help with phosphates

[birdy]

Okay here is the run down. I started up my tank about 2 months ago( 46 bowfront). I put in 20lbs base rock. 45lbs live fiji, 4in live sand bed. The cycle was 2 weeks in when my power went out for 6 days due to a ice storm. I had some die off from the power outage. 3 weeks ago I added about 25 more lbs of live rock. My cycle was finished last week.
0 ammonia, 0 nitrate, 0 nitrite.
I have a lot of cyanobacteria growing in my tank. I have tested phosphates and they are off the chart. I use RO/DI water from my own unit. I have tested this water several times 0 phosphates. I have tested my makeup water (reef crystals) also 0 phosphates. I have not put any additives (except coral vital) in the water because it was still cycling. I have 3 powerheads turning the water over 400 gph. I am running a emperor 400, and a prizm skimmmer that I turned on after the cycle was finished. Why do I have phosphates, and how do I get rid of them. Will dripping kalk get rid of them, or do I need to do something more drastic, like a phosphate sponge.
Oh, I added a cleanup crew yesterday and they have done a great job with the hair algae but I know most of them don't touch red slime. If anyone can help I would appreciate it. I would rather not use chemicals in the water if I can help it.

 

[kev]

Your best bet would prolly be to go with the phosphate sponge... i heard they are very effective!

 

[ren]

I know kent makes a phosphate sponge that is small crystals - I placed em in some fishnet stockings - work great! Also in my battle with that junk I vacumed what I could out at water change. And, last, keeping lighting to a minimum helped to destroy the junk. Only a small trace appears when the lighting is on for an extended time

 

[k.lee]

If your make-up water has o phospates, and you only have a cleam up crew, do water chjanges. I don't think 50% is out of the equation for you.

 

[nm reef]

Absolutely no idea as to the source of the phosphates....but there are a few things that will help with your problems
kalkwasser on a regular basis will help to precipitate phosphates out
I use kent phosphate sponge once a month(along with carbon) more or less to polish the water in my system...I'd suggest you try the phosphate sponge maybe once a week for a few days at a time and see if it helps...I use a micron bag and place it in a high flow area...works great!
manually remove the cyano...nasty stuff! maintain maybe a 10% water change on a regular basis(with your problems...maybe once a week)
reduce lighting temporarilly(sic)...I've heard that it will help with the nasty red slime......
other than that maintain good circulation and water chemistry........
hope this helps a lil...good luck....& keep us posted.....

 

[broomer5]

Birdy,
In my opinion, if you went 6 days without power - I'm assuming no heater working, no powered water movement/circulation, nothing but room lighting and no filtration of any kind. You not only had some die off - I would imagine you had a HUGE die off. If your original 45 lbs figi had much algae growth on it, and most of it died off - this may have caused the high phosphate level you've indicated. I say may have because I can't see your tank conditions.
No lighting means little if any photosynthesis, and little if any nutrient take up by benifical algae or anything in the tank.
You've tested your RO/DI water, makeup water and mixed saltwater and no phosphates. That's good.
I would think that during the 6 day no electric power period - your tank's bacteria did not reproduce at normal levels, the cycle stalled and the die off raised your nutrient/phosphate levels.
Then after you regained electric power, and 3 weeks ago you added 25 pounds additional live rock - your tank continued to cycle, bacteria levels finally rose to the point that they had sufficient numbers to convert ammonia to trites and finally to trates. All nitrogen compounds now reading zero. Another good thing.
But ..... now you are left with a cycled tank that has a cleanup crew and high phosphates.
I agree with K.Lee and start doing large water changes to reduce the phosphate levels, in addition to running a phosphate sponge media/pack. Small water changes at this point will take you forever to get the phosphates down to acceptable level.
Siphon off as much of the cyno as you can, reduce your lighting somewhat, do water changes, and run the sponge, and drip kalk at night if you want to .. it will only help IMO.
Lastly - I'm sure you are aware of the risk of doing large water changes on any life in the tank .... your clean up crew. When you mix up the new saltwater, pay special attention to matching the temperature, pH, salinity and any other water tests you can do .. to the existing tanks water conditions. I'm sure you don't want to lose your janitors during these water changes.
Wish you much luck Birdy

 

[birdy]

Thanks everyone for the help! I did a 25% wc last night and the Po4 has dropped from over 1.0 to 0.5. So I am going to continue 25% wc every few days to get it to drop more. I am going to get some phosphate sponge and start dripping kalk at night.
I reduced my lighting as soon as I noticed the cyano. They are only on for 4 hrs a day. Should I reduce them even more?
Thanks again for the help!

 

[k.lee]

I don't think the bacteria care iof the lioght ios ON or OFF. rEDUCE THE ORGANIOCS, VITS. MINS, etr cetera.. Not sure.

 

[javajoe]

I would suggeste that you do water changes once a week- not every few days. Do water changes too often, and in addition to removing the water with phosphates, you'll be removing the good bacteria that is trying to build up.
I had a similar problem, major die off with a HUGE algea outbreak. I used a phosphates sponge in a net bag which removed some of the phosphates, i reduced my VHO lighting to 6 hrs a day only, and I did a 20% water change once a week for 6 weeks. After removing the phos;phate sponge, i used activated carbon ina net bag for a week too. When doing water changes, get as much of the alge out as possible- i actually used a tooth brush to scrub it off the rocks and suck it out. in addition to that, keep your alk and ph up where it needs to be with buffers, and add calcium supplements to make sure that your coraline aglea can spread.
I did this, and finally won the battle. hang in there! it will get better!

 

[birdy]

Thanks, that does sound like a safer way to go. I was worried about large water changes. I will go ahead with the phosphate sponge and Kalk but wait a week to do the 25% water changes.

 

[snowman]

Originally Posted by NM reef
Absolutely no idea as to the source of the phosphates....but there are a few things that will help with your problems
kalkwasser on a regular basis will help to precipitate phosphates out
I use kent phosphate sponge once a month(along with carbon) more or less to polish the water in my system...I'd suggest you try the phosphate sponge maybe once a week for a few days at a time and see if it helps...I use a micron bag and place it in a high flow area...works great!
manually remove the cyano...nasty stuff! maintain maybe a 10% water change on a regular basis(with your problems...maybe once a week)
reduce lighting temporarilly(sic)...I've heard that it will help with the nasty red slime......
other than that maintain good circulation and water chemistry........
hope this helps a lil...good luck....& keep us posted.....
Thanks for the tip on lighting, I was cutting my down from 12 to 7 and was afarid of damage to my coral I will stick with my 12 as of today. You seem to have had a lot of experience and I will try some of your ideas. Thanks the Snowman.

 

[fishamajig]

have you ever heard of a term called "COOKING ROCK" it is something that allot of bare bottom reef guys do to rid their live rock of excess phosphates. In essence you have the rock in a tank that is running but with no lights " and livestock of course" . this causes bacterial turgor and the excess junk is pushed out of the actuial pores and holes of the rock itself. when your power went out for a couple of days you might of started this process. with no filters and powerheads the stuff might of ended up in your sandbed and that MIGHT be the reason for the excess phosphates. just my 2 cents though. please correct my theory if i am wrong.
:notsure: