phosphate problem

[MiracleFish]

Can anyone tell me what's going on with my tank? Why so much green?

I'm positive it's a phosphates issue, but I'm not sure where it's coming from. Sandbed? Rock? I rinse my frozen brine and freeze the certain amount of food needed per day into frozen cubes of distilled. Any other cause? Lights? I have two 65w, 6 month old 50-50 bulbs in my coralife PC. I don't think lighting is an issue for my 20g long.

Everything is fine, to what I think looks fine. All my red hair algae is turning green, but it's not very hairy anymore, but still has some fuzz.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh264/Nfljets0195/480E67B6-48CA-424F-AF60-6839231FC515-3976-00000327902F05F1.jpg
Sorry for my very photogenic clown ;)
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh264/Nfljets0195/4AA7E157-1D60-4611-870F-822BB4B19436-3976-000003276989FF17.jpg

I see the cyano there on the rock, but I'd like to know how it got there.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh264/Nfljets0195/529DE4C6-A5A2-432A-AF75-B1328490D371-3976-0000032786AA00CF.jpg

What's with all this dark green, very finely haired algae?
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh264/Nfljets0195/9DC711F0-A778-4C10-8852-21771B773669-3976-000003276F3C09DC.jpg

Can someone tell me if this guy I bought last week is healthy?
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh264/Nfljets0195/CEE41E3C-23C0-4ABC-8478-515889003517-3976-000003277661C730.jpg

Lastly could someone tell me how I can clean my sand bed properly?
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh264/Nfljets0195/478EDAF7-0E6E-402F-9844-1C6C64A026E4-3976-0000032764FB1CEE.jpg

Parameters:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh264/Nfljets0195/D7EA8AF9-FC84-48D6-9F5C-0C1B51C14F89-3976-0000033878E2A136.jpg

[topjimmy]

I would seriously consider getting a gfo reactor. Are you using ro for your make up and water changes?

[bertoni]

I moved this to a new thread to make things easier.

I agree that the phosphate level is very high, if the kit is accurate. A GFO reactor might help a lot.

[michaellee64]

Your Sebae Anemone looks a little bleached, but otherwise looks fine. Sometimes they will turn white when being moved into a new system. When they are healthy and content their flesh will be a tan color with purple tips. Offer it some mysis shrimp and give it some time... should be fine.

[MiracleFish]

I would seriously consider getting a gfo reactor. Are you using ro for your make up and water changes?
I dont know how well one would do since I don't have a sump below my tank.
I moved this to a new thread to make things easier.
I agree that the phosphate level is very high, if the kit is accurate. A GFO reactor might help a lot.
Thank you very much :)

API test kits are somewhat accurate, but that's what I keep getting out of my tests.
Your Sebae Anemone looks a little bleached, but otherwise looks fine. Sometimes they will turn white when being moved into a new system. When they are healthy and content their flesh will be a tan color with purple tips. Offer it some mysis shrimp and give it some time... should be fine.
I thought it looked a little bleached, it was a little worse a few days ago when I tried moving him into a spot since he wasn't attaching his foot to anything. Ill go to my LFS soon and pick up some frozen mysis. However wouldnt it be better to possibly feed the sabae something like a little dead goldfish or silversides?

[Guygettnby]

I dont know how well one would do since I don't have a sump below my tank.

almost all media reactors can be hung on the side of your tank.


API test kits are somewhat accurate, but that's what I keep getting out of my tests.


API test kits are not the greatest. look into getting some better test kits as soon as you can. i like to use salifert for everything besides phosphates and for that i use a hanna meter.

also like some one asked earlier, do you have a RODI unit?

[Psyops]

Although a little costly for its purposes, you can also get one of those hang-on refugiums. Keep chaeto in it or whatever you prefer as a nutrient exporter.

I have a friend that has a hang-on fuge with a hang-on phosphate reactor. This way is limited but better than not having anything. Hope this helps.

