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NoviceReefer

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I have just begun with my reef tank (3 months) I have a 75-gallon tank with 150 lbs. of FL aquacultured live rock and 75 lbs. of live sand. Alot of blue leg hermit crabs, snails, 2 sea cucumbers and 2 serpent stars for cleanup.

The phosphate levels have tested at 1 ppm. Any suggestions for reducing these levels? What is the best product?

Would like to add corals but don't want to do so until the water quality is right.
 
A

Anonymous

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The best phosphate control is Prevention
Are you using tap water or RO/DI?

Tap water is often the leading source of Phosphates, followed by over feeding.
 

Sea Serpent

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Hi Novicereefer,
I was also struggling with high phosphates - and I was using RO/DI water. I had the beginnings of red slime on the DSB and it was ugly! It seemed impossible that I was overfeeding, but I was. So, I re-adjusted my skimmer, cut back on the feedings and did a big water change. Things are much better now.
HTH,
Sea Serpent
 

lionfish1

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RO/DI will solve youre phosphate problems, not right away since you will probably have to do a few RO/DI water changes fist, to really see any improvement, cya.
 

JeffH

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Is there a particular food that contributes more readily to high Phosphates? How much is too much? My fish eat all available in the five minute window.

Thanks
 

Mac1

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I'll second Atlantis' and SeaSerpent's Comments!

Had the slime from hell infecting my tank for quite some time. I did everything I could think of - Added more snails and bugs, stopped feeding, massive water changes, new Membranes and filters in my RO/DI unit, everything! Still the slime lived. Phosphate kit's couldn't find anything, but yet obviously there was plenty there (as things were growing rather rapidly).

What (I think) finally kicked it, was getting my Alkalinity raised and stable. My Ca was nice and high, but Alk was pretty low. I was working on a Top off system at the time anyway, so I altered my plans to allow me to make a Neilsen Style Kalkwasser Reactor using a large bucket, PVC P-Trap, and a Dosing pump. Did a huge change, hooked up the Reactor, and that was the last I saw of the slime. I'm not saying that it was strictly the Kalkwasser that did the trick, but anecdotal evidence suggests dosing Limewater will help precipitate out excessive Phosphate... I can't say that was the cure. All told I think it was a combination of better husbandry and maintenance (cleared up a lot of "dead spots" in the tank as well), fed less, and started making my own food too. I couldn't think of any nutritional value my critters were getting from "Gel Binder". I assumed then that this was going in as waste into the tank, further polluting things. The Kalkwasser Top Off got my Alk up there real fast, and kept it there; my Salinity was also much better regulated. So all told, I think it was a combination of factors, that finally kicked it for me.

Using Macro Algae didn't help get rid of the slime (have a 29 Gal Refugium w/ MH lighting), but I think it has had partial success in continuing to keep it at bay. If you don't have a dedicated area for your algae however, it can become a nuisance, so be careful before tossing a handful of Caulerpa in your reef.

- Mac
 

jmeader

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Dripping kalk or using a phosphate sponge will lower or eliminate your phosphate for you. However, if your phos is a problem and the only thing you are feeding is your clean=up crew, then you are feeding too much. The clean-up crew is supposed to eat by cleaning.

[ September 23, 2001: Message edited by: jmeader ]
 

aquaguy

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When I see red slime algae in my tank I just place some Kent Phosphate sponge and I say good bye to phosphates. I don't know if there are side effects but I've never seen anything wrong when I do it.
 

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