Phosphates-Where do they come from?

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garbon2535

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Nov 10, 2006
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I have a 10 gallon tank that has been running for 2 months. There has been 15 lbs of cured LR from my LFS almost the whole time. I use RO water in my tank.

Just recent I have had major hair algae growth. I tested for phosphates and they where just below 3.0 ppm. I have tested my RO water and there are no phosphates in it. Where do phosphates come from inside a marine tank?

I have no invertibrates and no fish. I just recently added some snails and crabs to keep the hair algae under control. Should I use something to absorb the phosphates or should I do a larger WC to dilute? I have been doing a 10% WC weekly and I have been dosing calcium & coral vital.
 
Firstly, algae blooms are quite common in a tank taht has only really been running for a couple of months..Phosphates can come from many sources both internal and external. Externally, they can come from the water, that salt mix that you make up, frozen foods, over feedingadditives..Internally, they can come from a high fish and or coral population, die-off form the rock ( what did you live rock smell like when you put it in the tank? ), silicates from the sand is also a possiblity..

What is your phosphate readings of the saltwater before it is put into the tank?

how come you are dosing your tank for calcium and coral Vital? and what are your test results for these?

You could try Rowaphos to effectivly lower your phosphates, but, ideally, you need to find the source of it..

Niko
 
Brown hair algae will most likely cover everything at one point in a new tank. The best thing is to just keep an eye on parameters, and get an animal that eats it. I put a coral beauty in there to eat it, and he had eaten the majority of it within one week's time.
 
what did you live rock smell like when you put it in the tank?

The rock smelt fine. It was all fully cured, covered in purple corraline. My LFS claims that she has had the rock in her tank for over a year. I know her well and have no reason to belive it hasn't. The rock was out of the water all of 30 minuets between my LFS and my home. I never noticed any unusual odors during the first few weeks.

What is your phosphate readings of the saltwater before it is put into the tank?

I will have to check. I have tested the RO water I use, that has a phosphate level of 0.1-0.2 ppm. I use IO salt mix. SG 1.023 @ 78 F

how come you are dosing your tank for calcium and coral Vital? and what are your test results for these?

To keep the corraline algae growing. I maintain a calcium level of 400-420 ppm.

You could try Rowaphos to effectivly lower your phosphates, but, ideally, you need to find the source of it..

I am most interested in finding the source of my phosphates. Thank you for your help.
 
Do you use activated carbon? Depending on the brand and how long it's been in there, it may be the culprit of your phosphate levels. Certain fish foods contain phosphates as well. Do you use any sort of buffers? If so, depending on which ones you use, they can also contain phosphates.

Here's an article that may help.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/phosphates.php
 
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