Alex

[michaellee64]

I thought it looked a little bleached, it was a little worse a few days ago when I tried moving him into a spot since he wasn't attaching his foot to anything. Ill go to my LFS soon and pick up some frozen mysis. However wouldnt it be better to possibly feed the sabae something like a little dead goldfish or silversides?

It will be a lot easier for it to digest the Mysis shrimp versus the silversides. Goldfish have no business even being used in a marine environment. I would cut the bottom off of a 2 liter bottle and put it over it so you can spot feed it without anybody else bothering it. Leave it on for a couple of hours after you do that. Then dig a small spot in your substrate next to the rock you want him to attach to and place him in that hole. You may have to block him in with a few pieces of rubble to keep him from floating off. Once you do this, don't move it again until it's healthy. They can be a hard anemone to acclimate to your tank, but pretty hardy once established. Good Luck!

[michaellee64]

Although a little costly for its purposes, you can also get one of those hang-on refugiums. Keep chaeto in it or whatever you prefer as a nutrient exporter.

I have a friend that has a hang-on fuge with a hang-on phosphate reactor. This way is limited but better than not having anything. Hope this helps.

Alex

+1 High Phosphates is probably the number one cause of tank crashes. I just rescued a seabae anemone, and several corals that were dying in a tank that had a phosphate level of .65! Although I've seen tanks with levels a whole lot higher than that... they had already crashed. What type of filtration system do you have running right now?

[MiracleFish]

almost all media reactors can be hung on the side of your tank.



API test kits are not the greatest. look into getting some better test kits as soon as you can. i like to use salifert for everything besides phosphates and for that i use a hanna meter.

also like some one asked earlier, do you have a RODI unit?
I do not have an RO/DI unit, I use distilled.
Although a little costly for its purposes, you can also get one of those hang-on refugiums. Keep chaeto in it or whatever you prefer as a nutrient exporter.

I have a friend that has a hang-on fuge with a hang-on phosphate reactor. This way is limited but better than not having anything. Hope this helps.

Alex
I do have a HOB refugium, AC300 to be exact. 2 inch sand bed with rubble and chaeto. What kind of GFO does your friend have?
+1 High Phosphates is probably the number one cause of tank crashes. I just rescued a seabae anemone, and several corals that were dying in a tank that had a phosphate level of .65! Although I've seen tanks with levels a whole lot higher than that... they had already crashed. What type of filtration system do you have running right now?
AC300 HOB fuge, hydor slim skimmer, BioMaxx nano filter

[michaellee64]

I have effectively cleaned up several small tanks by using Phosguard in a media bag placed in the filter. The bags I like best are the Dr's Foster & Smith self fastening bags. Be careful about bringing it down to quick as this can prove detrimental to your corals. Start out with half the recommended amount and change it every few days until you get a handle on your phosphate problem. Then continue to use it as a maintenance tool to keep your PO4 in check, and only replacing it when it's exhausted.

[bertoni]

PhosGuard sometimes causes problem with soft corals, so I'd stick with a GFO, but many people are successful with PhosGuard, too.

[MiracleFish]

I have effectively cleaned up several small tanks by using Phosguard in a media bag placed in the filter. The bags I like best are the Dr's Foster & Smith self fastening bags. Be careful about bringing it down to quick as this can prove detrimental to your corals. Start out with half the recommended amount and change it every few days until you get a handle on your phosphate problem. Then continue to use it as a maintenance tool to keep your PO4 in check, and only replacing it when it's exhausted.
Have any links to what you're talking about? Maybe even some more personal knowledge behind this stuff. Just some of your opinions and how well it works.
PhosGuard sometimes causes problem with soft corals, so I'd stick with a GFO, but many people are successful with PhosGuard, too.
I don't believe I have any soft corals in my tank unless a goniopora, frogspawn, and polyps are soft corals.

[bqq100]

PhosGuard sometimes causes problem with soft corals, so I'd stick with a GFO, but many people are successful with PhosGuard, too.

