phosphate problem/question ? Please help

[mr123]

I recently just finished cycling my tank (55 gallon) and put 2 clown into my tank as well as 5 snails and a couple hermits . My CUC is coming from reefcleaners so they arent in there yet. That being said I just checked my water and all my levels were fine except phosphate. They were 0.2 which is obviously no good. I am using RO/DI water I just purchased the unit from BRS and it is maybe 3 months old so I highly doubt it is that. I have a reef octo in sump nwb110. My water change schedule has been 10 gallons every week which I think has been overkill but over kill i thought was better. Again I just finished cycling and I had cured the dry rock prior to this , I also had just added last week a piece of LR from trop isle to seed the tank. Is this spike normal because its a new tank ? I used a salifert test not a hanna. Should I immediately be ordering a GFO reactor ? Is it the new LR from trop isle ? Do I just need to wait for my CUC in there will that solve my problem ? any help is appreciated thank you.

 

[PSU4ME]

If your tank is young like you describe I wouldn't get too concerned about the phosphates yet. Let everything stabilize and keep up the water changes. Gfo is rarely a bad idea so if you can run it all the better...... Down the road you'll end up running it anyway!

 

[reefstarter]

Yep Phosphates and nitrates are an ongoing battle . many ways to "deal " with it . GFO being one yes . A good amount of Macro algae in a refugium is another decent way and cheaper than buying GFO . but either or alone rarely does the trick . I am no great expert or anything just my experience thus far

 

[mr123]

thanks for the input .. i really appreciate the help

 

[mnavick]

Some corals actually prefer a little "dirtier" water.
My phosphates are detectable and managed by cheato.