High nitrates and phos for BTA?

[jfingers8]

Will it bother the health of a BTA if my nitrates are 10 and my phos is 1.0? I know extremely high, working on it.

 

[ocellaris123]

The phosphates are pretty high and I would get that under control before trying a BTA. Your nitrates arent too bad and shouldnt bother your anemone.

 

[kichimark]

i agree with the nitrates not being too bad but the phosphates are high. Do you have any microalgae or use any nitrate binders like ROWAphos or other GFO?

 

[jfingers8]

no, but i run carbon and i'm going to going to pick up some phosphate remover today because im getting the anemone sunday, so i have to start taking action as soon as possible.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Better get it under control before you get the BTA, I killed mine within 3 days with high phosphates. Learn from my mistakes, if you could hold off on the Bta till its under control the better.

I also used a product called phosban, there like sponges, put them in the filter or float in the sump, in 5 days take it out add a new one.

Also water changes. Many of them, ive been doing them twice a week now, and my phosphate is only just now coming down.

Last but not lease, figure out where its coming from, Over feeding, bad top off water, ect....

 

[RichConley]

If your phosphates are 1.0ppm, phosban/gmo is just going to get used up immediately. You need to figure out there its coming from. 1.0ppm is about 100 times what you want (.02ppm).

Water changes, and make sure your water isn't full of phosphate.

 

[jfingers8]

I'm getting it Sunday and there is nothing I can do about it. I already paid for it. I wish I could hold off but I can't. It's a 12 gallon and i change out a 1 gallon every 5 days so I do 25% water change every 2 weeks. I will start doing one every day till Sunday to see how long I can get it plus start running phos remover, so I'm sure I will remove quite a bit before I get it.

 

[RichConley]

have you tested your topoff water?

 

[jfingers8]

yes top off is fine, I use Instant Ocean for salt.

 

[jfingers8]

If I do a 1 gallon water change from now till Sunday will I start a new cycle?

 

[arioch]

Water changes, not so much. Only worry if you're replacing rockwork or sandbed. Although no doubt your rockwork and sandbed will be leaching that stuff back into the water column for a good long time.

I would commit to running a phosphate reactor for the long haul.

 

[Mavrk]

A reading of 1.0 is high when you consider that most of us get low readings and still have a good amount of phosphates. The rocks and sand will hold a lot. Some kind of GFO will help. Water changes will be helpful. Continue doing them after you get the anemone. The truth is that very little of the beneficial bacteria reside in the water column. Most are in the rock and substrate. With that small of a tank, it should be easy to do a 50% water change now and then smaller ones until Sunday.

Like others have said, the phosphates will continue to leach out. Run a phosphate remover (GFO). BTAs tend to be more forgiving. Post a picture as soon as you get it. We should be able to help determine how healthy it looks.

Good luck.

 

[jfingers8]

ok will do. I started running Pura phoslock today double the dose and did a 5 gallon water change. I hope I'm on the right track.