# Excessively High Phosphate Levels.



## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

Okay, it seems that my tank phosphate levels are through the roof and I believe this is largely due to the extremely high phosphate levels in my tap water. We are talking over 5 Mg/L(I don't know exactly how much higher than 5Mg/L as the test kit is not calibrated to read more specific levels over 5Mg/L). 

Okay, I know high phosphate levels in and of themselves don't contribute to problems, like algae. However, there appears to be consensus that excessive phosphate levels beyond ideal parameters will cumulatively increase faster than the levels are depleted and create problems, especially if replacement tap water levels contain high level of phosphates to begin with and the fact that fish waste, dead plant leaves, and uneaten food will add to the problem.

Besides, minimizing feeding, and keeping the tank as free of dead plant leaves, I was thinking of trying the following. Any recommendations, suggestions, and feedback would be most welcome.

(1) Using Phosphate reducing foam for the filter. This would be a temporary measure to reduce and create a more balanced phosphate level after which they would no longer be used.

(2) Increasing fast growing plants to further help in utilizing the excess phosphates. This is not really much of an option for me as I my tanks are already bulging at the seams with plants and there is really no more room for new plants.

(3) Reducing stocking levels to minimize waste and feeding. Again this is not really a good option unless I start another new tank. I am stuck with the fish that I have now.

(4) Reducing the frequency of water changes(given that the tap water already contains extremely high phosphates) until the excess phosphate levels are depleted by the plants. 

(5) Using Reverse Osmosis Water for water changes. Again, my preference is to try and work with the water I have. Perhaps this is something that I could try as a short term measure to try and bring the phosphate levels with ideal parameters. 


Thanks


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

If you are concerned with the rise in phosphate level due to waste in the tank, it makes no sense not to do water changes. Those changes will reset the phosphate level to whatever is in the tap water. I think I would just treat the water changes as the method of dosing phosphate, do 50% a week changes, and dose other ferts normally. Anything else looks like it would introduce big fluctuations in phosphate level which is not good.


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

hoppycalif said:


> If you are concerned with the rise in phosphate level due to waste in the tank, it makes no sense not to do water changes. Those changes will reset the phosphate level to whatever is in the tap water. I think I would just treat the water changes as the method of dosing phosphate, do 50% a week changes, and dose other ferts normally. Anything else looks like it would introduce big fluctuations in phosphate level which is not good.


Thanks Hoppycalif. I have been doing 50% weekly water changes on of the 10 gallon tank in question since it was set up almost 6 months ago. Phosphate levels test consistently over 5Mg/L despite this. That is why I thought I would need to look at something else until I could get the levels within acceptable phosphate levels. The KH tests within ideal range, I dose with Excel and DIY CO2 injection, use PPS-Pro(recently deleted the Phosphates from the recipe), iron tests normal, nitrates are at 10ppm, nitrates are 0 and ammonia is 0. Besides being over-ridden with snails, the tank has a consistent permanent brown dust algae issue(the type you need a credit card to scrape off and in this case even when it is scraped off, it keeps coming back). I am really beginning to suspect that the excessive phosphate level is at the root of the problem.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

my tap water is 2ppm phosphate, and for some reason every new tank I start has a phosphate spike over 10ppm a Month or so later, even after my nitrates are under 5ppm. beside the usual gravel vacuum, filter media rinse, and increased nitrate dosing, I use this Magnavore PÛRA PhosLock sponge media with some success. click on the photo for my actual use details, and I recommend using twice as much media as they prescribe.


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

spypet said:


> my tap water is 2ppm phosphate, and for some reason every new tank I start has a phosphate spike over 10ppm a Month or so later, even after my nitrates are under 5ppm. beside the usual gravel vacuum, filter media rinse, and increased nitrate dosing, I use this Magnavore PÛRA PhosLock sponge media with some success. click on the photo for my actual use details, and I recommend using twice as much media as they prescribe.


Thanks. That's pretty interesting. Have you found the emergence of brown dust algae a few months after setting up your tank. This is one of those things that puzzles me. Everything but the phosphates are within "ideal" parameters. They say that green dust algae and possibly green dot algae may be caused by a "lack of phosphates". Obviously, this does not hold true for brown dust algae. And I have another 5 gallon hex, where the phosphates are over 5 Mg/L and it has green dot and brown dust algae, lol that materialized 3 months after the tank was set up. Otherwise, despite that and the fact that the tank is overrun with snails, the plants are doing fantastic and sprouting new roots.

The product you mentioned is not available locally and while I can order it from E-Bay from the US, I really don't want to pay the high shipping cost. I purchased a plain filter foam made by HBH, known as Aqua-Pur. It is supposed to help reduce phosphate levels for fresh and marine water aquariums and it can be custom cut to fit any filter. I have placed in my 40 gallon Fluval submersible filter for starters as the 40 gallon is in the worst shape right now.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I hope those of you who use phosphate test kits to determine that there is too much phosphate in the water, calibrate the kit carefully to be sure they are accurate. Measuring such a small amount of anything is difficult to do accurately, but doing it with a cheap hobby test kit is asking a lot.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

Homer, I'm sure any phosphate sponge media available in your area will be just as effective. there is one thing I've learned since posting that TRN thread last year that I'd like to stress. while I recommend twice the recommended media per gallon as prescribed by the manufacturer, you must phosphate test your water every other day till it attains the desirable level, then remove the media bag. while phosphate sponge media does not work as fast (days) as nitrate sponge media (hours), when it finally kicks in, it can be very brutal on your plants. I've had tanks where the media crashed my water from >5.0ppm to <0.5ppm which is a level that can potentially starve you plants. so either use the perscribed amount of media (and don't double it as I do) so the phosphate level comes down more gradually; or double up to increase the speed and severity of the drop, but only do that if you are testing vigilantly enough to then remove the media from your filter once the desired phosphate level has been achieved, and be prepared to dose phosphate back into the water in case you over shoot your mark.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

hoppycalif said:


> I hope those of you who use phosphate test kits to determine that there is too much phosphate in the water, calibrate the kit carefully to be sure they are accurate. Measuring such a small amount of anything is difficult to do accurately, but doing it with a cheap hobby test kit is asking a lot.


What he said.


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