Phosphate

phosphates can also be removed by live plants. my favorite solution, though, is water changes.

what is your phosphate reading currently, and what is it in your tap water? Is it coming in from the tap?
 
Hi., Are you useing Activated Carbon in your filters? if so this could be your problem as Activated Carbon All carbon products regardless of price or brand
leach PHOSPHATE!.,
 
hmm, I don't think ALL carbon filter media will leach phosphate. Some can and do, but not the higher quality ones, I believe. I say "higher quality" because those are often treated to be basically inert, and can also be processed in such a way so that they are "cleaner". If you're interested, bongkoy, do an internet search for "activated carbon leach phosphate". I came up with quite a few hits.

Also, phosphates in and of themselves are not harmful. They don't even lend themselves to algae as much as the old wives tail has people believing. But, yes, they are a plant nutrient. So as I said before, you might want to invest in some live plants! :)
 
plah831 said:
phosphates can also be removed by live plants. my favorite solution, though, is water changes.

what is your phosphate reading currently, and what is it in your tap water? Is it coming in from the tap?
Click to expand...

plah831,

Thanks for the reply!
I bought a test kit and recently found out that it does not include phosphate test and Iam tired of buying again. :(
Iam using water conditioner for my tap water change. Recently I went from a week cycle to every 3 days water change. 15 percent.
 
rpwaite said:
Hi., Are you useing Activated Carbon in your filters? if so this could be your problem as Activated Carbon All carbon products regardless of price or brand
leach PHOSPHATE!.,
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply.

Iam using Whispers hang on filter which uses activated cabon (junior filter). can this be a cause of the phosphate leach?
 
plah831 said:
Also, phosphates in and of themselves are not harmful. They don't even lend themselves to algae as much as the old wives tail has people believing. But, yes, they are a plant nutrient. So as I said before, you might want to invest in some live plants! :)
Click to expand...


Does every 3 days 15percent water changes hurt my tank?

I do have 4-5 species live plants.
 
If you don't have a phosphate test, how do you know what your phosphate is or that you want to change it?

Kath
 
dabaers said:
If you don't have a phosphate test, how do you know what your phosphate is or that you want to change it?

Kath
Click to expand...
great point, Kath.

bongkoy, 15% every 3 days is not too much at all. I've gone through periods where I had to do 50% twice a day for weeks on end. This was when I changed out all my gravel and went through a mini-cycle with nitrites only. Any time ANY nitrites registered on a test, my otos started breathing rapidly. But doing that many WC's is not going to harm your biological filter, and is great for your fish. Cleaner water makes them healthier :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom