Phosphate issue... now I'm confused..

Ok.. now I am really confused. I have been having some algea growth.. nothing major and I have been using tap water for water changes and top off.. So, i figured my phosphate levels would be high..

I picked up a salifert phosphate test kit and ran a test on my tank today.. As suspected it was high.. 3ppm... crap... Well I then tested my tap water... 0 ppm.. yes... zero.. ok.. so I tested some distilled and again 0 ppm.. Ok.... so I tested the tank again and it read 3ppm...

When I set up the tank 3-4 weeks ago I used about 15 gal of the original owners water and about 35 gallons of RODI.

Why would the tank show such high phosphates and tap water zero..

I guess one possibility would be my feeding.. I feed frozen food mostly and had simply been disolving it in tank water and not straining it. Could that have caused such high phosphate levels? I am now straining my frozen food.

please help explain...

 

Yes it is likely from your food. I would not think the straining will help a lot. Try feeding less.
Like feed a bit and wait to ensure the fish are actively interested. Then feed a little more. And so on until the fish slow down. I use a Pippet to feed

J

 

Well, it's obvious that you have 0 phosphates tap water, that's good. I dont know what was confusing you, it was obvious that your tap was not the problem.

3ppm, wow, that's high. I've been having another cyano bloom and my phosphates are at .5ppm, I could just imagine 3ppm levels.

 

Wow..my phosphates are so high, they're the off the scale..uggg!!! I was also getting some cyano growing ...figured was phosphates...

but...

changed my bulbs in my light system....and it's been weeks since I've seen anything. The algea stuff died in a few days...and never came back. So maybe it's a lighting problem??

Also, they make a phosphate reactor I want to get , bad. About $30 bucks I think, and you put phosban or whatever you want in the reactor, and it's suppose to work really well on getting out you PO4....

just an idea

Scoffer

 

Jason,
I thought I fed little as it was.. over the 4 weeks I have had the tank I have only fed 2 cubes.. What is the reason you dont think straining the food prior will help? Does excess food create more phosphates.. My fish eat their food within 1.5 minutes.. and I feed every other day.

rickzter,
I guess what was confusing me was I couldnt imagine that the little food I have put in there would cause phosphates to be so high.. I also expected my tap water to have phosphates but was supprised it to have none..

Scoffer,
I have a new lighting unit 1 week old.. See the specs at the bottom of my posts.


So, if this is a food issue... are there foods that contain no phosphates? I am currently using Marine Cuisine (san fransisco bay brand).. I really dont think there is much food that is not eaten.. Should I switch to Formula 2 or something? I guess I will plan for a water change tomorrow and try to get this number down..

Any other recommendations or things to look out for that would cause high phosphates would be welcomed..

Thanks,
Jerid

 

carbon?

The below quote is taken from: http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa070403.htm

I do have a 12x4" sack of carbon in my sump.. Should I pull this out?

 

Below quote regarding phosphates leaking from activated carbon from http://www.faqs.org/faqs/aquaria/general-faq/filter/

 

Jerid,

Yes, frozen foods contain a lot of phosphates and that's why I recommend that people soak them in RO/DI water and then straining out the water. Since water is the universal solvent and RO/DI water is stripped, it will literally act like a magnet and suck most of the phosphates off the food. Do this with your carbon too....deaerating is very useful and you also get to soak off the phosphates.

This is not going to give you 3ppm though. Readings that high are going have to come from the used live rock or used sandbed.