# phosphate remover what works the best ?



## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

anyone use phosphate remover ? if so what do you use and how long will it work/last for ? how much would i need to filter out a 130-150gal tank ?

right now i have a fx5 and have fluval carbon in it, would i be able to take it out and just use phosphate remover ? or would i need to keep both in to purifer the water like i have now ? like does phosphate remover also do same job as carbon is what i mean lol ...

any helpw ould be great thanks Rob


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

anyone know anything about this stuff ?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I am guessing that either no one has tried to use the phosphate remover or they haven't seen this post yet.

You could always check any manufacturer's online that sell this type of product and see if they have specific recommendations on how to use the product.

Do you know that you actually need to use this product and if so, what is the specific problem you are having?


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

I have brown algea on my glass but only on spots were there some scratches from previous owner and my white sand gets a brown colour to it after a few days...

I've changed bulbs in my t5ho as well, but hasn't stopped really, and I also do 90% WC weekly and vaccum the sand everytime


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

How long has the tank been set up? Brown algae could be diatoms and it's common in newly setup tanks.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

6 months or so.... And I checked my nirite and nitrate readings tonight, and there both at 0ppm with a API master testing kit


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Why are your nitrates reading 0? 
How long do you run your lights?


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Lights are on from 1pm-9pm not sure why my readings are so little.... Fish stock is light in a big tank right now I guess ... ?


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Rob1984 said:


> Lights are on from 1pm-9pm


One suggestion is to cut the lighting back by at least half the time; 4 hours. What type of bulbs are in the fixture?

As for the nitrate reading- are you vigorously shaking the 2nd bottle?


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Yes I shake the good to make sure it gets mixed up well...

Bulbs in my light are sun ocean 10000k and a coral sun actinic bulb t5h0 bulbs


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Rob1984 said:


> Yes I shake the good to make sure it gets mixed up well...


Sounds like you may need a new test kit.



Rob1984 said:


> Bulbs in my light are sun ocean 10000k and a coral sun actinic bulb t5h0 bulbs


Cut the lighting back, especially the actinic (if it's feasible). If there is no direct sunlight on the tank, you should see a decrease in diatoms.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

I hope I don't need a new test kit ! I just bought this API freshwater kit only like 2 months ago or so


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## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

Phosphate removers don't work the same way as carbon. Phosphate removers are either aluminum silicate, lanthanum carbonate (or chloride), or granular Ferric oxide. Unlike carbon which adsorbs impurities from the water, phosphate removers serve as binders which bind to phosphate ions and make them unavailable to plants or algae.

Personally I would go with granular ferric oxide such as Kent Power Phos.

Andy


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

so went to LFS he tested for phosphate in my tank water as well as tap water.... And the tank was between 05mg/l and 1.0mg/l. And my tap water was higher then 1.0 ... He said that could be cuz my carbin I'm running in the filter may have pulled some po4 out but not enough for it to be effective... So I grabbed some clearmax and gonna add it in the filter and he gonna re test everything in a few days (fri/sat)


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

DanniGirl said:


> Rob1984 said:
> 
> 
> > Bulbs in my light are sun ocean 10000k and a coral sun actinic bulb t5h0 bulbs
> ...


it a hagen dual bulb fixture i cant really use one light more then the other, so *** cut the lighting down to 4:15 to 9:15pm daily, and no there is no direct sun light at all on the tank, here is apic of were my tank is sitting in my kitchen open concept... blinds are closed for today, somedays i get sun through there but not directly on my tank at all...


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Narwhal72 said:


> Phosphate removers don't work the same way as carbon. Phosphate removers are either aluminum silicate, lanthanum carbonate (or chloride), or granular Ferric oxide. Unlike carbon which adsorbs impurities from the water, phosphate removers serve as binders which bind to phosphate ions and make them unavailable to plants or algae.
> 
> Personally I would go with granular ferric oxide such as Kent Power Phos.
> 
> Andy


I would take Andy's advice and go with the kent power phos. I have never used such a product but he does know what he is talking about and would definitely trust his advice.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

And how much of a reading is high enough to cause algea ? And how much is needed in order to treat 150gals.. And how often should it be changed


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

could i just get something thats like a protien skimmer think there called media reactor ? but has a built in pump and all id have to do is just add the media for removing phosphate ? then i dont have to try and cram everything into my one fx5... if so what a good one to go with ?


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Narwhal72 said:


> Phosphate removers don't work the same way as carbon. Phosphate removers are either aluminum silicate, lanthanum carbonate (or chloride), or granular Ferric oxide. Unlike carbon which adsorbs impurities from the water, phosphate removers serve as binders which bind to phosphate ions and make them unavailable to plants or algae.
> 
> Personally I would go with granular ferric oxide such as Kent Power Phos.
> 
> Andy


so what about some like this ?? http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium ... 84031.html


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Rob1984 said:


> And how much of a reading is high enough to cause algea ? And how much is needed in order to treat 150gals.. And how often should it be changed


.05ppm or less. At 2 or higher it will really spur growth.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

You are doing 90% water changes every week?

What are readings out of your tap water both nitrates and phosphates?

I would test the day of your water change just before you change your water to see what the levels are. You need to reduce what the algae needs to survive. Light or food are the two things you can control. Since you have some very large fish including really large oscars I would guess that the amount of food needed to satiate their appetite is what is causing it. I would reduce the amount of feedings. You always want these fish to appear hungry.

You could also add some plants to remove the nutrients in the water column.

Are you positive that no direct light is hitting the tank? If any direct sunlight is hitting the tank along with all the organics and nutrients in the water from feeding that would likely be what is causing the problem.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

the readings i posted before were tank readings, all though my tap water had a higher amount of PO4 in it then the tank has in it....

and yep between 80-90% WC weekly...every sat or sun and nope no direct sun light hits my tank ... and my fish always appear to be hungry lol


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

so i just re tested the tap water and tank water for nitrates... here is what i got ...

tap water is between 10ppm and 20ppm
tank water is about 40ppm

colours are pretty close and hard to tell one from the other i'll add pics here in a few


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

all these pics the tank water is on the left and tap water is on the right ....


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

You need to do another water change to at least try and get them down to 20ppm. Lower is preferable.

The problem also is with a tap water that produces 20ppm nitrates you will only be able to get them down by adding plants, algae scrubber(refugium with algae/plants) or to use a RO/DI unit then re-add the essentials back into the tank.

If you just did a 90% water change sunday and you are already at 40ppm you need to reduce your feedings or increase your water changes.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

ok well what about the clear max i added in my filter today ?? that should help yank down the nitrates as well right ?? and if i decide to add media reactor to put some media in it to reduce nitrate/phosphate .... that would help would it not ?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I am not sure on the clear max. I have never used it but I don't think it eliminates nitrates but probably just bonds them and makes them less toxic but your diatoms and algae will still feed off them. I think. I am not 100% sure.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

hmmm, well i'll re test my tank water in a couple days and see what th readings are worth in the tank after a few days of the clear max running in the filter


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

so i went to a water store and cracked open the blue canister i have here i use when filling my tank up ... and yes they can get me a filter to filter out anthing i want .... so she is going to try and get me a filter to filter out phosphate/clhroine/nitrate.... and if not she going to get a filter to do nitrate/phosphate and if not then just nitrate as it more of a issue then anything .... should know by lunch time i hope 2morow ...

males more sense to filter it out of the water im adding back in the tank after doing a water change then trying to filter it out with say media/reactor and such right ...


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