weeks? It can take a while for LPS to show problems so it might have been stressed before you got it (or during shipping, acclimation, etc)

While I agree higher alk can make you want to keep higher nutrients, .9 Phos is still too high imo. At high rates, coral growth is hindered. And when the corals do grow in that high of a phosphate, their skeleton is actually more brittle.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

And when the corals do grow in that high of a phosphate, their skeleton is actually more brittle.

Not necessarily.

Many keep healthy tanks with phosphates over 1.0. I mentioned in my first reply that the OP's is higher than some people prefer, but without knowing where it's been historically, I wouldn't necessarily advise them to add anything to lower it. The tank might have been running for years with those nutrient levels. Or, it may only be a few months old in which case the levels will be unstable until the algae biome stabilizes - and, aggressively trying to lower nutrients at that early stage is pointless.

 

[thatcoraldood420]

While I agree higher alk can make you want to keep higher nutrients, .9 Phos is still too high imo. At high rates, coral growth is hindered. And when the corals do grow in that high of a phosphate, their skeleton is actually more brittle.

I did a complete clean of the back of the aio system it was super dirty gonna add some chemipure with gfo tomorrow also did a 40% water change while I cleaned the back of the tank as well just wondering if I should do another big water change

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How did you get this reading of .9? Did you verify that with any other test?

Water change reduces nitrates, but does not reduce phosphate. Phosphate will bind to the rocks and not be removed by water change, you need phosphate remover, such as rowa phos or liquid phosphate removed such as phosphate-e.

But again, I would double-check your test findings.... The tank looks good and corals looks healthy, I agree with above that phosphate is not the issue with that one coral. Be careful about changing the whole tank for only one coral.

 

[thatcoraldood420]

How did you get this reading of .9? Did you verify that with any other test?

Water change reduces nitrates, but does not reduce phosphate. Phosphate will bind to the rocks and not be removed by water change, you need phosphate remover, such as rowa phos or liquid phosphate removed such as phosphate-e.

But again, I would double-check your test findings.... The tank looks good and corals looks healthy, I agree with above that phosphate is not the issue with that one coral. Be careful about changing the whole tank for only one coral.

I took three readings with my Hanna checker and it all came out the same! And hmm do you think it could be caused by the high alk? I was gonna get restore from brightwell today and dip it also

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I took three readings with my Hanna checker and it all came out the same! And hmm do you think it could be caused by the high alk? I was gonna get restore from brightwell today and dip it also

Consistently high alk, possibly; alk swings, much more likely.

As I asked before, what have your parameters been over the last few months?

 

[Reef.]

How did you get this reading of .9? Did you verify that with any other test?

Water change reduces nitrates, but does not reduce phosphate. Phosphate will bind to the rocks and not be removed by water change, you need phosphate remover, such as rowa phos or liquid phosphate removed such as phosphate-e.

But again, I would double-check your test findings.... The tank looks good and corals looks healthy, I agree with above that phosphate is not the issue with that one coral. Be careful about changing the whole tank for only one coral.

Water changes will actually remove po4, the reason it seems it doesn’t is because the rock and sand will release more as soon as the po4 is removed, untill the rock and sand has exhausted their stores, you are also adding po4 everyday in the form of food, fish are also releasing po4 , this is why a water change once a week or every two weeks is unlikely to keep up with po4 removal, a more aggressive method is normally needed, such as rowaphos or an other method…do enough water changes and you will reduce po4 its just impractical and there are easier and more cost effective ways.

 

[thatcoraldood420]

Consistently high alk, possibly; alk swings, much more likely.

As I asked before, what have your parameters been over the last few months?

10.5-11 nothing super drastic

 

[Uncle99]

.9ppm phosphate?
Do you mean 0.09ppm?
.9 is way way high in my books.