High phosphates-using reactor and can't get them down

LeanneP · #1 11-03-2016, 02:28 AM

I have a 90 gallon mixed reef tank and I have had phosphates as high as .22. The main reason was my R/O water, but I have solved that issue. I now have them at .12 and I have been using a phosban reactor. I used a cup of Rowaphos and in 2 days I have used it up which seems pretty crazy to me. I have 9 fish and about 6 RBTA which I am sure are contributing to the phosphates. I can't reach the anenomes as they are all at the back of my tank. I have been running the reactor for a month but just solved my water problem last week. Should I just be filling up my reactor so that the rowaphos lasts longer? Any suggestions on cheaper GFO to use?

intarsiabox · #2 11-03-2016, 02:38 AM

Are you having algae issues? If not, have you tried a different test kit?

LeanneP · #3 11-03-2016, 03:07 AM

Yes, I have cyano right now and I use a hanna checker so it is pretty consistent when I am testing.

warriorcookie · #4 11-03-2016, 03:22 AM

Sounds similar to what i just went through.

What are your nitrates at? Undetectable?

LeanneP · #5 11-03-2016, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warriorcookie

Sounds similar to what i just went through.

What are your nitrates at? Undetectable?

My nitrates are .25 so not much. Did you get your phosphates down and if so how? I am thinking it might take some time since they have bee high for a bit but just hoping they do come down since I have such a high bio load with so many nems.

gregzz4 · #6 11-03-2016, 03:53 AM

When you say you've used up a cup of ROWA in a couple days, what exactly do you mean? How did you come to this conclusion?

My experience with GFO has been to use smaller amounts and change it more frequently. IE: instead of BRS's suggestion of using 0.86 cups/225mls or so per 100g, I started running 100mls (thanks Mindy). I found this helped and feel it's due to not adding so much iron to the tank from the GFO.
I change my GFO every 4 weeks, and stir it every week or two to make sure it's still getting full contact.

Doing this, I can drop my PO4 from 0.09 to zero in no time.
I've dropped it from 0.19 to 0.05 in just over a week.
And if I run any more than the 100mls it will actually strip the tank clean.
Then I get other issues, so sometimes less is more

LeanneP · #7 11-03-2016, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregzz4

When you say you've used up a cup of ROWA in a couple days, what exactly do you mean? How did you come to this conclusion?

My experience with GFO has been to use smaller amounts and change it more frequently. IE: instead of BRS's suggestion of using 0.86 cups/225mls or so per 100g, I started running 100mls (thanks Mindy). I found this helped and feel it's due to not adding so much iron to the tank from the GFO.

I change my GFO every 4 weeks, and stir it every week or two to make sure it's still getting full contact.

Doing this, I can drop my PO4 from 0.09 to zero in no time.
I've dropped it from 0.19 to 0.05 in just over a week.
And if I run any more than the 100mls it will actually strip the tank clean.
Then I get other issues, so sometimes less is more

I read a thread on Rowaphos that 120 mls which is just under half a cup would reduce phosphates by .05 in a 75 gallon tank. Mine is 90 with a 10 gallon sump so I originally used 125 mls. I was getting. 04 coming out of the reactor so I thought I needed to use more. I put in a cup 2 days àgo and had a 0 reading . Today I checked and it was .09 so I stirred the GFO to make sure the reactor was working right but I still got the same reading. I am assuming that it is used up? I am new to using the reactor so if I am .doing something wrong it would be good to know. Should I only be using 100 mls at a time?

intarsiabox · #8 11-03-2016, 04:33 AM

How is your nutrient export? Doing water changes, have a good skimmer and good circulation to prevent detritus from building up? When doing water changes I like to use a turkey baster to blow out all of my rocks when doing water changes, this really helps to get rid of phosphate making debris. The anemones themselves probably aren't contributing much to your problem unless you are feeding them directly all the time. I've never bothered to directly feed any of mine and they do just fine with good light and whatever they get from the water column.

LeanneP · #9 11-03-2016, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intarsiabox

How is your nutrient export? Doing water changes, have a good skimmer and good circulation to prevent detritus from building up? When doing water changes I like to use a turkey baster to blow out all of my rocks when doing water changes, this really helps to get rid of phosphate making debris. The anemones themselves probably aren't contributing much to your problem unless you are feeding them directly all the time. I've never bothered to directly feed any of mine and they do just fine with good light and whatever they get from the water column.

No I don't feed the anenomes. I have a good skimmer and I didn't think that wc really made a difference with phosphates only nitrates. My tank is full of coral so I can't really blast off the rocks too much any more.

intarsiabox · #10 11-03-2016, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeanneP

No I don't feed the anenomes. I have a good skimmer and I didn't think that wc really made a difference with phosphates only nitrates. My tank is full of coral so I can't really blast off the rocks too much any more.

It really depends on how you do your water changes. If you are just sucking water out of the the middle of your tank rather than getting into the sand and debris stuck in the rocks then you will have little success in reducing phosphate levels with water changes. The water change itself does not reduce phosphates but removal of the organic material causing the phosphates does.