Bringing Phosphate level down in a small tank?

[DJ WYLD]

I have just changed my tank over from a biube (tube) to a more normal cube tank. The reason for this is that it was impossible to clean with a central column of rock. I've scrubbed the live rock and used some of the original sand (very well rinsed). I still have a high Phosphate level and want to reduce it.

So is it better to do a small 1l change every day or a larger change even few days until the Phosphate is back to normal? I will also be putting half a tbl spoon of gfo in a bag in the water flow to help. Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated.

[Clown79]

The best way to reduce phos and nitrates is looking for the source and fixing that. Waterchanges will reduce them but finding the cause helps you prevent them from getting high again.

 

What filteration and media do you use? Do you use floss, how often is it changed?

 

What type of water do you use?

 

How often do you feed, how much food, and what food.

 

Do you vacuum your sandbed with waterchanges?

 

Do you add anything else?

 

Going through the various causes and narrowing down the most likely culprit will help.

 

Doing waterchanges while making maintenance changes will lower them.

[beav9900]

Also what's in the tank. Fish, coral, or both?

[DJ WYLD]

I think the cause was not being able to clean the previous tank properly due to the shape of it which led to my lax cleaning of said tank. So now Ive changed tanks I'm having to deal with the rocks leaching it back into my tank.
Its not a big tank (25l) and I only have 1 small fish and a few corals. Filtered with a JBL e401. I don't use floss and probably feed about 3 times a week mainly flake. I use Ro/di water which has 0 Phosphate reading. I have a couple of snails and since changing tanks I have bought a couple of snails which turn over the sand.

[Clown79]

Sand sifters aren't enough. A lot of nutrients is caused and found in the sand. Vacuuming it prevents these issues.

 

Your rocks may be leaching nutrients as well.

 

Brandon on here has suggested taking a sample of water from the sand bed and testing it for phosphates. I've done this numerous times and always get readings where as my water doesn't.

[Sherman]

If you have PO4 and NO3 issue. You can keep them under control by dosing carbon (PO4 and NO3) or iron (PO4)