Phosphates..and to get rid of them.

05xrunner

05xrunner

Active Member
Whats the best way to get rid of them. One of my Acros is getting whicking(sp) by the phosphates apparently and I wanna remove them. I just did a water change, I am gonna get a new poly filter tomorrow because mine was exhausted. What else is there. I have a nice clump of cheato in my HOB fuge as well.
 
apgracia

apgracia

Member
I tried all kinds of methods, but the one that worked the best was a phosphate reactor with phosban media. Keep in mind, that this is only a qiuck fix, you need to find the source of the phosphate. I made the mistake of using tap water when I first cycled my tank. After water changes and the reactor my levels are at zero. I don't even run the reactor anymore. Or infrequently anyway.
 
earlybird

earlybird

Active Member
First you need to find out where your phosphates are coming from before you run any phosphate remover. In doing so you could save money and not need any extra equipment. Are you using RO/DI water? If not you should but test it first for phosphates b/c it's possible that RO/DI can have phosphates. A lot of frozen food has phosphates as well. It's best to rinse or let your food thaw in RO/DI water and then rinse it really well before feeding. Don't waste your money on anything until you determine where your phosphates are coming from. How high are your phosphates?
 
05xrunner

05xrunner

Active Member
i buy distilled and RO from fish stores. I am going to just get a Phosphate reactor since they are cheap anyway. I wonder if my polyfilter I had leaked them back in. Cause I just read when its brown its exhausted and its been brown for a while now.
Like they say..When its brown flush it down.
 
earlybird

earlybird

Active Member
It's very possible that the water you buy has phosphates in it. I use RO/DI and I had to go to 2 places before I found one that keeps up on their filter changes and had zero phosphates. The other read 5.
 
dacia

dacia

Active Member
I recently had a problem with phosphates. I did a water change, added macros to the fuge, and put a phosphate sponge in the overflow. Less than a week later, my phosphates were 0 and have stayed that way everyday since.
My advice would be the same advice given to me. Do small water changes with RO/DI water each week plus use a phosphate sponge (or reactor). Replace any old lightbulbs. Reduce feeding, especially plant-based food. Throw some macros in the fuge.
Good luck!
 
05xrunner

05xrunner

Active Member
I have cheato in the fuge, I was using the poly filter but its used up. I will get another one of them tomorrow. I will also pickup a phosphate reactor this weekend to
 
hifi

hifi

Member
earlybird is right, first you need to find the source then you may not have to use a remover of any kind. Just befor I got my new tank & had to switch every thing I had a nitate problem always was at 20 & if I left it, it would go to 40 I tried a phophate reactor but it couldn't absorb it fast enough. Then when I tore down my 60g to move it (phosphates were at 40) I had taken all the stuff out of my sump because I was getting a new one & thats when I found the source!!!! The return pump filter spung was full of everything you could think of. I had cleaned it out befor but for some reason had just left it to long. After the move my 60g ran for 5 days without a sump or skimmer & no water change & the nitrate's went to 0 all on there own!!!! Find the source & they will go
 
05xrunner

05xrunner

Active Member
well the poly filter was brown for a while now. I didnt know it was supposed to be tossed once brown. I just threw it out..maybe that was causing it. Plus my chemipure bag was turning brown and I just tossed that as well. Maybe they where causing it
 
hifi

hifi

Member
Yep if its brown its bad, sometimes carbon gets left in (in canister filters mostly cause its easy to forget somthing when you cant see it) & after awhile & it turns brown & is a nitrate trap as well.
 
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