Phosphates

[SkunkerX]

What would cause high phosphates in my tank? I've had it running for a few months and have rock and sand in it with no livestock.

First water that went into the tank was for my 125 and I do about 10 to 15 gal WC every month and a half again no live stock "20gal display, 15gal fuge, 10gal sump"

with the same ro water I use for my 125. Calcium is 420 alk is actually high I think at 12, ph 8.2, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate at zero and phosphate at 10.0 plus salt is at 1.025

What would be the easiest way to rid the problem? Seeing that there is no livestock and no pods or anythink just empty the tanks and

rinse out the tank, rock and sand and start with new water or all that with getting new sand and throwing out the old sand?

 

[goat585]

Have you tested your source water and your saltwater before you put it in your tank? I had phosphates that were getting past more RO unit when the DI would deplete so everytime I was doing waterchanges I kept fueling the phosphates in my tank.

 

[Smitty]

Is that a good test kit? Sounds like that kit may be bad, because 10ppms is a lot.

 

[FishBeard]

I've heard that both plastic eggcrate and Marco dry rocks are known to leech phosphates into your water. Do you have either one or both of these in your system?

 

[yogoshio]

+1 to both the test kits and the DI. If a different test kit still says its that high, I'd run some phosguard or phosphate sponge for a few days and see if anything changes. Since there's no livestock, I'd take the time to find the source before draining all that water.

 

[SkunkerX]

Well I just got the test kit 2 to 3 weeks ago at Aquatica and when i tested my source water phosphates were at .25 and I have no di unit only ro with 3 pre filters the membrane all less that 6 months old

no egg crate and the only rock that is in there came out of an established FOWLR tank as did the sand...........what are macro dry rock anyway? I guess its time I get that DI filter

Ya smitty the kit isn't that old I got it after I borrowed your calcium and didn't want to use it all lol and it turns blue right away

The phosphates in my main tank were .25 yesterday but I am running phos guard right now for that

 

[yogoshio]

Ok, so new kit, no maco or plastic, then it must be from the tap. DI will remove and keep water at 0 TDS. I really recommend getting color changing DI resin too. It just helps you keep an eye on everything.