Does non frozen food have phosphates?

[LeslieS]

flakes, pellets, dried phyto, dried zooplankton, etc...

I only started feeding frozen when I purchased a starving trachy. I am thinking of going back to non frozen until I get my phosphates under control. Non of my fish are picky eaters, and Stedman (the trachy) is healthy and photosynthesizing again.

 

[Deanos]

Read the labels, some do and some don't.

 

[LeslieS]

OK, I read the labels on all the foods that I have. Only one dry food listed it as an ingredient and only Hikari frozen rotifers listed it.

The SanFrancisco Bay Brand frozen food does not list phosphates on the label, but I melted the cubes and tested the water. They definitely have phosphates. I also tested water that I had soaked Formula One flakes in. Phosphates again.

Does all fish food have phosphates?

Can someone clarify? I am confused and don't even know what questions to ask. I hope this is not a fake blonde moment....

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

I wonder how many manufacturer will go that extra mile to extract phosphate from their food besides carefully selecting the low phosphate ingredients.

i.e It's the ingredient itself that's the major concern. Of course, I have seen some food not prepared for fish have added sulfate and even phosphate in their label.

Since we have so many members with Hanna, why not have someone test the phosphate level of the solutions soaked with different food samples. :thrash:

 

[Deanos]

Soaking a food in water may not be sufficient to release any phosphates it's binding. It may take it getting eaten and digested first.

 

[LeslieS]

I soaked the food for 2 minutes. Within 3 minutes of testing the reading was off the color chart. It is an Instant Ocean test kit which I know is not the best.

I really like Wingo's idea.

But what am I supposed to feed my fish?

 

[Awibrandy]

But what am I supposed to feed my fish?

Good question Leslie!

 

[Deanos]

IMO, you're supposed to feed your fish what makes them healthiest and worry & deal with phosphates later (water changes, macroalgae, removal media, etc). Of course, if corals are a factor, your mindset must adjust accordingly.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

IMO, you're supposed to feed your fish what makes them healthiest and worry & deal with phosphates later (water changes, macroalgae, removal media, etc). Of course, if corals are a factor, your mindset must adjust accordingly.

Agreed. Agreed. Agreed.
The fish or corals must be fed or supplied with proper nutrients first then we take care of the aftermath.!!!

 

[efisher]

I mostly feed spectrum pellets with the occassional frozen mysis maybe once a week. I have a Hanna and will test the soaking some pellets for a few minutes and overnight. To deal with frozen I do the following. I take a cup of tank water put the frozen food in a brine shrimp net and soak/dip it in the tank water until fully defrosted then take a cup of RO a rinse it before feeding it to my fish. That seems to help with the frozen food phosphates issues.

 

[PVsPlayhouse]

I mostly feed spectrum pellets with the occassional frozen mysis maybe once a week. I have a Hanna and will test the soaking some pellets for a few minutes and overnight. To deal with frozen I do the following. I take a cup of tank water put the frozen food in a brine shrimp net and soak/dip it in the tank water until fully defrosted then take a cup of RO a rinse it before feeding it to my fish. That seems to help with the frozen food phosphates issues.

I heard of other people doing this same way. Im lazy so I dont but I should. I have Macro and I use A reactor to help as well in tank.
PV

 

[russianmd]

Most of the proteins that we (or our fish) consume, have phosphorus incorporated as a component. In fact, enzymes get their 'energy' to work in cells by transfering phophate groups from one place to another.

Getting a food without added phosphates (sometimes used as a preservative) is probably the best one can do, followed by rinsing, etc.

Soaking a food in water may not be sufficient to release any phosphates it's binding. It may take it getting eaten and digested first.

 

[jhale]

one note on testing with the hanna, it only goes to 2.5 ppm. if the food is loaded with po4 as Leslie said then using the hanna will be a waste. in this case even a salifert kit will do. If it has that much phosphate in it that's all you need to know.