Phospates?

[dundar]

I have a quick question. I have run tanks in the past but I never got a phospate test. I just moved into my first home and set up my 65gal reef tank it's been cycling for about 13 days and the water is clear I placed in some LR only, 2lbs and a blue leg hermit, keep my wife happy (so she could see somthing moving) Soon I will be getting about 60 lbs LR and completeing the set up.
I just ran the first phospate test, and it read 2mg/L. I have read that I want phospates around 0.2mg/L for a reef tank. How do I get rid of the Phospates?

 

[hairtrigger]

I wanted to give your thread a bump to the top, because I have the same question too.

 

[dundar]

Thanks, I got a chemical spounge to help lowwer the phospates temporaly. I also found out that over time the reef system will regulate it on its own, but I don't know how true this is. I'm not really feeding the tank as all I have in it right now are hermit crabs and LR but the phospates are still high I think that I may have Phospates in the tap water around here. Thanks for the info time to use didfrent water is what it looks like.

 

[col]

I used Rowaphos to drop mine from 2.5 to 0.25.
I have FO so not too concerned about getting much lower.

 

[jcsurfn]

I would go with RO/DI water the rest of the way. For all water changes. I go to those glacier machines they of outside of markets where you get 1 gal. for a quarter. It is well worth it. I go there for all my water tell I can get a RO/DI unite. I am not sure if they have those machines where you are but they should have something like it.
Also I would wait tell you tank is done cycling before adding anything to it.
I hope this helps.

 

[dundar]

Thanks for the info. I don't think I'll get a RO fillter just yet (can't afford one) but I'll look into RO water from my LFS.