I have a two part question. First off, my reef tank is about two and half months old. Two clowns, 4 chromis, and a 6 line wrase. Various coral including hammers, bubble, and button. One rose anemone and some zoos. When the tank was first cycling, my phosphates were high and the calcium was low. Everyone i talked to including the LFS told me its because of the cycling process. Well going into the third month and my phosphates are still high, and no matter what dosing of calcium i add to the tank the calcium are still low. Any ideas?
Calcium and Phosphate questions
- Thread starter djk1
- Start date
bjonesjr1
Premium Member
I'm using Phosban in a low flow unit to keep my phosphates low, you don't want to hard of flow going across the product, because it will crush it and turn the tank brownish color. Stay away from Seachem Phosgaurd its aluminum based and thats bad for a reef tank. Their is a link to a article somewhere, let me see if I can pull it up for you...
You may want to cut back on feeding, as that was the problem with my phosphates, to much food was hitting the ground and just accumalating to much for my clean up crew to get rid of, so I target feed now when its feeding time and make sure everyone gets feed tell their full.
Water changes I don't think do to much for your phosphate levels, correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but it didn't do anything for me. When you start getting a red slime algae problem, then you know that your phosphates are getting to high, Thats also what happened to me and I order Chemi-clean from marine depot the other day, and its doing a great job in my tank right now of getting rid of that... Someone on my thread said that Chemi-clean also gets rid of phosphates, not too sure on that, but will be testing tonight to see where my levels are at & will post results on my project diary for my tank.
Hope that was help to you, and
[welcome] to RC
You may want to cut back on feeding, as that was the problem with my phosphates, to much food was hitting the ground and just accumalating to much for my clean up crew to get rid of, so I target feed now when its feeding time and make sure everyone gets feed tell their full.
Water changes I don't think do to much for your phosphate levels, correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but it didn't do anything for me. When you start getting a red slime algae problem, then you know that your phosphates are getting to high, Thats also what happened to me and I order Chemi-clean from marine depot the other day, and its doing a great job in my tank right now of getting rid of that... Someone on my thread said that Chemi-clean also gets rid of phosphates, not too sure on that, but will be testing tonight to see where my levels are at & will post results on my project diary for my tank.
Hope that was help to you, and
[welcome] to RC
Hi DJ,
Let's look at that phosphate first as it is harder to bring down than to raise Ca levels. Phosphate can also severely interfere with the tanks ability to utilize calcium even at the correct levels.
They are probably correct at the LFS that the original high PO<size>4</size> levels were cause by the cycle especially if you cured the LR in your tank. Doing so can release a mega phosphate load. I always suggest very large water changes during an in-tank LR cure as they do a large part in reducing PO<size>4</size> levels. Now that your tank is stocked you need to rely on smaller water changes but you can make up for it by doing them on a frequent basis; say two or three times a week. You can also try using one of the iron based phosphate removal products. When run in a canister filter they will quickly lower PO<size>4</size> in most cases. Here is more on the subject--Phosphate.
Bobby posted while I was writing. I agree with most what you say Bobby but water changes will help. Don't forget that water changes are the only sure method of removing anything dissolved in the water. If you remove 50% of the water in a tank and replace it with pure salt mix, made with RO/DI water, you cut all contaminants by 50% in one swell swoop.
For your calcium problems read Calcium Problems.
Let's look at that phosphate first as it is harder to bring down than to raise Ca levels. Phosphate can also severely interfere with the tanks ability to utilize calcium even at the correct levels.
They are probably correct at the LFS that the original high PO<size>4</size> levels were cause by the cycle especially if you cured the LR in your tank. Doing so can release a mega phosphate load. I always suggest very large water changes during an in-tank LR cure as they do a large part in reducing PO<size>4</size> levels. Now that your tank is stocked you need to rely on smaller water changes but you can make up for it by doing them on a frequent basis; say two or three times a week. You can also try using one of the iron based phosphate removal products. When run in a canister filter they will quickly lower PO<size>4</size> in most cases. Here is more on the subject--Phosphate.
Bobby posted while I was writing. I agree with most what you say Bobby but water changes will help. Don't forget that water changes are the only sure method of removing anything dissolved in the water. If you remove 50% of the water in a tank and replace it with pure salt mix, made with RO/DI water, you cut all contaminants by 50% in one swell swoop.
For your calcium problems read Calcium Problems.
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