YIKES! That frozen food...

[Dom]

So... I've always understood that flake foods... dry, processed foods were a huge source of phosphates. And I switched over to frozen foods in the hope of introducing less phosphates to my tank. But just the opposite happened.

Water changes have done nothing to bring down phosphates in my tanks. So recently, in addition to water changes and a bag of ferric oxide in a HOB filter, I began dumping an entire package of frozen food cubes in a container with RODI water to defrost.

Then run it through a fish net and flush it thoroughly with more RODI.

I'm happy to report that I just tested P04 and have a measurement of ZERO.

 

[blasterman]

So... I've always understood that flake foods... dry, processed foods were a huge source of phosphates. And I switched over to frozen foods in the hope of introducing less phosphates to my tank. But just the opposite happened.

Water changes have done nothing to bring down phosphates in my tanks. So recently, in addition to water changes and a bag of ferric oxide in a HOB filter, I began dumping an entire package of frozen food cubes in a container with RODI water to defrost.

Then run it through a fish net and flush it thoroughly with more RODI.

I'm happy to report that I just tested P04 and have a measurement of ZERO.

Dry foods are not a bigger source of phosphate than frozen...technically speaking.. Just another idiotic urban myth.

However, dry foods have water removed. And water is the main component by weight in most frozen food. Dry out some mysis shrimp and see whats left.

So, by weight dry food has more phosphate than frozen/live because fluid has been removed.

Fuges and algae scrubbers are my best suggestion for phosphate issues.

 

[Dom]

Dry foods are not a bigger source of phosphate than frozen...technically speaking.. Just another idiotic urban myth.

However, dry foods have water removed. And water is the main component by weight in most frozen food. Dry out some mysis shrimp and see whats left.

So, by weight dry food has more phosphate than frozen/live because fluid has been removed.

Fuges and algae scrubbers are my best suggestion for phosphate issues.

I run a refugium and my macro algae growth fills the refugium within a week. Since rinsing the frozen food, I only need to pull macro algae monthly.

 

[drewwCh]

I don't think zero phosphates is good though for corals especially softies and lps, but i've heard sps also need small amounts of phosphates and nitrates in the water.

 

[Duffer]

I don't think zero phosphates is good though for corals especially softies and lps, but i've heard sps also need small amounts of phosphates and nitrates in the water.

That is correct. To put it mildly all corals like a little dirty water.all foods contain phosphates, what some folks do it soak frozen food in water and strain the water to eliminate phosphates

 

[Dom]

I don't think zero phosphates is good though for corals especially softies and lps, but i've heard sps also need small amounts of phosphates and nitrates in the water.

I'll test again... please stand by...

 

[Dom]

I'll test again... please stand by...

.04