Phosphate level

[jwill275]

Just tested my phosphate using my new Hanna 736 ULR tester. The reading was 19 - I multiplied by 3.066 and divided by 1000 and it came to .058254.

I know I've had lower #'s in my 125 but this is a new 40gal cube with 2 clown fish and a small RBTA, some (10-15lbs) of LR from my old tank.

My question - Is this a exceptionally high #? I've been changing water about 5-7 gals per week. The tank is up for about 1 month some hair algae but the turbo snails (5) have had a significant impact on the Hair Algae.

Ph - 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Thanks
John

 

[GROSSR]

I personally would not say exceptional high. According to Randy < 0.03 ppm is desirable.

Food brings a great deal of phosphate into the tank, could be your water or your salt mix. Find out what is bringing phosphate into your system.

I am currently fighting .09 with GFO and lanthanum chloride. My rocks were leaching phosphates.

Point being, while lower, figure out why it is creeping up .

rich

 

[kevin21]

I wouldnt say it is exceptionally high, still a very new tank. Not sure if you had a cycle process due to using rock from your old tank, but the water chemistry still needs to mature. Im not panicking about that level of phosphate just yet. I would let the tank go through its typical "new tank" blooms, and if nothing changes in a couple months or so, then look into a possible phosphate issue. That could come from the rodi you are using, or be leaching out from other outlets such as sand, rock etc.

 

[jwill275]

Thanks guys - patience is a virtue.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Not to worry John, when you get .33 like I did then you worry.

 

[Long Island Andy]

You guys are all nuts, John I had a soft leather tank where I could not get a reading under 2.50 (that's as high as the machine went!!!!) It was an old tank and I believed that the phosphates were leaching from the rocks, I changed all the rocks and that was 2 years ago. Running gfo I am now at about .85 and everything is growing and looking fine. I do 30% water changes every 2 weeks ( I do cheat I use the water from my sps tank since it always has zero everything) Here is a video I shot last October

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eomheLtofAs

 

[GROSSR]

Phosphate are used by Soft corals differently than LPS and SPS. when my phosphate went above 1.00, a leather and a toad stool, did quiet nicely. However, I lost my frogspawn and my hammers and most of my LPS. In fact, pulsing Xenia has used as a nutrient export, and in past tank, my xenia took off when my husbandry lacked. I thought I was doing good by having the xenia take off.

Since getting it below .05 (at times), and changing GFO more often I have notice my SPS grown better and the softies, staying the same.

rich