What are acceptable phosphate levels?

[scuba_steve]

My tank reads "zero"on all tests, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. But my PO4 reads .2 ppm. I think I am feeding a little too much b/c that bright green diatom is growing on the rocks.

Are there any inverts that specifically eats diatom algae?

 

[DaisyPolyp]

are you sure it is green diatom and not green coraline algae?

 

[Anonymous]

Ceriths, Conch.. Probably others, just those off the top of my head.. - And unless I'm mistaken, diatoms are usually brown not green.

 

[ChrisRD]

If you're showing any phosphate readings on a hobby test kit, your phosphate levels are high IMO.

How old is the tank?

 

[thekwah]

My tank would be the same... except the P04 is .3 or higher. Im thinking that Im not rinsing my Kent Carbon good enough. Ill use the P04 scrubber for 24-48 hours, test bring it down to .2 then again until its unreadable. Then throw in some carbon and start the cycle all over again. The hair algae is a pain... Water changes are done with RO weekly. 10 galls on a 55 per week, larger ones every other week or so. The tank is 16 months old. Pretty discouraging, and expensive to keep chasing the P04.... I scrubbed lots of the hair algae off, only to watch it grow back in a day... filters [magnum 350]and skimmers [cpr Yuk pak] are working fine...

 

[mark78]

Pretty discouraging, and expensive to keep chasing the P04.... I scrubbed lots of the hair algae off, only to watch it grow back in a day... filters [magnum 350]and skimmers [cpr Yuk pak] are working fine..

Check out SeaChem Seagel instead of Kent, or SeaChem Renew. ( I think those are the products I think they are)

 

[ChrisRD]

filters [magnum 350]and skimmers [cpr Yuk pak] are working fine...

How often are you cleaning the canister filter? Decomposing detritus that's trapped in this filter can cause phosphate problems...