+1

I tried PhosGuard, Phosphate Sponge, and some larger granual GFO (I forget the name now) and none of them could get my phosphate below ~.25. Once i switched to a generic, smaller granular GFO my phosphates dropped below .08 in like 3 weeks.

I run a DIY mini reactor based on a pill bottle similar to the one here:
http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/22966-mini-phosban-reactor/

I have a hang on back breeder box ($12) that is rigged with a small pump ($14) to suck tank water up into the breeder box, and then through the reactor. The reactor is horizontal, so I'm sure not the most efficient, but it seems to get the job done.

[tmz]

A couple of things:

PO4 is high. You can use gfo in a fine mesh bag in a high flow area if you're not inclined to mess with a reactor. Flow through a reactor can increase gfo's effectiveness as water passes by more adsorbing surface area but a loosely packed fine mesh bag will work .

Bony foods like goldfish and silversides have a very high phospahte to protein ratio. So ,when you use them they add lots of phospahte even when they are completely eaten since most of the phospahte animals consume is expelled s excess to their needs.

I'd take the sand and rubble out of the hang on refugium if it were my tank. The caheto is fine all by itself.

Phosguard is aluminum based. Aluminum can irrtiate your corals and is toxic at high levels. I prefer GFO( granulated ferric oxide). The iron is harmless in small quantities, though rinsing prior to us is still necessary.


It's ok to use but be sure to rinse it thoroughly to stop any dust from flowing out.

[Psyops]

+1 with what Tom just said. Your 2 inch sandbed can store a lot of phophates. If a deep sand bed is what you are going for then around 6 inches is what I would do. I do have a DSB for the past 2 years with no issues. I would try the bag with GFO in it first in a high flow area. You might not need an actual reactor. If you do, then Two Little Fishis 550 reactor is one you could try. The smaller one does not seem to work as well for GFO. You can get GFO from bulkreefsupply.com. You can actually call them and they are very helpful in helping you might your setup. Hope this helps.

Alex

[MiracleFish]

+1

I tried PhosGuard, Phosphate Sponge, and some larger granual GFO (I forget the name now) and none of them could get my phosphate below ~.25. Once i switched to a generic, smaller granular GFO my phosphates dropped below .08 in like 3 weeks.

I run a DIY mini reactor based on a pill bottle similar to the one here:
http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/22966-mini-phosban-reactor/

I have a hang on back breeder box ($12) that is rigged with a small pump ($14) to suck tank water up into the breeder box, and then through the reactor. The reactor is horizontal, so I'm sure not the most efficient, but it seems to get the job done.
That is awesome, I may have to rig one up.
A couple of things:

PO4 is high. You can use gfo in a fine mesh bag in a high flow area if you're not inclined to mess with a reactor. Flow through a reactor can increase gfo's effectiveness as water passes by more adsorbing surface area but a loosely packed fine mesh bag will work .

Bony foods like goldfish and silversides have a very high phospahte to protein ratio. So ,when you use them they add lots of phospahte even when they are completely eaten since most of the phospahte animals consume is expelled s excess to their needs.

I'd take the sand and rubble out of the hang on refugium if it were my tank. The caheto is fine all by itself.

Phosguard is aluminum based. Aluminum can irrtiate your corals and is toxic at high levels. I prefer GFO( granulated ferric oxide). The iron is harmless in small quantities, though rinsing prior to us is still necessary.


It's ok to use but be sure to rinse it thoroughly to stop any dust from flowing out.
I bought some Phosban since I dont have soft corals in my tank. Ive been running a very little amount for a week. Today I cleaned my HOB fuge of any extra waste, took some sand out(1 inch left), added more live rock, cleaned the filter sponge thoroughly, and filled up my bag of phosban twice as much and also in a higher flow spot inside the fuge. Hopefully this may make a difference.

If anyone has a DIY tutorial on a phosban reactor made from a HOB filter, that will help me out a lot more, since I have one not doing much hooked up to my tank.

[tmz]

I don't have tutorial but on some of the tanks I run I just add a fine mesh bag of a PO4 remover next to filter insert. Ractors are in use on th mainsystem.