Help with high Phosphates

[JKNYC]

Hi all,


I'm new to keeping saltwater tanks and looking for some advice on reducing the phosphate levels in my tank.


A little background about my tank. I received this tank, a 72gallon bowfront from someone back in Feb. The tank was badly neglected as you can see in the pictures below. I know for a fact that it wasn't maintained for at least 6 months prior to me getting the tank.


I've spent the last several months cleaning the tank and slowly adding fish. I have about 50 hermit crabs, 5 Mexican turbo snails, 3 clownfish, 2 banghai cardinals, 2 pj cardinals, 1 purple tang, 1 coral beauty, and 1 goby that was with the tank when I got it. How he survived, I have no idea. I was given an AquaC 120-EV with the tank but don't think I have been able to get that set up to skim properly. I have replaced that with a Reef Octopus Classic 110-INT. I have also just added a UV Sterilizer.


I was looking to add corals to my tank and read that phosphates are bad for keeping corals so I began testing and found the levels to be between 3-5ppm using an API test kit. A friend lent me his Red Sea test kit that reads as high as .64 ppm and the reading was off the charts immediately.


How can I determine what is causing the high levels? I've tested my RODI water and salt water mix prior to adding to the tank and both have levels between 0 and .25ppm. I've heard the only true way to remove the phosphates is with a reactor, but I want to try and find the source before doing that. I feel I'd be fighting a losing battle if there is something causing them to be that high.


Thanks for your help,


Jason

 

[bklynreef]

Welcome aboard. Few problems im noticing.

Throw out the API test kits and get the Salifert ones to start

Your new water make up should be less than .03 PO4 and if its not then either your ro/di filters may need changing or you have a bad batch of salt or your using the api test kit and not the salifert.

The live rock could be leaching PO4 from the previous owners tank, if thats the case then youll need to look in to ways to get it out of the rocks.

Im sure your not over feeding but if you are just feed every other day and feed only what you see what going in to their mouths so no waste going in to the rock work.
Also stick with pellets if possible. just my 2 cents and im sure youll have other opinions here.

BTW if you stick with soft corals your phosphates ( PO4 )wont be a huge problem. Its when you start LPS and SPS is when you need very low PO4.

 

[piranhapat]

Most likely your LR is leaching Phoshates. At least your on the right path. I would get better testing on the water. Like stated Salifert test kits are more reliable. Ro/di water should be reading 0 on TDS meter. If your high there. You need to change DI resin. I would run GFO that would help a lot. But make sure your skimmer is working good. If you don't want to use GFO. Than water changes are ncececcery. They chemicals which I never used might be another option. Over feeding is also a source where phosphate entering. Did you replace sand or using same sand?

 

[Mark...]

How much are you feeding? Excess food and fish waste add to the phosphate. Water changes, GFO, or an algae scrubber are some ways to reduce phosphate. New water should have no phos...

 

[Z06-Hec]

go to Amazon, look for Phosphate RX. Works instantly !
Follow the directions.

 

[salpet]

lots and lots of water changes and add 2 bags of chemypure