High Phosphate Levels In New Setup

S

Spudroach

Member
I am setting up a new 80 gallon reef tank.

It has been cycling for two weeks and my phosphates are .78 using a Hanna tester.

This has to have come from the rock I had previously used in a 180 tank. About two months ago I started working on the rock by cleaning it with muriatic acid, multiple rinsing, soaking in bleach and more rinsing and then putting in the sun (and rain) for a month and more rinsing.

I assume I need to do a big water change (50 gallons or so) and hopefully the phosphate will come down a lot.

It is Tonga and Fiji rock (not gulf rock). I am sure I will have to use a reactor but .78 has to be way too high for a starting point. There is nothing in the tank except sand and rock (no live stock). Been running a skimmer.

Any input would be appreciated. Had issues with phosphate when I had the 180 set up with the same rock just more of it.
 
Do you make your own RODI water? Or do you buy it from a LFS? I have had a few cases where a LFS sold me water that had higher TDS, they got there filters changed and it went back down. Not saying it isn't coming from your rock but I'd start with checking out your RO water first.
 
Spudroach said:
I do my own water. Zero solids or phosphates from my Spectrapure Maxcap unit.
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I would say its for sure the rock, Is the sand new? I had them that high from my rock, and had to use ATM AGENT GREEN LANTHANUM CHLORIDE to get it down low enough to manage with GFO. Best to do it before u add critters.
Some of my Zooanthids didnt like it.
 
I agree that it needs to be taken care of before I add anything alive. The sand is new. I just wonder that if it is the rock, will I always have issues with high phosphate. It was in my 180 for 4 years and I was always fighting high phosphates. Hate to dump the rock and start over but it would be nice to have live rock instead of base rock.
 
Spudroach said:
I agree that it needs to be taken care of before I add anything alive. The sand is new. I just wonder that if it is the rock, will I always have issues with high phosphate. It was in my 180 for 4 years and I was always fighting high phosphates. Hate to dump the rock and start over but it would be nice to have live rock instead of base rock.
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Sometimes it can drag out quite some time. I know rock isnt cheap, But if you can afford it, thas what I would do. Besides it fun picking out new rock. One of my favorite setup parts, looking for unique shapes.
 
When you say phosphate removing media, I assume you are talking about a liquid additive. There is no live stock in it yet so there will not be any feeding. I am not planning on adding anything until all the parameters are acceptable - in no hurry...
Maybe I will do a 50 gallon water change tomorrow and take another reading and go from there adding removal media.
 
I believe Roger was talking about running GFO, or bio pellets. I personally like using GFO in my reef. Like he said every two weeks you can replace it and get your phosphate levels down.
 
Vorog said:
I believe Roger was talking about running GFO, or bio pellets. I personally like using GFO in my reef. Like he said every two weeks you can replace it and get your phosphate levels down.
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Correct. And with no live stock u don't have to worry about going slow. If u have the cash double the dose it will remove it very fast. Never do it fast if livestock in the tank
 
Out of curiosity, when you do the test on your hanna checker do you do it properly? I say this because I forgot to hold the button down to make it to the 3 minute countdown and it gave me a phosphate reading of .13. Did it again the proper way and it was back at 0.
 
You had me worried - I wasn't holding it down until the counter came up on all of the tests I have ran. Just checked it again and made sure the 3:00 came up. After the countdown, it read .49. The hard part is making sure to get all of the powder out of the little envelopes.

I did put a GFO bag in one of my socks just to see what would happen and it has gone down a little bit since last night. Still need to use the lanthanam chloride to make it drop way down quickly I assume.
 
Are you sure your Hanna is a phosphate tester and not Phosphorus tester ? If its phosphorus it would calculate to 0.15 phosphate.
 
Lanthanum chloride or Phosphate RX. No need to do water changes if there is no livestock or feeding. I have been told you have to keep treating until all of the phos has leached out of the rock but I wasn't that patient when.I went through this and ended up throwing 7 year old rock out.

Sounds like you would prefer starting over? Just do whatever makes you happiest depending on what your wallet thinks!
 
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