What are phosphates?

[karl2jack]

Hi guys - Please Help! We have a 48 gal tank with crushed coral, fish only, 2 damsals, tomato clown,and a blowfish from our bay. Our water levels have always tested perfect and we are good at water changes, 10% every 2-3 weeks. However, I seem to have a bad alge problem, red and green, seems to blossom by the hour. I also have black patches of alge (i guess its alge) all over the white sand. The lfs gave me a phosphate remover to put in my filter. I have a canister filter (magnum 350), and I have to pretty much force this packet of pellets into the canister. I am squeezing this packet between the side of the canister and the charcol filter that is covered by a bonded filter sleeve. I am not sure i like the fact that i am "forcing" this packet into the filter. Is there another way to handle this alge problem? Thanks guys.

 

[mr . salty]

Have you tested for Phosphates??? If not how do you know this is your problem???Although Phos is a good guess for your algae problams,there are many other causes..Poor or too much light...Overall poor water quality...Overfeeding...overstocking...Old bulbs...Or just may be your tank is young and going through an algae bloom(common in imature systems)...If Phosphates are your problems,Using this bag is really only relieving the symptoms and not curing the cause.you must find the source of the Phosphate and eliminat this from your system.Most cases Phos is introduced to a tank in the water you are using...What kind of water are you using????Also,Look at the other [possible causes I mentioned before,and respond...

 

[wamp]

Are you running a protein Skimmer? The red sounds more like Cynobacteria to me. If that is the case, there is a product called Ultralife Red Slime Remover that has worked for me in the past.. It is like a miracle in a bottle. It is only a patch to your problem but it does work. Some say it will kill some of your nitrifying bacteria and some say it is completly safe. I cannot comment on that but I can say it took all the red out of my tank..