high phosphates

[Acetank777]

Hi. i have a 20 long. I recently bought a sera phosphate test. The test result was 2 mg/l. Is that same as 2 ppm? I immedietly did a 3 gallon water change and added chemipure elite. is this extremely high. Im starting to get some algae. How often should i do next water change? how much? thanks

[jlbzixxer]

Ideally you would want to do a WC weekly

In my system i found GFO to more effective on reducing

And keep phosphate levels down

[Mstefa1]

Hi. i have a 20 long. I recently bought a sera phosphate test. The test result was 2 mg/l. Is that same as 2 ppm? I immedietly did a 3 gallon water change and added chemipure elite. is this extremely high. Im starting to get some algae. How often should i do next water change? how much? thanks

 

Reactor time.

[Acetank777]

Ok thanks guys. I put a small hang on filter with a bag of phosguard in it. Seems to be working quickly. Im gonna run it a couple more days and take it out. Anyone use phosban? Saw it can last a couple months, assuming mine is under control when I put it in. In pretty sure my rocks are leaching the phosphates. Id like to run the phosban in the hob filter.

[moze229]

Weekly water changes are not a bad practice, but for phosphates alone it's not very effective. It takes such a small level of phosphates to cause problems that you'd have to do extremely large water changes to make a difference. Like 80% a week. The water changes will remove some of the nutrients that turn into phosphates eventually though.

 

GFO is a good option for maintenance, and ok for cleanup on a small system. Otherwise it's gets too expensive. I've used GFO, but my personal best removal method has been properly lit cheato.

[Acetank777]

thanks moze229. ive been doing weekly changes i was just wondering if i can do 2 or 3 a week until the phosphates are under control.

[moze229]

thanks moze229. ive been doing weekly changes i was just wondering if i can do 2 or 3 a week until the phosphates are under control.

 

Nah - I wouldn't even worry about it. I would just continue using the Phosban even after your levels drop. It's a good maintenance for those concerned about phosphates or have leaching rocks. The rocks will eventually bleed out but it may take months/years. Macro algae is cheaper.

 

Or you can put the smack down on the rocks and do research on lanthanum chloride. That will get your rocks phosphate free in no time. Not a thing for the faint at heart though. I would try and rig up a way to get macro into your water column. I even put some in my display behind the rocks and had it there for a couple of years, harvesting on occasion unti I was able to set something up with an Aquaclear filter.

[Acetank777]

very cool. i really appreciate the help. i'm off to get some chaeto this afternoon lol

[Criley7]

On The Subject of GFO, I would replace the media no less than once a month. After a few weeks it loses its effectiveness anyway so if you keep it for months you have something that will leech phosphates back into your tank. Just my opinion.

[Acetank777]

i can change it once a month. is it possible to exhaust it in less than that. I just added some gfo today and my level ps .5 mg/l

 

moze229 i just saw that quaote from papa het in yoour sig. death magnetic is full of great quotes. awesome record.

[Criley7]

i can change it once a month. is it possible to exhaust it in less than that. I just added some gfo today and my level ps .5 mg/l

 

moze229 i just saw that quaote from papa het in yoour sig. death magnetic is full of great quotes. awesome record.

If your phosphates are very high then Yes I would change the GFo no more than every 2 weeks until it is under control. Also GFO is most effective when you have water passing through it like in a media basket or in a reactor.

[Acetank777]

i have confidence that soon i wil be phosphate free!!( well close to it ) thank you all.

[Shores805]

If your phosphates are very high then Yes I would change the GFo no more than every 2 weeks until it is under control. Also GFO is most effective when you have water passing through it like in a media basket or in a reactor.

 

Agreed. Also FWIW Ive personally seen better coloration/growth in all coral while keeping my levels at around 0.01, 0.02 instead of at unreadable levels(via Hanna checker) Regular testing is key, you dont want to strip it too quick, and you may or may not prefer to totally strip your tank of P04 at all. I turn my reactor off when I hit Zero.

[moze229]

Yeah - phosphates - can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. To make things even more confusing, coral and all other life utilize phosphates. You actually WANT some in the water, just not enough to measure usually. At least not with hobbyist test stuff. I think it's best for people to focus on getting them completely gone first - that's hard enough. Then they can dial in letting it creep ever so slightly.

 

BTW - I don't think GFO will leech back into the water like carbon supposedly does. And I'm still up in the air about whether or not carbon even leeches. I've still yet to find data supporting this.

 

moze229 i just saw that quaote from papa het in yoour sig. death magnetic is full of great quotes. awesome record.

 

Fan since 1987 - I have so many quotes in my head I don't know which one to promote at any one given time. LOL

[Pseudocheilinus hexataenia]

The test result was 2 mg/l. Is that same as 2 ppm?

 

Yes, 2 mg/L is the same as 2 ppm. I didn't see anyone answer this part of the original topic, so I figure I would have a go.

[Acetank777]

i see. when i saw mg/l on the test i was like what the heck lol thanks for the help everyone.