phosphate control

[saltwater11]

having a hard time keeping my nitrates and phos. down to zero. my most recent param.: alk. 6.1 / ph. 8.3 / phos. 1.0 / calc. 440 / nitrate 10 / sal. 1.025 / mag. 1200 / temp. 77.8 - 78.3 is normal. i have acros., montis., accans., favias , and mushrooms. 10 sexy shrimp, 5 scunk cleaners and 4 blood red cleaners, 4 clowns, 1manderan, i fire fish goby, 1 cleaner goby, 1 cleaner wrasse, yellow& nasa tang , red sea regal(6+in.), majestic angel (5in.), blue line angel (4.5in.). 125gal w/2 overflows, 1600 gph, 40gal sump, 125gal needle wheel skimmer, 18w uv, phosphate reactor, 200mic. filter sock, 3-150w hqi 10,000k, 4- 96w pc blue, hqi's on 8hrs, pc's on 10hrs. water changes about 15gal. every week. i was only changing my filter sock once a week, but am doing it everyother day. help

 

[worldwide zoo]

Only a good balance of rock and livestock can keep nitrates down. We all have to change water to combat this. Now there are many po4 absorbers that are very effective and safe when used properly. Please read the instuctions on these very carefully as a lot are different in their application. Some even leach aluminum into the system after only 48 hours.
As far as your parameters are concerned. Alk and Mag are on the low side. Mag should be above 1320ppm and lowest alk exceptable is 7.3 dhk(natural seawater) but, because of the way chemistry works in these systems between 8-12dhk is a good range. With the mixture of hard soft andsps corals you have , I'd run at about 9-10.5dhk. Happy reefing.

 

[saltwater11]

thanks, sorry i havenot gotten back until now. i just did a 25gl. water change tonight. my sal. 1.025 / temp. 77.8 / nitrite 0 / nitrate 40 / phos .5 / dkh. 9.1 / mag. 1280 / ph 8.3 / . i ordered 6 mo. supply of phosarhc, and will run it in my phos. reactor w/reef carbon. i will raise my mag. as you sug. and do more water changes. thanks again, rod denny. calc. 440

 

[mudplayerx]

Phosphates generally come from your water source, your activated carbon, or your additives.

 

[dennis3553]

carbon causes Phosphates

 

[mudplayerx]

Originally Posted by Dennis3553
carbon causes Phosphates
Only carbon activated with acids leach phosphates. Most good brands of carbon designed for reef use are activated using gases.

 

[dennis3553]

i use marineland is this ok

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Phosphates generally come from your water source, your activated carbon, or your additives.
mudplayerx is also refering to food when he says additives. Make sure you rinse the frozen food and don't overfeed.

 

[mudplayerx]

I've seen one test done where Marineland had no measurable level of phosphates and one test where the reading was 1 phosphate in parts per million.
The problem is that none of the major brand names actually manufacture the carbon they sell. They buy it in bulk and just slap their name on it. The only true way to tell is to test each batch you buy and return it to the store if it fails the test.
It is always good to buy your carbon from places like Walmart because they ask no questions when you return a purchase.

 

[digitydash]

I use kent carbon and have never had a phosphate problem.

 

[saltwater11]

i have used reef carbon for a few years now. i have gotten my phos. down to .5/ nitrates 40/ ph 8.3/ alk. 9.0/ temp 78/ calc. 450 and sal. 1.025. i am using phosarhc w/reef carbon. i also put over 3 qts. of chaeto to my tank. i cleand my equipment and sump today. i change my filter sock every other day. thanks everyone, rod denny