High Phosphate

[Lv426]

In my 4x2x2 moderately stocked with fish I cannot seem to get clear water. Filtration is via mini-reef. I change the water once a week ~40%. I have a big bag of purigen in the sump and my water is a bit clearer but nowhere what it should be after using Purigen. I have put a small sachet into another tank and the water has become super clear.

Tank paremeters are all normal ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, Ph ~7.2, 27oC. The one aspect which is not normal and I believe effecting altough not certain is my phosphate levels. The reading is very high ~ 5 (mg/L) In fact even after a big water change the phoshate levels drop to ~2-3. The appropriate levels recommended in a tank is <1. According to the test kit high phosphates are an indication of overfeeding and/or poor tank maitenance. I feed my fish twice a day, usually dried food (Hikari gold, food sticks, Tetra Bits, HBH Cichlid attack) in the morning and frozen foods at night ie,brine shrimp, prawn, whitebait together with a few pellets. Am I over feeding?? I didnt think I was because negligible food is wasted I make sure of that. In fact I was wondering whether all my fish were eating enough.

How can I lower my phosphates guys? Is this why my water has a slight milky colourness to it always?. I dont know how relevant it is but i took my big display rock out of the tank and high pressure water cleaned. It's a holy .......rock (not lime stone). Maybe it is leeching some thing inot the water. I get no green algae in the tank.

[Eaglebarret]

Would the purigen need to be changed?

[Go Fast]

How long has the tank been established for?

[JiggyJigs]

It's a holy .......rock

Maybe your god is trying to tell you something

Apart from being a pain in the buM and making fun of your spelling mistake...I cant really help you mate. Sorry.

[Lv426]

No the purigen is fresh..tank has been established for more than six months. When i said holy I meant it has holes in it ie, not a solid rock. I dont know whether it's basalt or igneous or whatever.

jiggyJigs.......keep up the good work

[rosco]

Hi there,

I had a problem like this except, I did not know until my water went a lovely shade of green, my tank was running for about 9 -12 months. When cleaned the tank I didn't ever clean the sand as I used garden hose not one of those siphon things and I was worried about losing it. I did eventually get rid of my green water and phosphates by winning a siphon, at the NSWSC meeting, and using it to clean my substrate. Within 2 weeks the phosphate level was negligible and no green water. Now I clean a bit at a time every water change and I have planted the tank out and this has helped. So have you not cleaned your substrate if it might help.

cheers

Rosco

[BlakeyBoyR]

Algae doesnt always need to be green mate. High phosphates can cause an algae bloom without too much trouble. I find minireefs are great for biological and chemical filtration, but unless the water flow etc. is perfect sometimes floating debris stays in the tank.

Ever considered using an aquaclear just to handle floating junk? You'd only need a couple of sponges and filter wool in there to do the job I imagine.

You could try the phosphate removing filter pad made by HBH, its a horrible green colour. You can cut it into size and place it under your spray bar.

Yet another alternative is Seachem Phosguard. It is like Purigen however specially designed to remove phosphates and silicate from the water. From memory a 500ml jar treats 500-600litres of water. You could combine this and the other two methods I have suggested to really try and eradicate the problem.

If you dont want to go out and buy another filter, just buy the HBH phosphate pad, and stick that before the phosguard. Hopefully the pad will take any chunky bits and remove them whilst also removing phosphates, and then the phosguard will cleanup anything the pad missed.

HTH mate.

[Lv426]

but unless the water flow etc. is perfect sometimes floating debris stays in the tank.

How do you define this? Im not quite sue what you mean.

I have thought of the remedies you mention but the phoshate mat will need to be replaced like carbon as it will leach back into the water. Im hoping to find the reason its high in the first place and begin treatment from there.

Any other ideas?

[charlie888]

Hi Lv426,

I used to have the same problem in my standard 4'. The water always a bit cloudy, like a lot of suspended materials..

What I did was: 1. Reduce the food, 2. Add a cheap HOB filter (of course aquaclear will be better).

The problem disappear in a week.

I did not go for purigen because I don't like adding to much chemical into the tank.

HTH

[BlakeyBoyR]

Lv426 I mean that if the pull of water towards your weir or outlet point isnt strong enough, floating debris will remain in the tank. It is the same thing when you notice floating particles even in tanks with ample canister filtration.

I would suggest purchasing an aquaclear (many other HOB brands Ive experienced have design flaws that impede filtration) and cutdown the feeding. What fish do you keep? Surely is isnt necessary to feed frozen foods every day?

[rosco]

there are some great suggestions here but if you don't want to use chemicals etc clean your substrate plant it out and you still have a problem well it is something else. But I reckon it is worth a shot

cheers

rosco

[Eddie Salita]

Lv 246, I dont know whether this helps you, but the tetra bits are the culprit when it comes to phosphates. Look at the ingredients. A mate of mine had a bad phosphate problem, and I suggested to stop feeding the stuff. No more phosphate now. I learned this a while ago while playing with my test kit. I dont feed tetra bits at all now. It has little nutrition anyhow IMO.

Its the food or your water supply. I guessing you feed tetra bits at least 2 or 3 times a week??? From what I understand, phosphates have little effect on water clarity. Water changes, plants, or an absorbant chemical/media is the only way to be rid of it. Oh, and stop adding it to your system.

HTH,

Jason

[BlakeyBoyR]

Colorbits DO definately increase phosphates if not all of them are being consumed. I think it's 1.5% phosphate from memory. That's a higher percentage than most liquid fertiliser such as flourish (which is why I think colorbits are great in my plant tank).

Edit: I just thought you might find this interesting, Seachem Flourish Phospourus (what you'd add if you needed more phosphates in your tank) only has 0.3% phosphates as a percentage as opposed to colorbits 1.5%. Crazy stuff huh?

[YeW]

What sort of fine filter material is present in the mini-reef?

Is it sponge or filter wool?