Help High ORP and Phosphate

The problem with the recalled Kent carbon is that the batch of carbon contained unusually high levels of heavy metals. This could definitely be killing corals and fish.

And I could be wrong, but isn't ORP almost useless unless you're running ozone and even then only somewhat usable? ORP is a pretty complex measurement and can be thrown off by many, many different things, magnetic fields, metals, ions, pH, free-radicals, etc. Barometric pressure even probably plays a role. You mention that you just went through a box of salt in the last month. Did you compare the salts even if they are the same brand?

The food probably did spike your nutrients i.e. your ORP rose. You responded with lots of water changes and utilized a toxic carbon. Things started dying. ORP rose again. Maybe the new box of salt has a higher "natural" ORP. So your ORP rose again. And on, and on...

Personally, I'd go back to exactly what I was doing before the disaster. Regular feedings with the regular foods, regular water changes, regular carbon replacement, etc and just let things stablize. I think the Kent carbon and over-reacting caused most of your problems. Hope things get better soon.
 
Well, I think barometric pressure and magnetic field effects on ORP are a bit of hyperbole, but I do agree that it is not an especially useful measure. :D
 
I have cleaned all the probes last night. I maid a fresh batch of saltwater so I will check PO4, PH, and ORP when I get home from work today.
 
I check the water I maid up last night for Phosphate and ORP reading.
RODI is Phosphate free 0.00
RODI with IO Salt Phosphate 0.00 ORP 362
My tank Phosphate tonight .47 ORP 488
 
Unless the tank has an ozone system, I don't believe the ORP number, and I'd just ignore it, personally. If there is an ORP system, I might tune it back or shut it down for a bit.
 
OK I have found out that the Kent carbon was making my ORP go up high. Also it was Kent recall carbon that did kill my fish. I was told that by Kent on the phone.

Now on my P04 for the past week are around .37 to .32. Evan if I change out 200g of GFO every day I just can not get it down lower. I do a 40 gallon water change with IO salt and test for P04 I get 0.00.
Is there anything I can do to help get my P04 under control?
Is there anything better than GFO? GFO is starting to take away my maid money from me.
Thanks for your help.
 
There are various types of GFO and coated GFO, but I'm not sure they will cost less. You can also regenerate GFO if you want.

Maybe the Kent Carbon contained a lot of a high oxidation state metal of some sort.
 
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