Phosguard newbie

[Rabidbeast666]

I have a 15 aio and my phosphate is steady on 3 with the Salifert text. Doesn't even read on my Hannah. My lfs sold me a small up to 60gal. Bag of Phosguard that I've put under my floss overflow at the bottom gate to the next chamber. I know I don't want to strip the po4 that fast does anyone have any suggestions on how fast this will lower my phosphates? How often should I be testing? And how long is safe to keep in the tank?

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

how fast this will lower my phosphates? How often should I be testing? And how long is safe to keep in the tank?

Not very fast. Once a week. Until it stops working in about a month.

If you strip all the PO4 out it will return unless other measures are taken.

When did you last test for PO4 ?

 

[Rabidbeast666]

This evening when I put it in. Plan on testing in the morning as I'm only working with 12.2 gal water volume.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

When using phosguard, rinse it first, and if leather or other corals close up, stop using it. Released aluminum can be a concern.

When you say 3, that means 3 ppm?

What exactly happens with the Hanna? Which Hanna?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I have a 15 aio and my phosphate is steady on 3 with the Salifert text. Doesn't even read on my Hannah. My lfs sold me a small up to 60gal. Bag of Phosguard that I've put under my floss overflow at the bottom gate to the next chamber. I know I don't want to strip the po4 that fast does anyone have any suggestions on how fast this will lower my phosphates? How often should I be testing? And how long is safe to keep in the tank?

I use It in my 90 gallon, It works slowly over time. I will say though that it is important to change it out every 4 days, as it can leach back into the system, so keeping up with it is key.

 

[Rabidbeast666]

When using phosguard, rinse it first, and if leather or other corals close up, stop using it. Released aluminum can be a concern.

When you say 3, that means 3 ppm?

What exactly happens with the Hanna? Which Hanna?

 

[Rabidbeast666]

I think it's 3ppm. Highest on the chart. My Hannah checker the green one always reads .90. The highest it goes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, then yes some way of lowering phosphate sounds like a good plan.

You may find it frustratingly slow to use a binder such as GFO or aluminum oxide (Phosguard).

It may be worth looking into lanthanum dosing.

 

[Rabidbeast666]

If my tank was bigger I would. But the sound of that scares me. The rowaphos in a bag in my return has lowered to a steady 1. Everything looks good. I've been using a filter floss overflow and have an Intank media box coming so I get better contact running the Rowa just under the floss & will help lower further than 1. I don't want to eliminate entirely. Just get it low enough I have leeway for a spike.

 

[gbroadbridge]

If my tank was bigger I would. But the sound of that scares me. The rowaphos in a bag in my return has lowered to a steady 1. Everything looks good. I've been using a filter floss overflow and have an Intank media box coming so I get better contact running the Rowa just under the floss & will help lower further than 1. I don't want to eliminate entirely. Just get it low enough I have leeway for a spike.

You're doing a good job.

Just keep slowly lowering it down to around 0.1.
You don't want to go lower than that in that size tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If my tank was bigger I would. But the sound of that scares me. The rowaphos in a bag in my return has lowered to a steady 1. Everything looks good. I've been using a filter floss overflow and have an Intank media box coming so I get better contact running the Rowa just under the floss & will help lower further than 1. I don't want to eliminate entirely. Just get it low enough I have leeway for a spike.

There's no practical lower limit to how much you can use.

 

[Rabidbeast666]

OK. The rowa took me from 3 to 1. But no more. So I swapped it out for some gfo. Went from 1 to .21 overnight and .14 today. With my same feeding routine. Nothing looks stressed. Other than 1/4 of a zoa patch. But something else is ticking it off. Hopefully it may drop a bit more and stay steady. But GFO is the ticket for phosphates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK. The rowa took me from 3 to 1. But no more. So I swapped it out for some gfo. Went from 1 to .21 overnight and .14 today. With my same feeding routine. Nothing looks stressed. Other than 1/4 of a zoa patch. But something else is ticking it off. Hopefully it may drop a bit more and stay steady. But GFO is the ticket for phosphates.

Not sure I understand that first sentence. Do you really mean rowaphos? That is GFO.

 

[Rabidbeast666]

Yes rowaphos. It seemed to hit a wall. I have to bag it as I don't have room for a reactor. The bag of straight Kolar gfo is keeping me in the .20 to .14 range. So I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Yes rowaphos. It seemed to hit a wall. I have to bag it as I don't have room for a reactor. The bag of straight Kolar gfo is keeping me in the .20 to .14 range. So I'll keep an eye on it.

RowaPhos is just GFO, same as any other brand.

 

[Rabidbeast666]

I guess I'm just getting better results with one brand vs the other then. I don't know where anything is now. Hooked up an icecap ato that worked fine setting up and 1st cycle. 2nd dumped 3/4 of a gal in and my salinity went down to 1.020 so I imagine my levels should be a mess for a bit. Taking it back and getting the Tunze. At least my phosphates probably dropped along with everything else.

 

[Rabidbeast666]

RowaPhos is just GFO, same as any other brand.

I meant Gfo vs Chemipure blue. I mixed the names up. I'm running gfo now.