rocknut
07/11/2007, 03:43 PM
After using a Salifert test kit for the past several years, and thinking I truly did have an “undetectable” phosphate reading, I recently upgraded to a Rowa/Merck test kit, as I setup my new tank (115 gallon display, with a 55 gallon sump, total water volume of around 140 gallons), and have yet to get a reading of less than .015. My tank has been up and running for just less than 2 months, and I have been running Rowaphos (which I have changed out every 30 days) inside a Phosban reactor since the day I added my live rock (that had been curing for 2+ months before I added it to the tank). I am gravity feeding a Deltec APF600 skimmer, I have a 4” DSB in my refugium that takes up 30” of my 48” sump, and I am growing Chaeto, and Grape Calurpa macro algae. I also take all excess overflow water (that doesn’t go into the skimmer) thru a filter sock which I change every other day. All top off water is Spectrapure MaxCap RO/DI, and tests at 0 TDS. I am also using Two Little Fishes G.A.C.
Pretty much anything you read on this subject recommends adding a protein skimmer, adding herbivores, or the use of GFO. All of which I am doing, and more. Is this just the result of freshly cured rock releasing phosphates into the water? Is this just basically part of the cycle in a new tank? I am trying to be as proactive as possible and curb any problems before they become issues (and certainly before adding any inverts.) Like I said, with previous tanks I didn’t have the benefit of having a kit like this Rowa/Merck kit, and just figured I never had any phosphates, so maybe this is totally normal.
Currently I have about 35-40 snails, and a single Kole Tang, so I don’t think bioload is really an issue. The sand bed in the display tank ranges from about 1” – 4” and is all Caribsea Aragalive sand. Same for the refugium.
Just trying to establish if I actually have a battle to fight, or if I just need to let this run its course. Thanks in advance!
Rocky
Pretty much anything you read on this subject recommends adding a protein skimmer, adding herbivores, or the use of GFO. All of which I am doing, and more. Is this just the result of freshly cured rock releasing phosphates into the water? Is this just basically part of the cycle in a new tank? I am trying to be as proactive as possible and curb any problems before they become issues (and certainly before adding any inverts.) Like I said, with previous tanks I didn’t have the benefit of having a kit like this Rowa/Merck kit, and just figured I never had any phosphates, so maybe this is totally normal.
Currently I have about 35-40 snails, and a single Kole Tang, so I don’t think bioload is really an issue. The sand bed in the display tank ranges from about 1” – 4” and is all Caribsea Aragalive sand. Same for the refugium.
Just trying to establish if I actually have a battle to fight, or if I just need to let this run its course. Thanks in advance!
Rocky