View Full Version : Whoa, high po4
Just Jim
09/16/2013, 01:01 PM
I've always been a heavy feeder. I kept my nutrients in line by heavy skimming and dosing vodka. I have no reason, but I stopped dosing vodka. I have some sps browning and did some checks. My po4 is at 0.28! I need to get them down ASAP and am debating the proper course. I've increased skimming and started dosing vodka again, but that'll take weeks to get things right. I may turn to GFO, but I worry about DKH swings to already ****ed corals. I've been reading about a Kent po4 sponge which seems like a bandaid. I haven't seen any DKH effects with this product. I know skimming, dosing vodka, and my fuge are the long term answers. But to get things right should I try the sponge or GFO?
disc1
09/16/2013, 01:16 PM
Or some big water changes.
Just Jim
09/16/2013, 01:28 PM
Or some big water changes.
That's a problem in itself. I keep my DKH around 9 and use instant ocean salt. I haven't checked lately, but I believe the DKH is much higher. A large water change would raise my DKH too quickly. Its easier to add DKH than to get it out
Just Jim
09/16/2013, 01:43 PM
Still have to check. I stopped checking a long time ago. I just managed to get lazy and haven't done the little things that make a reef healthy. I still have a fuge and a great skimmer. I just need a band aid until enough time passes by to get things right. Its a slow process to get things right (the right way)
viktor72
09/16/2013, 02:03 PM
Smaller water changes more frequently and testing kH more often until you reach po4 level it is what would I do.In the meantime resetup your doser or Ca reactor or whatever you dose.GFO is ok.
Just Jim
09/16/2013, 02:04 PM
Just checked my no3 on an API test kit. Its awfully close to zero. They're not the most accurate tests, but its pretty yellow and compares to zero on the chart. I use a Hanna checker for po4 and DKH.
viktor72
09/16/2013, 02:06 PM
Youcan rise no3 with NaNO3.
FlyPenFly
09/16/2013, 04:38 PM
Whatever you do, don't overdose GFO, it caused an alkalinity crash for me which I made worse by causing a precipitation event later when I over compensated.
I found Phosguard is very effective and doesn't alter other water chemistry. Just rinse it four times or so in RODI. As loose of a mesh bag as possible without spilling the media out seems to work best for me.
Siebo
09/16/2013, 04:42 PM
Do a couple a big water changes. 50% of volume if possible. Then ease into GFO for long term.
bertoni
09/16/2013, 09:42 PM
Personally, I would stick with a series of smaller changes. They will have about the same effect as a large change, and probably are less risky. You can consider using a GFO product once the level is lower, or you could consider trying lanthanum chloride, which is more complex to handle. Carbon dosing (vodka and similar approaches) might help, too.
Jimmy54
09/17/2013, 03:21 AM
A bit of steel wool (wraped in filter wool) can do the trick in less than 72 hours.
Rinse both thoroughly in warm/hot water before use.
But be careful, monitor the PO4 closely during that time and don't let it drop too fast.
For a 900 liter tank, suffering from PO4 0.33, I have used some steel wool the size of a big fist and left it in the sump for about 6/8 hours a day
The result after 3 days was PO4 0,06.
Jimmy
Just Jim
09/17/2013, 04:32 AM
A bit of steel wool (wraped in filter wool) can do the trick in less than 72 hours.
Rinse both thoroughly in warm/hot water before use.
But be careful, monitor the PO4 closely during that time and don't let it drop too fast.
For a 900 liter tank, suffering from PO4 0.33, I have used some steel wool the size of a big fist and left it in the sump for about 6/8 hours a day
The result after 3 days was PO4 0,06.
Jimmy
You had my interest. I've been doing this a long time and never heard the steel wool trick. While it seems to be effective, I've read a few things about possible contamination. Zinc oxide and possible copper. It stated that steel wool comes from scraps that could possibly contain "other" metals. Unless there is a way to guarentee pure steel wool, I think I'll avoid this method. Very cool idea though!
Just Jim
09/17/2013, 04:39 AM
As of now, it looks like I'll have to sit and wait it out. I'm doing extra water changes and ordered some new GFO. Its going to take some time to get my vodka dosing to where it should be. I remembered why I stopped dosing vodka now. I had TWO refractometers that were off and my salinity dropped drastically. I ran out of my "cheap" vodka that I was using and started using Ciroc which is made from grapes. It was assumed that the Ciroc vodka had a higher sugar level which was causing my issues and all along it was the salinity. Thus I stopped dosing.
blanden.adam
09/17/2013, 06:48 AM
As of now, it looks like I'll have to sit and wait it out. I'm doing extra water changes and ordered some new GFO. Its going to take some time to get my vodka dosing to where it should be. I remembered why I stopped dosing vodka now. I had TWO refractometers that were off and my salinity dropped drastically. I ran out of my "cheap" vodka that I was using and started using Ciroc which is made from grapes. It was assumed that the Ciroc vodka had a higher sugar level which was causing my issues and all along it was the salinity. Thus I stopped dosing.
THE ONLY ISSUE WITH USING CIROC IN YOUR REEF TANK IS THE INSTANT DISDAIN YOU FEEL FROM VODKA LOVERS EVERYWHERE!!! SACRILEGE!!! :lol:
For real though, vodka is my alcohol of choice, and Ciroc by far my favorite, and there is really no sugar in there. Maybe the traces of trace amounts not measurable by calorimetry, but that stuff is 5x distilled, uber-smooth awesomeness with a slight flavor I like to call "the memory of a dream of a grape" that likely comes from volitile aromatics. Switching to it wouldn't have caused the problems, unless you consider my saddness a problem :beer:
GroktheCube
09/17/2013, 10:18 AM
That's a problem in itself. I keep my DKH around 9 and use instant ocean salt. I haven't checked lately, but I believe the DKH is much higher. A large water change would raise my DKH too quickly. Its easier to add DKH than to get it out
You could pick up some ESV B ionic salt. It has closer to nsw kh, and kh can be adjusted readily during mixing.
Spyderturbo007
09/17/2013, 12:17 PM
You can also use Hydrochloric acid to drop the Alkalinity in your IO salt. Or use something like the Red Sea salt, which mixes up around 7.7dKh.
Just Jim
09/17/2013, 12:42 PM
You can also use Hydrochloric acid to drop the Alkalinity in your IO salt. Or use something like the Red Sea salt, which mixes up around 7.7dKh.
I'm thinking about doing this. Is there any chart for such? I use the reef calculator for a couple things and would hope there is something I can use to figure it out. A lot of time I like to mix my salt at 1.027-1.028 to compensate for skimming loss.
Just Jim
09/17/2013, 12:44 PM
I go through too much salt to switch from IO. I add a little mg and CA to compensate for its short comings. I don't want to switch.
bertoni
09/17/2013, 03:14 PM
I don't have a chart or calculator for dosing hydrochloric acid. I'll see whether I can try to generate some numbers later today.
Just Jim
09/17/2013, 03:20 PM
I don't have a chart or calculator for dosing hydrochloric acid. I'll see whether I can try to generate some numbers later today.
That would be AWESOME and much appreciated! I've always had some small issues when I do a bigger water change. When you change out 50 gallons (double what I normally do) the DKH rises too much for my liking.
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