Phosphate Issue

[Tommyboynj]

So after transfering my 4yo reef over to the new 93 cube Iv been having to clean my glass daily. My nitrates have always been around 1ppm and phosphates undetectable on a Salifert test kit. Out of curiosity tested my water multiple times with a Hanna checker and got 1.50 every time!!!! I haven't had any algae issues in years so hadn only been running biopellets. I put some gfo in a reactor to start bringing it down but I'm shocked. My growth has slowed and I had one bonsai acro brown out on me after the move but I put that dpwn to the transfer. Now I'm obviously concerend. Thinking that disturbing my rockwork started a po4 leach. Im gonna cut all frozen food and do a few big water changes. Yikes.

 

[mrehfeld]

Look at Kent's phosphate sponge, it will bring it down to zero in less than 2 days, it works I've used it in the past. I normally run gfo after correcting it with the phosphate sponge.

 

[@marko@]

How long has it been high? You don't want to drop it too quick if it's been a while, or you'll shock the system.

Also, frozen food doesn't have more P than other food of the same ingredients. Meaning frozen brine shrimp is the same in P content (after subtracing water content) as flake food made from brine shrimp or freeze-dried brine shrimp.

 

[Mark...]

Anything dead that is hiding? I have a Hanna Pho if you want to confirm...I'm off tomorrow if you want me to stop by...

 

[Tommyboynj]

How long has it been high? You don't want to drop it too quick if it's been a while, or you'll shock the system.

Also, frozen food doesn't have more P than other food of the same ingredients. Meaning frozen brine shrimp is the same in P content (after subtracing water content) as flake food made from brine shrimp or freeze-dried brine shrimp.

Yeah thats my biggest concern. I'm using half the amount of recommended gfo I'll bring it down slowly over the course of a few weeks or so. I was just shocked it was that high. First test I did with the Hanna checker I assumed I screwed up. So I did it again and again. It does make sense though now I think of it. My alk and calc had been rising so I had to cut my dosing back. Po4 really stunt growth so that would explain the reduced need for dosing.


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