What the Phosphate!!!!

[SkunkerX]

Been trying to get this tank running for quite a few months now and can not get rid of the F*$!ing phosphates.

I used rock and sand from a system that I helped take down for a friend. I washed the sand thoroughly before

I started and had the tank running for at least 4 months now and could never get phosphates below 5 even with

changing d@mn near every drop of water in the tank 4 or more times now. I just rinsed the sand again yesterday

and the phosphates are still at about 2 or so, water has no salt in it yet."does it have to be salt water to check for phosphates?"

I haven't checked the water I have the rocks in yet as they are not in the tank right now but should I just throw

the sand away or rinse it out again and again? I am using RO/DI water for the tank with zero TDS so it has to be

the sand right? or maybe the rock? Any thoughts? This is driving me nuts!!!

 

[EricTheRed]

My guess woould be the rocks. Have you checked the rodi before you put it in the tank to rule out an issue with your rodi? You could take out the rock, drain the tank and refill. If you still have phosphates then its the sand, if not, its the rocks.

 

[KeishaKornbread]

My guess would be the rock as well. Do a test and keep some sand in a cup and a peice of rock in a seperate cup. Test the water in both vessels and you will find the culprit.

 

[SkunkerX]

Well after double, triple then quadruple checking it's between .25 and .5 for the water with the sand in it.

I haven't checked the water with the rock in it yet but its in a tub that I left outside because I didn't think

it was going to rain till tonight so I will have to check that after I rinse it out again and get some fresh water

in it. But I will check the water directly out of the RO/DI unit to make sure there is no phosphates in there.

Just out of curiosity why would you think it would be the rocks first and not the sand?

 

[KeishaKornbread]

In the past, many others have discovered that their rock is leaching phosphates. I've never heard of sand leaching phosphates. Pukani is notorious for holding organics and phosphates. Marco rock has less of a history, but it has some.

 

[SkunkerX]

And can the phosphates be checked in fresh water as I dont want to waste any more salt?

I already wasted enough.

 

[SkunkerX]

In the past, many others have discovered that their rock is leaching phosphates. I've never heard of sand leaching phosphates. Pukani is notorious for holding organics and phosphates. Marco rock has less of a history, but it has some.

Like I said before I got the rock and sand out of a fowlr system and dont know how long it was up

or what his habits were for cleaning. Now some of the rocks look like they have a rust color too them

would that indicate a problem? Like I said I have had it up for a while but have no livestock in it or

do I plan to till these phosphates go the way of the dodo. I just wanted this tank up for a back up

and such in case I need to put a few things in there.

 

[KeishaKornbread]

We'd have to see this rust colored stuff in a photo to take a guess at what it is. My rock was leaching phosphates but it looks like it has run its course and I no longer have a phosphate problem.

 

[William Lutman]

over feeding will raise Phos. Try letting tank go 3 days no food and retest

 

[KeishaKornbread]

I don't think anything is in the tank but the rocks and sand.

 

[SkunkerX]

over feeding will raise Phos. Try letting tank go 3 days no food and retest

as keisha said nothing but sand and rock in the tank and a golfball size ball of chato

 

[SkunkerX]

It has to be the rock or the sand because when I do a water change in my 125 I do it in the other tank also and all the water from the 125 goes into

the smaller tank and I completely drain the smaller tank and I have no phosphates in my 125 and just checked my RO/DI water and the phosphates I

cant really tell for sure but between 0 and .25 but seeing I have zero in my main tank "usually have aquatica check it for me" I would guess that it is

0 not .25.

 

[Smitty]

My guess would be the rocks also, because they have a history of slowly leaching phosphates out. Sand isn't large enough or porous enough to hold or leach it out. You may have to place some phosphate media in there to pull the rest of the nutrients out.

 

[SkunkerX]

Well I have all the rock out in a bucket would I just be able to rinse if for a while,

like just leave the hose running in the bucket for a while or am I going to have to

do something else to get rid of the phosphates?

 

[KeishaKornbread]

Well I have all the rock out in a bucket would I just be able to rinse if for a while,

like just leave the hose running in the bucket for a while or am I going to have to

do something else to get rid of the phosphates?

I don't think it's that easy. You could either keep it in the bucket and do regular water changes until it's leaches out most of the phosphates or you can use that acid to clean it and then soak and do changes.

 

[SkunkerX]

I don't think it's that easy. You could either keep it in the bucket and do regular water changes until it's leaches out most of the phosphates or you can use that acid to clean it and then soak and do changes.

Acid? what is that acid you speak of? I have done at least 5 full till I cant get anymore water out water changes and in that time have only gotten the phosphates from

10 to 5 and that was also running phos guard in there in between, how many more times am I gona have to do that to get the phosphates out of the rock?

 

[KeishaKornbread]

Lanthanum chloride is the stuff. It's best to do it in your backyard because the tub will foam up like alka seltzer.

You'll have to do that until you get an acceptable Phos reading. Every rock is different. I've read that it takes anywhere from a few weeks, like my tank, to over a year for some people with problem pukani.

 

[jayjigga]

Lanthanum chloride is the stuff. It's best to do it in your backyard because the tub will foam up like alka seltzer.

You'll have to do that until you get an acceptable Phos reading. Every rock is different. I've read that it takes anywhere from a few weeks, like my tank, to over a year for some people with problem pukani.

+1 to lanthanum chloride. Muriatic acid is great for cooking rock, but to pull the phos out, deff go LC.

 

[SkunkerX]

Well here is a couple of the rocks out of there...........Now that I think about it I did put some of them in my 125 and it went wacko for a while and I couldn't figure out why

but that is about 140 gallon total volume compared to 35 to 40 total in the smaller tank and put about 1/3 in the big tank compared to the 2/3 I put in the smaller tank.


Lanthanum Chloride where would I get this?

 

[KeishaKornbread]

I am wondering what kind of rock that is. Are you sure it's reef safe rock and not some stuff yanked out of the ground in someone's backyard?