phosphate

[leaffish75]

Okay im mad now. I tested my FW before mixing and the trate, trite, phosphates all read 0. I tested my tank last night and here are my readings
trate 0
trite 0
phosphate .2
ammonia 0
alk forgot
ph 8.3
Why do i have phospates?
I feed DTs 2 times a week and one flake crushed up

 

[dragon79]

maybe a bad reading of phosphate? What test kit do you use? Have an LFS test for phosphate to see if they get a reading as well. If you still have a reading, perhaps they can advise with what to do.

 

[leaffish75]

i used fasttest and red sea last night.

 

[dragon79]

i have a fastest kit too, but I dont have the phosphate tester though. I imagine you bought that seperately? How much for that paritcular test? I'm rather intrigued now to know where phosphates are at in my tank. As for a more precise way of testing.....buy a salifert test for phosphates. I hear they are the best and very precise.

 

[mikeguerrero]

Hi Leaf,

I believe the problem may be in your dosing of twice per week with your DT phytoplankton.

Remember that this dosing will cause filamentous algae to kick into gear so this might lead to the phosphate you are detecting.

I'm really concerned myself about phosphate because it's growing on the base of some of my SPS corals. It's not on the coral but on the rock of the base, this does have me worried. I also dose with phyto plex from kent marine and this stuff is strong. I believe my over dosing might be a reason to my algae bloom.

I also see patches of this algae around certain parts of my tank. I havent' tested for phosphate cause I don't have a test kit for that.

I've been talking to Dragon about purchasing an Emerald crab and dropping him right on the algae to see if he can rid me of those patches. But I'm also heard they nip at coraline algae and other parts of the tank. They are like buffet eaters in reef tanks according to one link.

Can someone shed some light in my direction,,,,


Mike

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I've kept emeralds on and off over the past few years and IME I've yet to see them eat or nip at any of my corals.

Some flake foods have a high level of phosphates in them. Try dropping a few flakes in some tank water in a cup, then testing that water to see if your flake is they culprit.

 

[leaffish75]

when i had the Hair alage problem i added a emarld crab but it couldnt keep up. i had to add a lawn mower bleeny. my next step is to get a phosban reactor from twolittlefishies. i have hear alot of good things about them.

 

[Trogdor]

If you want to get your phosphates down try Phos-Ban. It works really well. I mix it with my carbon in my HOT Magnum filter and it keeps my phosphates down.