my thoughts on phosphates

[Korrine]

I also have a skimmer and cheato, but my cheato isn't thriving anymore...prob due to the heavy gfo use? It's lighted opposite my dt about 10 hours.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, that's a sign you've driven phosphate fairly low.

 

[Korrine]

since I'm going through my gfo quickly, I might just go ahead and order a large tub of the high capacity gfo from brs. Not sure what else to due to limit changing it so frequently.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In addition to the GFO, adding less food and increasing other export methods are about the only options.

 

[Korrine]

but breeders feed their clowns 5-6x a day. I'm feeing 2-3x a day. sometimes heavier and sometimes not so heavy. Clowns are roughly at least 2 years old.

 

[djkms]

I keep my phosphate between .02 - .03 (hanna checker) with macros and vodka alone. I have a heavily stocked tank. Vodka is much cheaper than GFO.

 

[Korrine]

does vodka affect the breeding process? or the fry?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

does vodka affect the breeding process?

In people? :lol:

 

[Korrine]

but breeders feed their clowns 5-6x a day. I'm feeing 2-3x a day. sometimes heavier and sometimes not so heavy. Clowns are roughly at least 2 years old.

 

[tmz]

I have 5 pair of clowns. 3 pair breed regularly with 2x per day feeding.I'm not a breeder just like amphiprion. I also dose organic carbon to reduce PO4 and NO3 along with a little BRS HC gfo which I regenerate to manage costs.

 

[Korrine]

just watched a video on brs that said they like Elos food because they don't add poly-phosphate

 

[biecacka]

In people? :lol:

now randy, we all know the answer to this question :beer::hmm3:

alcohol makes us:inlove::inlove:::inlove:::
for the night lol
corey

 

[ryeguyy84]

Yes, that's a sign you've driven phosphate fairly low.

thats what gets me. I apparently have high phosphates but if I put Chaeto in my tank it's dead in a few days. I've tried all kinds of lights, running 24/7, running opposite my main lights, running with my main light. every time it dies.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

just watched a video on brs that said they like Elos food because they don't add poly-phosphate

Not to mention the fact that they make money when they sell it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

thats what gets me. I apparently have high phosphates but if I put Chaeto in my tank it's dead in a few days. I've tried all kinds of lights, running 24/7, running opposite my main lights, running with my main light. every time it dies.

Sorry, why do you think it is high?

It may also grow poorly for other reasons, like low nitrate, low iron, poor lighting, etc.

 

[Korrine]

Not to mention the fact that they make money when they sell it.

They also sell NLS pellets.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sure. My problem with claims like that, however, is that there is no evidence that I have seen that their competitors add polyphosphates.

 

[Korrine]

hmmm another project for someone to tackle :wavehand:

 

[tmz]

Well, the vodka doesn't stop my clowns from breeding but if I were setting up breeding tanks I'd probably not use it or other organic carbon sources in them out of concern about a potential for extra pathogenic bacteria.

 

[ryeguyy84]

Sorry, why do you think it is high?

It may also grow poorly for other reasons, like low nitrate, low iron, poor lighting, etc.

The hair algae that's taking over and Hanna says .12. Nitrates are low, I can't speak for iron but lighting I've tried everything from a 10w submersable to a 6500k compact florescent (26w) to a small marineland led light. Still waiting for my reactor to come in. Just swapped my gfo in a bag. It's like a have a phosphate factory somewhere in my tank.