Aquaman_68
too many gadgets to fail
everything u dump in ur tank contains phosphates to some degree!! U need to find the ones that contain the lower levels..... That is the fun part of the hobby!!!!
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Phosphate Education Needed
- Thread starter pesto
- Start date
everything u dump in ur tank contains phosphates to some degree!! U need to find the ones that contain the lower levels..... That is the fun part of the hobby!!!!
Aquaman_68
too many gadgets to fail
do u rinse before use in product water?
If so.....
Do u check how much phosphates leaches out from the GAC when u soak in ro/di for say 6 hours or so? (overnight)
It's doubtful that quality cacl or sodium bicarbonate contains any phosphates whatsoever. I know Bulk Reef Supply claims their products contain zero phosphates or ammonia. I'd bet 99% of phosphates in a reef tank are either leaching out of the rock or are contained in the food added to the tank. The other 1% is probably coming from the salt used in water changes. If you run a ca reactor I'm sure there are medias that contain phosphates too.
OP
OP
pesto
Keeping it Simple!
I replace it every water change.
OP
OP
pesto
Keeping it Simple!
I rinse it for minute or so using tap water before placing in tank.
jango
Non-member
Imo I wouldn't leave the carbon in there that long and I wouldn't rinse it with tap. Again my opinion I believe carbon is great for polishing up the water but gets exausted quick and will start leaching compounds back into the tank.
Pre packaged foods are usually very high in phosphate. So I would either switch food or cut down feeding (may want to cut down feeding any way). I would also switch to water change every 2 weeks till you get them under control.
Pre packaged foods are usually very high in phosphate. So I would either switch food or cut down feeding (may want to cut down feeding any way). I would also switch to water change every 2 weeks till you get them under control.
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Tom,
Aquaman is right that the answer to pollution is dilution along with a reduction in feeding. 3 cubes a day is a lot (IMO) for a 90g along with the rotofest that will surely drive up the PO4 and NO3. If it were me I would attack high PO4 with reduced feeding and a regiment of water changes. In the past when things start to get higher Ill do a 20% WC then follow up every 2-3 days later with 10% WCs for 2 weeks then tapper off with a maintenance of biweekly 10%WCs.
Also, what type of skimmer do you have? and if I remember correctly you have a fuge or algea scrubber...I think that your problem stems mostly from your food and additives than from inefficent nutrient exports...youre just putting in too much waste.
And just to chime in here, I too used to run carbon 24-7 but within the last year or so have dialed it back to a day or 2 every 2 weeks after a waterchange. I feel like I have had better results employing carbon in this fashion than before. I never liked it in a reactor (over polished the water IMO) and I tend to agree with others that it starts to leech back into the water column after a while. about 1 cup rinsed in a filter bag near my drain pipe is all I use now. And you must rinse the carbon extremely well in a mesh collendar to clean off any debris/powder.
Aquaman is right that the answer to pollution is dilution along with a reduction in feeding. 3 cubes a day is a lot (IMO) for a 90g along with the rotofest that will surely drive up the PO4 and NO3. If it were me I would attack high PO4 with reduced feeding and a regiment of water changes. In the past when things start to get higher Ill do a 20% WC then follow up every 2-3 days later with 10% WCs for 2 weeks then tapper off with a maintenance of biweekly 10%WCs.
Also, what type of skimmer do you have? and if I remember correctly you have a fuge or algea scrubber...I think that your problem stems mostly from your food and additives than from inefficent nutrient exports...youre just putting in too much waste.
And just to chime in here, I too used to run carbon 24-7 but within the last year or so have dialed it back to a day or 2 every 2 weeks after a waterchange. I feel like I have had better results employing carbon in this fashion than before. I never liked it in a reactor (over polished the water IMO) and I tend to agree with others that it starts to leech back into the water column after a while. about 1 cup rinsed in a filter bag near my drain pipe is all I use now. And you must rinse the carbon extremely well in a mesh collendar to clean off any debris/powder.
Aquaman_68
too many gadgets to fail
ouch....not good!! rinse in ro/di product water...or soak overnight in a 5 gal bucket of ro/di water!!! (& while ur at it...test the p04 in the bucket before & after u soak!!)
OP
OP
pesto
Keeping it Simple!
Will do!
Bob P.
Non-member
Here is a good article just posted a couple of days ago on phosphate. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/3/chemistry
jdeb101
Non-member
Nice article! Thanks for posting.
