I measured my phosphates today and they were at 5 ppm. I know this is high, especially since I have a cyano outbreak. What can I do to bring the phosphates down? I feed my fish flake in the morning, and mysis shrimp in the evening. I also have Seaweed Select algea sheets in the tank. I tested the RO that I buy for top off water and it tested 0 for phosphates. So all I can think of is the food adding the phosphates. Could I be overlooking another source for adding phosphates?
Need helping lowering Phosphates
- Thread starter Tremelle
- Start date
Tremelle wrote:
Could I be overlooking another source for adding phosphates?
every living thing in your tank! :wink:
phosphate is a byproduct of all cellular activity(remember adp, & atp from high school biology? :wink: )
not only do you have to eliminate the 'obvious' sources, like water used for top off/changes, food, etc., but you need to remove the PO4 produced on a continual basis in your system, by all your critters,fish to algae to corals to worms,snails, etc.PO4 removal is a battle always fought, and never finished-but can be managed, succesfully.
5 ppm is VERY high-you want to shoot for 0-in a reef tank- and remember-even 0 test level does not equal 0 production!
a multiple prong approach is the best way to deal with it-i.e.-removing it in as many different ways as possible-skimming, kalkvasser,rodi water, etc. it does take time(especially if you are starting out with relatively high levels-in this case, a phosphate sponge may be a good idea to try, in conjunction with the other methods)
Could I be overlooking another source for adding phosphates?
every living thing in your tank! :wink:
phosphate is a byproduct of all cellular activity(remember adp, & atp from high school biology? :wink: )
not only do you have to eliminate the 'obvious' sources, like water used for top off/changes, food, etc., but you need to remove the PO4 produced on a continual basis in your system, by all your critters,fish to algae to corals to worms,snails, etc.PO4 removal is a battle always fought, and never finished-but can be managed, succesfully.
5 ppm is VERY high-you want to shoot for 0-in a reef tank- and remember-even 0 test level does not equal 0 production!
a multiple prong approach is the best way to deal with it-i.e.-removing it in as many different ways as possible-skimming, kalkvasser,rodi water, etc. it does take time(especially if you are starting out with relatively high levels-in this case, a phosphate sponge may be a good idea to try, in conjunction with the other methods)
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