Phosphates too high?

[Tonyscoots84]

i would set a schedule of large water changes for at least a month... if your doing perhaps 20 gallons of water 2X week for 4 weeks a week u should see a noticable diff. in ur phosphate levels. (i would do as large as possible but nothing over 35 gallons).. (You need to get yourself to a hanna meter to see exactly where you phosphates are at)... me personally if i had the material i would of done half my tank size which would of been 60 gallons of water every 3 days for the 1st 2 weeks to get down a PO4 level... but i dont so i did what i had to do...

as i said i did all those water changes and it worked out for me... good luck...

 

[Tonyscoots84]

also what are you feeding, what fish do u have in that 65 gallon, and how is your coralife 125 performing...

 

[Awibrandy]

Did you originally start the tank with RO/DI, or did you do what I did. Started with tap for about 6 yrs. Did the big switch in Feb. to 1/2 the old water from the tank, and 1/2 RO/DI added two phosban reactors. One runs phozar the other runs chemi pure, I've been doing weekly w/c at 30g. I'm not much at testing, and yes there will be alot of peeps coming after me for that. But the way I look at it is; the corals are doing phenomenally, the fish are healthy, and I have no algea growing. Also, I don't keep sps except for a Patchy, and a few caps. I do have to clean my glass bi-weekly, but then again it does get some sun in the afternoons.:eek1:

Umh, off topic. When is FIOS coming to the Rockaways?????????????????????????

 

[taat2d]

I have been doing 5 gal weekly water changes with RO/Di water. When I started the tank I was using tap water for top of water, didn't have an RO/DI unit for about a month. As far as fish I have 2 1 inch perc's, 1" watchman, .5" scooter blenny, 1" firefish, and a 2" yellow tang. As far as feeding I feed the fish Mon, Wed, and Fri only. AS for my skimmer I get about a half cup of skim a week. Not sure if my skimmer is proficient enough. As for FIOS for the Rockaways, I couldn't tell you cuz that's Queens and I don't work there. But FIOS should be soon on the way there most of Squeens and LI are already done.

 

[Awibrandy]

It is going to take some time to get those ohosphates out of the rocks & sand. But it will happen. I promise.

 

[SIReefer]

Hey Staten Island cable guy. Forget the other boroughs, Hook us up on S.I. first. LOL :skull:

I have the same protein skimmer. Its not bad but I think we need to upgrade to a more efficient skimmer. Your feeding regimen is pretty good. I feed every day, I don't know that I could hold off for every other day. I'd feel guilty. Good luck w/phosphate issue.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

you need to up your water changes big time.... get yourself a phosban reactor with phosban or rowaphos, and start working on getting them phosphates down your in it for the long haul... gonna take some work as awilda said....

 

[meschaefer]

As far as feeding I feed the fish Mon, Wed, and Fri only.

More importantly what are you feeding and how much. If you are using an RO/DI your phosphates are primarly being added via food. You need to control how much phosphate is imputed into your system and how much you are taking out. Food adds phosphate.... water changes (hard way) or GFO in a reactor (Easy way) removes phosphates.

 

[taat2d]

I feed the fish Formula One. For the corals I use 2Part, Iodine, Strontium, Coral Accel, Zooplex, Phytoplex. I add the liquids after every water changes which is as I said 5gal a week. I add 1 capful of each. As for the coral food I only add 1 capful of one of them when Ido water changes. As for my skimmer I'm thinking of switching it to a Tunze DOC 9010, due to room. And SIReefer, I'm not the cable guy. I work for Verizon. LOL

 

[meschaefer]

You have a lot of addititatives, which I honestly don't know what is in them. They may be fine, but then again they may be part of the problem. As a general rule, if I don't test for it, I don't supplment it. If you are doing weekly wate changes, I would forgo alot of the suplements.

As for the Zooplex and Phytoplex, I would guess that these are the source of your phosphate issues. I don't know for sure and really couldn't tell you without testing them, but that is where I would place my wager.

