Lowering phosphate
- Thread starter Ayman
- Start date
derek_SR
Supporting Member
I don't know of a "natural" way to lower phosphates other than water changes. I'll share a couple thoughts:
- I think 0.15 is a really healthy place for po4, it's where I target mine (and a lot of other successful folks). Some may think it's still a little high, but I don't think many people would say it's a huge problem to be at that level.
- While there's still some debate on this, a variety of sources have mostly confirmed that GFO strips quite a few trace elements from the water. It also can be difficult to control and drop your po4 really quickly, which is a risk. Aluminum oxide (e.g. Phosguard) is a little slower and more predictable, and a lot less messy. It MAY also pull some traces.
- I use lanthanum chloride - it's very cheap, and can be dosed SLOWLY into your skimmer or into a filter sock and is very effective and easy to control, go slow. Details on the skimmer method are in my tank journal and covered in many places online.
If i go that route can i use my carbon small reactor for that job?
derek_SR
Supporting Member
This question comes up so much I may just update my journal with all the details on this again, should get it done this afternoon.
newfly
Supporting Member
You don’t want gfo tumbling. Not sure about your specific reactor. If the flow is slow enough , it should be ok.
Gfo is soft and will grind to dust.
I mix gfo with carbon in a media bag and just leave it in a high flow area. Use 1 or 2 tablespoons. Start low and measure phosphate every week to see the trend.
you can remove the gfo if your phosphate is low enough.
@Ayman- if I can find it I will post it but I was just watching Rich Ross’s video from 10 years ago on phosphate. Quite illuminating.
Another option if you have a doser is carbon dosing (not active carbon) - way to reduce phosphate in a controlled manner. You can use a commercial product such tropic Marin’s bacto-balance or Elim-NP or Randy Holmes-Farley has some DIY using vodka or vinegar (don’t use vodka with neptune dos though)
Of course this will also reduce nitrates.
At .15 should be alright. My PO4 is currently coursing at .8 as of yesterday but I am truly trying to gauge if it really makes a difference or not.
It’s been as low as .3 still not sure if it makes a difference or not..
Another option if you have a doser is carbon dosing (not active carbon) - way to reduce phosphate in a controlled manner. You can use a commercial product such tropic Marin’s bacto-balance or Elim-NP or Randy Holmes-Farley has some DIY using vodka or vinegar (don’t use vodka with neptune dos though)
Of course this will also reduce nitrates.
At .15 should be alright. My PO4 is currently coursing at .8 as of yesterday but I am truly trying to gauge if it really makes a difference or not.
It’s been as low as .3 still not sure if it makes a difference or not..
fishy408
Supporting Member
.8 or .08?
fishy408
Supporting Member
I dose phosphates/nitrates, the main reason being I rather have a little more than have 0.
For phosphate reduction: protein skimmer/refugium.
For phosphate increase: add more fish
By balancing the phosphate/nitrate intake and removal I find a happy balance.
My phosphates hop between .01 to .09 and nitrate between 1 to 20 in the past 3 months.
For phosphate reduction: protein skimmer/refugium.
For phosphate increase: add more fish
By balancing the phosphate/nitrate intake and removal I find a happy balance.
My phosphates hop between .01 to .09 and nitrate between 1 to 20 in the past 3 months.
.8!
derek_SR
Supporting Member
My torches/zoas soft corals are very happy but my stony sps corals are not at all. That is why i am trying to lower phosphates slowly to not effect the happy once.
derek_SR
Supporting Member
I grow mostly SPS, including some challenging ones, and they are all pretty happy at .15 - in fact they were pretty happy at .75 too. Doubt that is your issue.
So here is the link to the video that @Thales presented to MACNA on 2014 on phosphate.
And after watching it I do wonder if I am arbitrarily trying to push down phosphates for what reason. Should I leave them as is at .8, or push it down to .1-.5. I also have a lot of SPS and they seem fine although I have lost a few corals (both softies/SPS) of late which I think is due to some unstable parameters (N had hit 0) and my iodine/strontium are/were pretty high.
What I want to know is what @Thales keeping his PO4 these days and after 10 years, does he still stand by the presentation of letting PO4 be what it is -or.. new evidence in that time shifts the thinking.. also if he is dosing LC-to suppress PO4. Be curious on that too.
And after watching it I do wonder if I am arbitrarily trying to push down phosphates for what reason. Should I leave them as is at .8, or push it down to .1-.5. I also have a lot of SPS and they seem fine although I have lost a few corals (both softies/SPS) of late which I think is due to some unstable parameters (N had hit 0) and my iodine/strontium are/were pretty high.
What I want to know is what @Thales keeping his PO4 these days and after 10 years, does he still stand by the presentation of letting PO4 be what it is -or.. new evidence in that time shifts the thinking.. also if he is dosing LC-to suppress PO4. Be curious on that too.
derek_SR
Supporting Member
I think he said fairly recently he stopped with the LaCl dosing and let his Po4 start climbing back up again because he noticed absolutely no difference with lower level. Maybe he will correct me, but that is what I recall.