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Cultivated Reef

High Phosphate Problem in QT


Snow_Phoenix

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Snow_Phoenix

Hi, I have a 5ish G QT tank with a pair of True Percs and a Mandarin dragonet. The QT has nothing in it except for two pieces of pottery that provide shelter for the fish and a single tacky rubber nem that my male Perc sleeps in at night. The HOB filter I'm using has filter floss, activated carbon and PhosBan in it.

 

Since I have 3 bioload-heavy fish and especially a dragonet in there, I've been giving wet food to the fish 3x to 4x a day in small doses - mainly frozen cyclops and frozen roe.

 

I've noticed that despite doing weekly WCs, I still get a major buildup of diatoms on the walls of the QT tank due to the increase in phosphate levels.

 

Is there any way I can lower down the phosphate levels besides upping my WCs to 3x per week? I need to QT all three fish in there until the end of April/beginning of May.

 

Any guidance is appreciated.

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Snow_Phoenix

Diatoms are from silicate usually.

 

But there's no sand or rock in the tank to release the silicate? So where does it come from? Is it because of the excess photoperiod as well? I do have a mini light on it that I keep on to view the fish.

 

HOB skimmer....or daily water change.

 

That's a TON of bio load in that small of a space!

 

I am aware of that. But that's the largest QT tank I have atm since my other one cracked.

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porkchop-rob

I am aware of that. But that's the largest QT tank I have atm since my other one cracked.

 

Sorry, I wasn't being short.....I apologize if it read that way.

 

I would either spring for a 20L tank to use as a QT, and/or up the water changes.

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Snow_Phoenix

 

Sorry, I wasn't being short.....I apologize if it read that way.

 

I would either spring for a 20L tank to use as a QT, and/or up the water changes.

 

No worries - I just reread your statement and realize I might have interpreted it differently. I apologize as well if I'd offended you in any manner.

 

I'll try to pick up a bigger tank somehow. Ironically, all 3 fish are supposed to go into a 2' long tank (16G) in 1.5 to 2+ months from now (I'll be adding the clowns and Mandy separately to allow my DT to catch up with the bioload).

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CronicReefer

Hi, I have a 5ish G QT tank with a pair of True Percs and a Mandarin dragonet. The QT has nothing in it except for two pieces of pottery that provide shelter for the fish and a single tacky rubber nem that my male Perc sleeps in at night. The HOB filter I'm using has filter floss, activated carbon and PhosBan in it.

 

Since I have 3 bioload-heavy fish and especially a dragonet in there, I've been giving wet food to the fish 3x to 4x a day in small doses - mainly frozen cyclops and frozen roe.

 

I've noticed that despite doing weekly WCs, I still get a major buildup of diatoms on the walls of the QT tank due to the increase in phosphate levels.

 

Is there any way I can lower down the phosphate levels besides upping my WCs to 3x per week? I need to QT all three fish in there until the end of April/beginning of May.

 

Any guidance is appreciated.

I'm more than willing to bet that anemone is made of silicone. It may be leaching silicates into the water. I'd switch out your PhosBan for something like ExtraxPhos to remove silicates (or remove the anemone but I think that would just upset your fish). If you take all the silicates out of the water you won't have anymore diatoms. Pottery may contain silicates as well fyi.

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So not really sure that phosphates are an issue in your tank... Unless your phosphates are extremely high I don't think the fish should be affected. Besides-given your bioload and the style of feeding you're doing even if you had 0 phosphates you will have plenty of nutrients in the water in other forms (nitrates etc...).

 

Ultimately you may need to just deal with the phosphates, other nutrients, and associated uglyness. Not giving the tank a ton of light should help, but ultimately your best friend for this tank will be frequent large water changes, which will be your primary means of nutrient export and will help keep things clean. No need to use fancy salt either - some instant ocean or whatever should be fine.

 

Some other suggestions:

1) buy a 10g tank for QT... 5g is really small for 3 fish - even small ones, and even for a temporary QT. A 10g tank is about $10 and can be purchased at wal mart

 

2) Take a fresh mixed batch of saltwater and test it for phosphates - depending on your water source you could be adding the phosphates.

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