 

[Awibrandy]

What type of corals do you keep? I wouldn't starve my fish to keep myself from having to do water changes. I hope that doesn't sound harsh. I don't mean to be, but I honestly feel bad for the poor fish we choose to house in a box and then to save our selves some work we don't feed them as often as they should be fed.
:backtotop I only keep lps, leathers, shrooms, zoas, caps, patchy, clams, shrimps, and other inverts. I only dose ESV 2 part B-Ionics. I feed my fish to many different types of food to name at the moment every day at least once aday, I try for twice a day. Everyone is happy, thriving, growing, and even the one PT I got from my friend suffering with lateral line disease & hole in the head has healed to the point that you have to look close to see the remnants of the disease.
I still say, phosban reactor with one of the different types of phosphate remover & regular weekly water changes is your best bet. I don't think there is anyway to get rid of them overnight, as they didn't appear over night. They took time to build up, they'll take time to dissapate.
Best wishes from old time Granny hear:hug:..

And if you would like to come, and see my tank for yourself? You are most welcome to do so, just send me a pm.

 

[taat2d]

Here's the thing. I don't want to starve my fish or give them barely enough food to survive. I also want my corals to thrive. It's just that you hear so many different opinions and tried and true ways to keep a tank and then when you're not sure of what to do you find yourself doing EVERYTHING eveyone tells you. The corals I keep are leathers, some zoos, some LPS, and soon to be a couple of Monti frags.

I was under the impression that feeding the fish light is good for them and the tank. I have NO PROBLEM doing weekly water changes. Used to it from when I had my African Cichlid tank set up. I LIKE doing the maintenance. I try to encorporate everyone's successes here and I get caught up and do too much it seems.. I will say this, my corals look great they are growing and look very healty.

Tonyscoots suggested doing 20gal weekly water changes for about a month. With the LR and LS displacing the water I noyl have about 50g in the tank to begin with. Should I still be doing that much of a wekly water change? Also if I upgrade to a better skimmer will that help with phosphates? Is my skimmer even to blame for this?:shocked:

 

[SIReefer]

The more crud you export the better. Less phosphates.
Try a phosban reactor. Not a lot of maint. & will reduce phos some.
As meschaefer stated If you don't test for it don't add it.
With the corals you have, I pretty much have the same-I don't believe it is necessary to feed them. They would receive what they need from the uneaten food. I would definitely cut out the phyto & zoo feedings.
Sorry about the Cable guy thing, I meant "Verizon Lineman" :letitallo

 

[Awibrandy]

Here's the thing. I don't want to starve my fish or give them barely enough food to survive. I also want my corals to thrive. It's just that you hear so many different opinions and tried and true ways to keep a tank and then when you're not sure of what to do you find yourself doing EVERYTHING eveyone tells you. The corals I keep are leathers, some zoos, some LPS, and soon to be a couple of Monti frags.

I was under the impression that feeding the fish light is good for them and the tank. I have NO PROBLEM doing weekly water changes. Used to it from when I had my African Cichlid tank set up. I LIKE doing the maintenance. I try to encorporate everyone's successes here and I get caught up and do too much it seems.. I will say this, my corals look great they are growing and look very healty.

Tonyscoots suggested doing 20gal weekly water changes for about a month. With the LR and LS displacing the water I noyl have about 50g in the tank to begin with. Should I still be doing that much of a wekly water change? Also if I upgrade to a better skimmer will that help with phosphates? Is my skimmer even to blame for this?:shocked:

I know exactly how you feel!! I've been into saltwater for the past six years - following the others & the trends. Guess what I had very little success.
Read my signature. That is the new me.
I read everything, but I don't follow everything. Like I said I feed atleast once a day, most times twice a day.
I run a Turboflotor Multi with an Ocean Runner pump I skim dry, I get putret stinky almost black skimmate, which I empty out at least once a week. People here had me running out to spend any where from $500 to $900, which honestly I really cannot afford. Because they consider my Turbo a piece of kaka. I almost caved in, and probably would have if I had the dough just laying around. But, I decided that I will let my animals tell me what they want, not the general population.
Sorry guys, I still love you all:grouphug: just that I can't afford your live style.
But remember the only SPS I keep are the caps & a patchy.
I have a 155g bow, and I change out 30g weekly, why in the world do 20g on a 65? I'd do that monthly, if for some reason I missed on the weekly w/c.
How many tanks have you gone and looked at? At least in pictures! Do not take everyone's word for the gospel truth.
The offer still stands, if you want to come and see with your own two eyes you are more then welcomed. I love showing her off now.