Jestersix

Phosphate

I'm starting to get a hair algae in a lot of places in my 34g. I'm guessing this is because of my phosphates. I took all the rocks with hair algae on them out of the tank (except for the base rocks with hair algae). I think it was like 3 small rocks and 1 big rock that I took out. What are something things I can do to help my phosphate levels to get down and stay down? I'm not sure if I'm over feeding the tank or not. How much should I be feeding and what would be over feeding? I do a 5 gallon water change each week and do top-offs with RO. Also, I'm going to be adding some more sand in a few weeks. I want to get artificial sand. Will it cause an algae bloom when I add it to the tank? If it will, will live sand do the same thing?

Thanks! :bigsmile:
 
change 15 gallons and check your levels. I change 4 gallons a week on a 12 gallon and the tank grows corals like crazy with stock lighting and no algae or phosephates. check the water you are using for phosephates. you don't have to change 15 a week but if you're over feeding it wouldn't hurt. I would probably go with 7 to 10 a week on a 34. it's not much water. I have to change 35 to 50 a week on my 240 with 125 sump.
 
Don't "guess" it's due to phosphates and then try to treat it as if it is phosphates. Get a test kit and double check that is in fact phosphates, there can be tons of reasons why the algae is growing in such numbers, phosphates is simply one of many possible answers.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Don't "guess" it's due to phosphates and then try to treat it as if it is phosphates. Get a test kit and double check that is in fact phosphates, there can be tons of reasons why the algae is growing in such numbers, phosphates is simply one of many possible answers.

Excellent post!!!!
 
If your in San Francisco or plan to come out this way I can test your phosphate if you bring a sample. I got a colorimeter and reagents that are designed to detect low level PO4. I can tell you exactly how much po4 you got in your system.
 
There is not test for bound up PO4 or the other mutlitude of PO4's :( You can test for one type ofPO4 but algae can strip it quicker then it is released so even though you test low, you could still have a bunch bound up in your rocks and detritus.
 
I guess he may as well just throw out his tank and forget reefing. Can't test it, can't fix the problem without knowing the cause.
 
The real question is how do you even know your rock is bounded with PO4? It most likely is from what I read, but how do you quantitate the amount that would justify nuking (if possible) or replacement. Why would you nuke a rock without test? Perhaps he knows something we don't know regarding testing po4.
 
GreshamH said:
There is not test for bound up PO4 or the other mutlitude of PO4's :( You can test for one type ofPO4 but algae can strip it quicker then it is released so even though you test low, you could still have a bunch bound up in your rocks and detritus.

Not saying what you said is wrong, but by your argument, it is absolutely pointless to ever test for N or P.
 
Yup :) It's a quandary. For many people testing does show PO4 and is helpful. Others never show a trace yet have lush algal growth leaving them to scratch their heads. I'm the latter, mine never shows any trace yet I have all the usual suspects kicking it and doing just fine despite using GFO on a continued basis.

Obviously my last post conflicts with my first post but both are right. I tell people to test for what ever they can if they're going to use something to deplete it. Since my testing never shows anything, I run a smaller amount knowing my feed input will also bring in PO4 the GFO can pull out. I don't run a ton of GFO and my flow through it is minimal. So see, both are right. Test...but be advised you can still have algal growth despite the test showing low levels.
 
andyman said:
I guess he may as well just throw out his tank and forget reefing. Can't test it, can't fix the problem without knowing the cause.

andyman said:
The real question is how do you even know your rock is bounded with PO4? It most likely is from what I read, but how do you quantitate the amount that would justify nuking (if possible) or replacement. Why would you nuke a rock without test? Perhaps he knows something we don't know regarding testing po4.

:Sp Glad to see you haven't changed a single bit!
 
GreshamH said:
Yup :) It's a quandary. For many people testing does show PO4 and is helpful. Others never show a trace yet have lush algal growth leaving them to scratch their heads.

have you seen my algae nano ? :p
 
I got one of them as well. Old reactor media seems to be rather good at binding up PO4 :lol:
 
what Tony said. Just because it's bound doesn't mean it's not available to be used.
 
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