phosphate

[gaz81]

hi all, i have gone through my cycle and now battling the phosphate with big hair algae blooms,will this go away by its self or should i be looking at gfo reactor which will be very tight to fit in where my sump is or phosphate remover.

[coralsnaked]

normal part of the New Tank Syndrom Heve you measured PO4

[thegrun]

It generally takes some action to solve. You may be overfeeding the tank in which case reducing the food you put in the tank may solve the problem, but if your feeding the correct amount of food, you may be forced to run a GFO reactor.

[gaz81]

No test kit yet,i will pick one up this week. i only have one chromis in there at the moment so i put very little food in and it started before that anyway. so you think gfo not phosphate remover.

[xCry0x]

I personally run GFO and carbon but that is because when I am actively trying to grow out corals I over feed the tank with coral food.

If your tank is new my guess would be you threw in a bunch of dry rock or sand that is leeching phosphates. I bought a bunch of that dry fiji rock off bulk reef supply ( I think?) when I started my tank. Once the cycle completed and I threw my reef lights on the tank it went crazy. Hair algae everywhere, tank looked absolutely horrible. I ended up pulling a lot of the rock out and scrubbing it down then buying a turbo snail (single since my tank is small) and a few more ceriths & nerites to help keep things in check. Eventually the algae went away, I would be lying if I said it was overnight but one day I simply realized it was gone. Just takes time.

[gaz81]

yeah as soon as i put the lights on next day there was brown algae everywhere,that went away on its on then almost straight after hair algae. i'll probably go down the gfo rout and get some critters

[tmz]

I'd use gfo . What phosphate remover did you have in mind?

[hotrodcruzer]

I went through the same with my 75 reef, brown started so purchased 6 turbo snails and 9 hermits. Did great until I added 2 clowns and then bang, green film algae bloom, and I mean big time. But time prevailed and after 2 weeks the tank has never looked better. It's just the natural progression. Funny thing was my torch coral and pulsing corals probably doubled during the bloom. Liked that dirty water I guess. Tested before the green bloom and tests showed phosphate and nitrates were high so it was to happen. I have since added a Bulk Reef Supply dual reactor and running their high capacity GFO and carbon. Also do weekly 10-15 percent water changes.

[gaz81]

I think i need to up my water changes as well, iv'e got 176 gallons and do about 6 g a week. i'm not really sure what phosphate remover is best if any. how easy is it to add a gfo? should i run the gfo back to sump or straight to tank? i really need all setup info on a gfo because i'm clueless when it comes to that

[xCry0x]

=x you jumped straight in with a 176g tank?

Most people run a reactor in their sump from what I understand. I don't personally run a true sump, have an all in one tank so I threw a pump in the back chamber of the tank and pump water beneath the tank into my reactor sitting in my stand then all the way back up into the rear chamber of the tank. Super inefficient but it works. Ideally you throw the thing on even ground so there isnt insane headloss but it is what it is.

[gaz81]

Yeah i know,well my thinking was more water volume more stable environment, didn't really think about the cost of salt and ro water. if i do a 44g water change a week that will cost me about $50 a week in the uk if i get ready mixed so it looks like i'll be setting up my own ro system which the wife will be happy about

[droog]

Definitely get an RO system. Charterhouse aquatics in the UK seem to be very good and helpful for equipment, delivery etc.

You don't mention whether this is a new tank or new to you. Are the lights brand new? If lights were second hand that could be part of the problem. Spectrum shifts to one the algae love...

-droog

[gaz81]

yeah iv'e brought from them before not the cheapest but good service. i know a guy that works for a company that fits window cleaning systems so should be able to pick up a refurbished one cheap. the whole setup was second hand apart from new bits i'm adding. the lights are aquaray leds about 5 years old, can this happen with leds?

[shesacharmer]

LEDS should not be the problem.

[gaz81]

didn't think it would be. just put some rowa phos in a filter sock on the inlet to the sump, don't think its ideal but it will have to do till i get a gfo couldn't see how much should be used on a 176 g though.