Super high phosphate help!

[Fishingandreefing]

Yup, it’s about 1.0. My corals are dropping like flies. I just did a small water change and added some chemipure that supposed a phosphate removal. I got some phosguard not sure if I should add them in there too

plan on doing some large 50% water change of my 125g. Tanks being running for about 1.5 year.

It should be my fault that I added a bunch of dry rocks and stopped using chemipure last month.

any other suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[Wolf89]

Rowaphos and water changes

 

[Billdogg]

I'm a big fan of GFO in a reactor myself, but be careful that you don't strip too much of it too fast. Water changes will help short term, but if it's your rocks leaching it out it will be a longer term problem that will require you to keep up with it.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I'm a big fan of GFO in a reactor myself, but be careful that you don't strip too much of it too fast. Water changes will help short term, but if it's your rocks leaching it out it will be a longer term problem that will require you to keep up with it.

Should I remove the rocks then? Initially based on APi testing I though my phosphate was good and that’s why I didn’t run gfo when I set up the carbon reactor.

now maybe throw a bag of phosguard in there along with chemipure or would be be ovetkilled?

 

[Billdogg]

I’d probably leave the rock and ride it out. The chemipure blue is just way overpriced carbon with a small amount of GFO added to it. I’d run gfo n a reactor and test every few days

 

[DarthSimon]

I would also suggest picking up a Hanna Phosphate Tester. Much more accurate.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I’d probably leave the rock and ride it out. The chemipure blue is just way overpriced carbon with a small amount of GFO added to it. I’d run gfo n a reactor and test every few days

Sounds good!

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I would also suggest picking up a Hanna Phosphate Tester. Much more accurate.

Just got one and should have gotten one long time ago. Lesson learned.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

So far Lost a couple euphyllias and duncan colony closed up FYI. Will do a 30% water change tomorrow and drop some phosguard in the sump

 

[Fishingandreefing]

So far it’s been lowered a bit. It was .90 and now at around .84, progress I guess. I did a roughly 35% WC, added half of does chemipure and half dose phosguard. Wanted to start off slow, then increase to fill recommended dose and keep water changing. Fingers crossed

 

[Fishingandreefing]

As of today before 35% water change, it was tested .77 and freshly mixed was at .02.

Going to run full strength on phosguard in the media reactor and change 35% water.

wonder If I do water change twice a week instead of once worth it.

since I am stripping the nutrient, some of my corals are not as happy.

now thinking dosing a bit of acropower

hmmmmmm

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Bump

 

[robbyg]

It sounds like your just dropping a bag of phosguard in the sump. If that’s the case it’s really in efficient. Buy a Two Little Fishes phosreactor and a tiny 150-250 GPH pump for it. Less than $100 investment and once loaded with Phosban it will quickly bring down the levels

 

[NS Mike D]

IME, I prefer the BRS carbon/gfo reactor for this. I've had others, but when it comes time to change the media, the BRS design is way easier. The media is held in a basket and there is a shut off valve you put in the incoming line so that you shut off the valve (no need to kill the power to the pump) and the unscrew the top, pop out the media basket and walk over to your work station (kitchen for me) and dump out, rinse, reload, screw back in and turn on the valve.

I don't like the reactors where you tend to grab where the lines attach to the lid for leverage to unscrew - and then crack them. Easy to say don't do that but when the lid is stuck the temptation is strong.

The BRS comes with a wrench tool to avoid this.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

It sounds like your just dropping a bag of phosguard in the sump. If that’s the case it’s really in efficient. Buy a Two Little Fishes phosreactor and a tiny 150-250 GPH pump for it. Less than $100 investment and once loaded with Phosban it will quickly bring down the levels

I was but since yesterday I am running it in a reactor now. If I am keeping doing 35% water change weekly and using the recommended amount of phosguard, wonder how long it will take to bring it down.

again, it was .90 and now it’s at around .77. Will test again and update

 

[Fishingandreefing]

IME, I prefer the BRS carbon/gfo reactor for this. I've had others, but when it comes time to change the media, the BRS design is way easier. The media is held in a basket and there is a shut off valve you put in the incoming line so that you shut off the valve (no need to kill the power to the pump) and the unscrew the top, pop out the media basket and walk over to your work station (kitchen for me) and dump out, rinse, reload, screw back in and turn on the valve.

I don't like the reactors where you tend to grab where the lines attach to the lid for leverage to unscrew - and then crack them. Easy to say don't do that but when the lid is stuck the temptation is strong.

The BRS comes with a wrench tool to avoid this.

Yup I got the BRS reactor, when I first got it and I was like wow! The pump that came with it almost worth the entire costs of the set up. They are smart businessman, sell the product cheap and lure customers to purchase their media’s, i love it!

 

[doodledreads]

My suggestion would be Lanthanum Chloride. I had phosphate issues for over a year I was trying to fix. Apparently the rock was leaching it as soon as I reduce it. I tried phosphate RX for about a couple months and now its in the low ranges and easy to maintain. Caution though, follow the directions or it may drop your po4 too quick which is terrible for coral and can cause cyano or worse, dinos.

 

[clm65]

I agree with dosing LC until you get a more stable and acceptable number. Then maybe swap to GFO or one of the others to maintain levels.

 

[Larry L]

I'd be surprised if phosphates are your problem, lots of people run that high and even a sudden increase wouldn't necessarily kill things off that fast (especially LPS). Maybe your rocks are leaching something else? Have you checked your alk and pH?

 

[steallife904]

ya I was going to suggest do an API test. I did a API test once and it saved my tank. I was chasing the wrong issue! And if it is your rocks leaching it out it will take awhile to lower. Run GFO (start slow) until the numbers are down and stable. At some point the phosphate will be gone. Also check your RODI water to make sure it isn't the source. An ATI test will also test your RODI by the way. Do know though that water changes are not a great way to reduce the phosphates.