phosphates

[mmedley]

i have a 75g w/ about 70lbs lR
-two soft corals-star polyps and pagoda cup
-blue hippo
-yellow tang
-sand sifting star
-serpent star
-misc snails
-urchin
i am running T5 4x 54 watt half actincs and half 10k daylight on an 8 hours cycle
ammonia 0
nitrite-0
nitrate-20
salinity-30ppm
for the past couple of weeks a red and green velvet looking algae has been taking over the sand and rock and there has been a lot of green algae growing on the glass.....the guy at my lfs said it was caynobacteria(sp?) and basicly ment my water quality is crap......i just did a water change last thurs about 30% and planed on doing a 50% water change tomorrow to get the nitrates down.....the guy also told me to check my phospate levels....I have never tested this and don't recall reading a whole lot about it....i cut my lights off for a few days and the algae does not grow back....anyone have this problem? could it be my high nitrates? possibly phosphate?
-what creates high phosphates?
-will a w/c decrease the levels?
-should i test for this in my fowlr tank as well?

 

[teen]

are you using RO/DI water? how old are your bulbs? whats your flow like? how much do you feed/ what do you feed/ how many fish?

 

[hypertek99]

cut back on your feeding and photoperiod. Yep it sounds like you have some phosphate in your tank. Water changes will help.

 

[rcoultas]

3 primary sources of phosphates are cleaning solutions (glass cleaner for example), tap water, and flake foods (although levels are low combine with overfeeding and you get excess phosphates)
Water change to lower nitrates
RO/DI to decrease phosphates introduced to system
as advised above decrease light schedule (photoperiod)

 

[t316]

I have been recently dealing with the same delima, and have done alot of research, which suggest everything from medications, to water changes, to more water flow, to voodoo witchcraft, etc. I am currently sticking with the natural approach, and have been doing 10% water changes about every other day for the past few days. It's still early to see if this is going to work, but sand is starting to look a little better (after only 2 changes). I have never added meds, and don't won't to start unless last resort. I also cut feedings back from everyday, to every other day (fish think I'm the anti-christ now, so I just hide from them on off days) and I have cut slightly back from using flake food, as I read that this is loaded with phosphates. I'm still running lights as normal.

 

[mmedley]

i use ro/di water
don't really know how old bulbs are......bought the whole set at a great deal had it up for 6 months....
feed formula one to serpent star and tangs, switch up to mysis and algae sheets some times.....normally feed every two days....
flow is good.....3 1200 maxi jets

 

[rcoultas]

post your water parameters here and get a phosphate test kit or have the water tested for it to confirm that it is there in higher levels - then perhaps someone can pinpoint your problem.