0 ppm phosphates bad?

[TRDfan]

I've recently have had issues with green hair algae so I went ahead and went all out on controlling the issue. I got a MR1 shorty reactor, BRS high capacity GFO and a Hanna phosphate checker.

I started off running the GFO without checking my po4 levels and after a week of running the GFO my phosphate levels read 0 on the Hanna meter. I did not believe my # so I decided to run the test again. It read 0 again

So my question is if having a 0 phosphate level bad? And if my GHA continue to exist, what could I be doing wrong? I'm using an RODI unit with an independent TDS meter which read .02 on my clean water. Could this be the issue?

 

[LBC]

Yeah, for algae scrubbers! =D

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Yes, for LPS and softies especially you need a little phosphates in your water to support them. If you have green hair algae and 0 ppm phosphates according to your checker I'd say that the green hair is living off the phosphates in the water and after it's done feeding off it it leaves 0 extra to be read.

Has the amount of green hair reduced since running the media?

 

[TRDfan]

GHA has not reduced. Then again it's been only a week of running the GFO

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Did you try checking them with another checker? Maybe borrow one from someone? No product line is ever perfect.

Also give it a bit more time. If the GHA is heavy enough maybe change your phosphate media more frequently so it doesn't run after it's exhausted. I'd say once you get it to start reducing the do a black out period to kill the rest of it off, then do a phosphate test once it's all dead to see if the phosphates still read 0. If they do go back to normal lighting schedule, if it shows phosphates then you know it was showing 0 because the hair algae was living off it.

 

[TRDfan]

I first tested it with a API phosphate checker and the readings were .25.....then I wanted a more accurate checker so I spent $70 and got the Hanna checker. I figured ill also get the BRS high capacity GFO at the same time.

I guess I'll remove the GHA manually and test the water after a couple days. Maybe that will give me a more accurate reading?

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I wouldn't. You don't want to do multiple things at once, you'll never figure out which worked.

Just give it time with the gfo to start working. You'll be able to tell once it starts going away. The. You'll know what worked.

 

[TRDfan]

True that. But I'm abit worried I'm stripping away too much po4. A couple of my softies and the rbta don't seem 100%.

All my Sps have grown Quite abit over this past week vs. prior months though

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Sometimes they won't look the healthiest and go through rough patches. For the nem you can try silversides soaked in vita chem. just mix it with tank water in a small dosh to where it looks like liquid mustard and then drop the frozen silverside piece and let it thaw in the mixture. The. Fed it to the nem. Do that a few times a week, even daily if you wanted to until the nem looks better. You can also use supreme ya for your corals that you. An broadcast feed.

Are they just not opening up?

 

[TRDfan]

All the rbta are opened up but a couple of its tentacles have shriveled up doesn't look so good

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Try feeding it vitamin enriched silversides. As long as its foot is securely anchored and you can't just lift it off the rock it's ok.

Nems live 90% off light so as long as you're levels aren't high I'd think it'll be fine. There's no way it could have gotten those tentacles hit b a power head propellor is there?

If that definitely didn't happen give it time on vitamin enriched food.

If time goes on and you're still afraid that there is too little po4 in the water you can always stop running gfo for a day or 2 and see how it changes things.


Good luck

 

[TRDfan]

Thanks for the tip. I normally don't feed them but I'll spot feed them for them to recover

 

[JimmyR1rider]

No problem.

 

[duke62]

You can also just sqirt mysis over its tentacles. Mine eats them and its HUGE. Never feed it silversides before

 

[piranhapat]

Your RO /DI water should read 0 not .02 on TDS meter. Means change your filters. If you feeding live food you will have a little phosphate in your tank.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I actually missed that in your first post somehow. Like piranha said change your sediment filters and DI resin as well.

 

[ankgodawat]

hello Vinay...-.