sps and phosphate

[LBCBJ]

Where do you get this "soak food in water to remove phosphates"? That makes no sense, but if you thought that phosphates in the food would transfer to the water, do you not add some of this water to your tank with the food?

 

[Sparkss]

It is commonly known that soaking any number of items (substrate, etc, and I suppose food), in RO/DI water will help leech the phosphates from it, before putting it into your tank. Naturally you drain off the water before adding the "treated" item to your tank, that is just a given

 

[Sparkss]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7643233#post7643233 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by greenfroggiespawn
how can people lower it slowly then? if using rowa and what not?

If you are using a fluidized reactor (and you really should be for this) then you just adjust the flow through the reactor to start out as jsut more than a trickle and work your way up to the "full flow" through for it, over time (days to weeks), all depending on your current phosphate levels.

 

[greenfroggiespawn]

I see.. Thank you.

For some reason I keep thinking that if I restrict flow for a pump/powerhead it'd be bad so I didn't register that idea and thought that by putting less media, it'd help.. but then................

i found the answer ^^

thanks.

 

[sangraal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7644857#post7644857 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LBCBJ
Where do you get this "soak food in water to remove phosphates"? That makes no sense, but if you thought that phosphates in the food would transfer to the water, do you not add some of this water to your tank with the food?

I do not know about flake and pellet food but frozen food has phosphates. I soaked one cube, tested several frozen foods, in one cup of R/O water for 30 mins and tested for posphates and it was out of the chart i.e >10ppm. On the negative side, soaking also takes out other additives like vitamins and such. Then again if your tanks is well established and healthy that wouldn't be much of a problem.

 

[manderx]

what kills sps it to much change with any phosphate removal i suggest taking it slow

i thought it was generally accepted that it was the sudden drop in Alk that ferrous PO4 binders cause rather than the sudden drop in PO4 that caused problems. that they just tried to blame it on dropping PO4 too fast just to shift the blame and avoid highlighting the fact that the stuff can suck down Alk.