# phosphate



## kenpo1 (Jan 20, 2010)

How do I raise my phosphate levels. They are at 0 now?


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Get 1/2 pound of KH2PO4 from a place like Greenleafaquariums or get some Seachems Flourish Phosphate. Depending on your tank size you may want to make/use liquid form: 3/8tsp per 250ml will be about Seachem strength. See the link to the Fertilator below. Start slow and build up.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/fertilator.php


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## Franzi (Dec 7, 2009)

I would recommend using aquariumfertilizer.com. I actually just got some KH2PO4 from them. Ordered Monday, received Wednesday with standard shipping rates.


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## flashbang009 (Aug 6, 2009)

Just like they said, use some ferts. The fertilizer forum has a wealth of information for how to raise different levels, and how much to add. Just out of curiosity why do you want to raise your phosphate levels?


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## kenpo1 (Jan 20, 2010)

Because my phosphate is 0.and nothing seems to be going well.


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## flashbang009 (Aug 6, 2009)

What are some of the problems you're having?


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Some more info on your tank setup would be helpful: tank size, lighting, CO2, plant types and other water parameters like pH, NO3,K, GH, KH.

Without phosphate your plants really wont be able to assimilate much NO3.


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## kenpo1 (Jan 20, 2010)

75 gal. with CO2. and 260 watts of light.Plants, java moss is doing well.Bunch plants,some jungle Val,I am not good with names. Tank has been up for 6 months.lots of Sword tail, lots of babies, lots.Ball algae, and string algae, ,lots.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Whats your lighting schedule and duration? Type of lights.
Fertilizer levels and dosing schedule?


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## kenpo1 (Jan 20, 2010)

Lights,on for about 10 hrs. 130 watts is 6700k and the other(130watts).The 2nd is split between(Ithink) 50/50 and antic. The 2nd strip came that way. I got a good deal on it, I didn't care what the light was. But I had the same problems before I got that light. Recently I've been using Excel.I was told do use up to 2x the dosage, to help with the algae.Not much help yet. Been 10 days of using Excel.I use it every day ,say 10 ml. More with water change.(20ml.)


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Sounds like you need a little better management of your tank. Aquatic plants are like terrestrial, they need light energy and nutrients to grow. It sounds like you're providing a lot of light, some of which they cannot use, ie, actinics, and no nutrients. Start a fert scheme/routine, and follow it.

My suggestions: clean tank as much as possible, manually removing as much algae as you can. Purchase your ferts from any source you want, several have been mentioned. Read through the stickies in the fert forum to evaluate what route you might want to go, EI, PPS, etc, and start dosing macros and micros, according to your decision and the recommendations. If you're going to use the full bank of lights, I would cut the duration down to no more than 6 hours for now, and lose the actinics. Excel dosing has been shown to help knock off algae, but you need to correct the issues that caused it in order to win the war. Dose the Excel at 2x recommended dosages, which would mean 15ml daily for your tank. BUT, your Vals will probably die, as they do not tolerate Excel well.

Here's an article which might be useful to you:
http://www.aquatic-plants.org/articles/basics/pages/index.html

Good luck. HTH.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

kenpo1 said:


> Lights,on for about 10 hrs. 130 watts is 6700k and the other(130watts).The 2nd is split between(Ithink) 50/50 and antic. The 2nd strip came that way. I got a good deal on it, I didn't care what the light was. But I had the same problems before I got that light. Recently I've been using Excel.I was told do use up to 2x the dosage, to help with the algae.Not much help yet. Been 10 days of using Excel.I use it every day ,say 10 ml. More with water change.(20ml.)


With that much light I'd cut back to 8 hours total duration. Actinic is for saltwater - Its doing nothing for your plants. Excel without fertilizers is a waste of $$$. There are no nutrients available for your plants to consume; perhaps some from the fish. Look at what Bert H posted. Get some Potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate.

Do you know your GH and KH?


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## flashbang009 (Aug 6, 2009)

Also, excel has been known to hurt vals. I agree with everyone else, change that actinic light and start a fertilizer regimen.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Ditto^
It is all about balance. 
Plants need many different elements in the right levels. 

Fish food is a reasonable source of nutrients in a low light tank, but the plants will very quickly use it all up when the lights are that high. 

Some substrates can offer some fertilizers, too, but rarely enough for a high light tank. What substrate are you using? 

Test the NO3, too, it is probably also low, and begin a complete fertilizer dosing. This can include fertilizer tablets in the substrate, too, near the plants that use more ferts this way.


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