High Phosphate

[that fish guy]

My 75 G fish only saltwater tank has a terrible phosphate problem. The phosphates are about 15-20 ppm. I am tring to make it a soft coral tank but the corals aren't doing well with the high phosphate. I have tried the Phosban Reactor (Two Little Fishes) with Kent Power phos. I took it down because did absoultely nothing to the phosphates. I have also tried Phosphate Control by Blue Vet, no success. What is good to use to remove phosphates quickly. I have Pura Phoslock in my filter now but it takes so long before the phosphates lower.

 

[lamaseta17]

lot of people use phosban or rowa

 

[NYPDFrogman]

water change with phosphate free water
are you using ro/di water to make your saltwater?
what salt are you using?

do you wash your hands with soap before you put your hands in tank?
is bucket you use to make saltwater only used for the tank?
did it ever have soap in it?

theses are all things that contribute to a Phosphate problem

 

[boardryder]

I have the same problem. All of a sudden I had a breakout of hair algae starting about a month ago. Over the course of about a month I have changed probably about all of my water out and my hair algae is still thriving. It brought my nitrates from ~15 to ~0. I don't understand why I can't get rid of my phosphates with good ro/di water and seachem salt. Phosphates seem to be one of the hardest things to deal with. At least my fat starry blenny is loving all the algae. I also have air bubbles building up in the sand? My corals other than my leather all seem to be doing well though.

 

[Wes]

I have the same problem. All of a sudden I had a breakout of hair algae starting about a month ago. Over the course of about a month I have changed probably about all of my water out and my hair algae is still thriving. It brought my nitrates from ~15 to ~0. I don't understand why I can't get rid of my phosphates with good ro/di water and seachem salt. Phosphates seem to be one of the hardest things to deal with.

They are pretty easy to deal with If you get a phosban reactor.

To the author, I would try a different media in your reactor. Like phosban, phosar, or rowaphos.

 

[NYPDFrogman]

phosphates can be leaching out of the rocks causing problem
what type of foods do you feed? do you rinse frozen food before you feed?

I agree about running Rowa I just switched to it and it has helped


also manually remove as much of the hair algae as possible
forgot to ask what kind of circulation do you have?

 

[that fish guy]

I have a phosban reactor, the phosphates never lowered.

 

[that fish guy]

The only problem I have about Rowa is that for my tank I need 250 mL. I was told and read that ROWA only lowers your phosphates by 1 ppm. I was told that 250 mL will lower my phosphates from 15 ppm to 14 ppm.

 

[ed4]

All good advices posted here. I'd suggest using activated carbon, not in the phosban reactor, in addition to a quality anti-phosphate media.

 

[meschaefer]

I have a phosban reactor, the phosphates never lowered.

All that means is that you are adding phosphates into your system, faster than the phosphate media can deal with it.

 

[Wes]

The only problem I have about Rowa is that for my tank I need 250 mL. I was told and read that ROWA only lowers your phosphates by 1 ppm. I was told that 250 mL will lower my phosphates from 15 ppm to 14 ppm.

thats an insane amount of phosphates. Good luck finding something that will do a better job. I don't know much about the Kent phosphate remover, I'd try different brand. ROWA is more powerful than Phosban, Phoslock, etc.

 

[NYPDFrogman]

The only problem I have about Rowa is that for my tank I need 250 mL. I was told and read that ROWA only lowers your phosphates by 1 ppm. I was told that 250 mL will lower my phosphates from 15 ppm to 14 ppm.

I have a 180 mixed reef with 10 fish 3 of which are 5"+

I run 3 Phosaban reactors 2 with rowaphos and 1 with esv carbon
and they drain through poly filters and I have my phosphates under control.

you need to check your top off water, make up water for PO4
how old is t6he tank? are you using a skimmer?
when you do your water change do you suck out detritus?
thats very high PO4 something is being over looked

 

[Wes]

thats very high PO4 something is being over looked

tap water maybe?