Phosphate management

[jscarlata]

How do you guys keep your phosphates at the right levels, assuming .03-.05...
I'm struggling with this, either I over strip to near zero, or I have too much at .09-.13...in use brs GFO, but I try not to use it all the time...is the severely to keep just a little running, or is it run on and off on a cycle?

 

[toothman]

It really should not swing that much, possibly there is latent phosphate in your gravel and rock work that will eventually deplete. Gfo really does work, simple as that. Carbon dosing also works. zeovit system is great. How old is the tank, how many fish and how much do you feed it.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Reduce the amount used and run it constantly.
Check the water coming out of the reactor to see when to replace it.

 

[jscarlata]

Let me clarify, I will run GFO and test, when I saw it Got low, I take it offline, this last go round it was offline for a few weeks...admittedly I ran out of phosphate reagent for my Hanna. After my resupy came it tested this high, .09... After a few weeks running w/o it, I also would alternate between running carbon or GFO but not both at the same time.
Tank is 90g, running for 2 years. For the last month and a half I have left the prepared frozen food alone and been using scallops and shrimps from a specialty food store frozen and then run thru a cheese grater, my fish go nuts over it. In wondering if that has something to do w it.
So your saying run less GFO constantly?
You test the effluent from the reactor w the phosphate test?

 

[kylathwe]

Ya test the effluent and when it goes up you know your gfo is used up.

 

[reefgeezer]

I had to reduce the amount of GFO in the reactor.

 

[jscarlata]

Thanks for the tips. I think I'm also getting false readings on my Hanna, I noticed last night. I don't have the booklet anymore, and I thought the time limit once you see the c2 sample, was 2 minutes, it's 3...I noticed a big reading difference between mixing the reagent for 2min vs the full 3...so I need to retest tonight, did a small wc this am

 

[haze152]

I keep mine < .03 using BRS GFO and dual reactor. I turn the reactor way down and still have to feed heavy just to get it to .03 ( Hanna Meter)

 

[Tetra84]

how do you guys prevent cyano and red slime outbreaks? When I try to keep my phosphates around .03 or less, my tank turns disgusting. I have to try to push it to zero just to keep that nasty stuff at bay. I'd like to keep it a little higher, but it won't be long before it starts to get grungy. I also run carbon/gfo..

 

[reefgeezer]

how do you guys prevent cyano and red slime outbreaks? When I try to keep my phosphates around .03 or less, my tank turns disgusting. I have to try to push it to zero just to keep that nasty stuff at bay. I'd like to keep it a little higher, but it won't be long before it starts to get grungy. I also run carbon/gfo..

Keeping organic levels very low by eliminating detritus build-up, skimming heavily, and carbon dosing (vinegar and a little aspartic acid) seems to work. I also run GAC but only a few days a month.

 

[jda]

I run a skimmer, keep the aragonite sand clean and let the bacteria do the work in the sand. I have never had any need for GFO, GAC, carbon, or the like. I have undetectable levels of N and P on Salifert... which is all that I need to know.

If you use GFO or carbon you can strip the sand of bacteria since you destroyed the food source. It is not impossible or anything, but now you are managing the equilibrium instead of the bacteria.

I get a little bit of algae on the glass and rocks, but nothing that the astreas cannot handle.

 

[Tetra84]

Keeping organic levels very low by eliminating detritus build-up, skimming heavily, and carbon dosing (vinegar and a little aspartic acid) seems to work. I also run GAC but only a few days a month.

Do you use a filter sock or not? Wondering if it impedes the skimmer in anyway or is more helpful in the long run?

 

[Fishypapa]

I use GFO and carbon in the same reactor and phosphates are usually pretty good. Typically mine runs 24 hr/day and I dose vodka to keep the nitrates down. I also have chaeto and mangrove growing in my fuge too though I'm sure they don't remove as much as the GFO.