nicmack Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 Is there a product i can buy/use for reducing phosphates on an ongoing basis in my tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 yes Seachem makes a product called Phoszorb (sp?), probably the best product for your cash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 Water changes and feeding with low phosphate food is even better value for your buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicmack Posted September 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 I am doing two weekly water changes and not feeding in flake food because it is high in phosphate from what I hear - I am using JBL discus bits... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 How much water are you changing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 19, 2008 Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 x 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicmack Posted September 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 its a 215litre doing about a third Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 About a 3rd how often? There's a huge difference between weekly water changes and say, monthly changes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicmack Posted September 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 2 weekly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicmack Posted September 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 thats twice per week not fortnightly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 oops, just read your previous post! That should be ok for upkeep. What makes you think the phosphates are a problem? And how long has your tank been established? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaffen Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 Hamilton has really high phosphate levels in the tap water, doing changes increases my phosphate levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 Has your water been filtered by the dairy herd upstream? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 Hamilton has really high phosphate levels in the tap water, doing changes increases my phosphate levels. Wow, really? How do you get rid of it then? Rainwater? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 How do you know your water has high phosphates, just by testing or is there other things that happen with the tank? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicmack Posted September 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 well I had to re setup after a disaster, so I cleaned out everything sterilized the driftwood and gravel in boiling water refilled the tank and waited then added a bristlenose, waited 10 days added a small school of 5 harlequins and then a gold nugget.... all in all its been five weeks now..... after three weeks this fluro green stuff started growing on the top of my driftwood and now its taken over I see it has also attached itself to some plants at the back......I did alot of reading and found that phosphate and nitirite are the main causes....each time I have had water tests done everything reads at zero but phosphates are at 5 - previously I have the same setup with no problems...the tank has been in the same position with the same standard lighting and no issues so I think this might be the cause?? I don't want to use antibiotics because it will interrupt the cycling process which I am still trying to complete properly.... if I remove what I can and get the phosphates under control hopefully this will help control it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaffen Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 Sounds like cyanobacteria, and that you're considering erythromycin to get rid of it? I think you're on the right track, try removing phosphate first, and a UV unit may help too. Erythromycin is only a short term cure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaffen Posted September 20, 2008 Report Share Posted September 20, 2008 How do you know your water has high phosphates, just by testing or is there other things that happen with the tank? Caper Last time I tested, it came out of the tap with 0.25 mg/l PO4. My planted tank tests lower a few days after a water change, but I'm using Sera Phosvec, a PO4 absorber, and my tank is heavily planted. I'm not advocating for fewer water changes, BTW, I'm just saying Ham water seems to have high PO4 levels. As for cyanobacteria, I have a few patches on some wood, but I'm using a UV steriliser, and combined with the Phosvec, it seems to be under control. I'm no expert, but this is what's working for me Antibiotics appear to be a short term cure, most of the stuff I've found on-line says to control nitrate and phosphate levels, and keep your plants healthy so they out-compete the cyanobacteria for available phosphates I was just googling around, and found this article interesting - a concept I haven't come across before... http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com ... ntial.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicmack Posted September 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 world of water told me to use phosvec to I may just go and buy some - i really don't want to use antibiotics - do you use the phosvec with every water change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 It depends on why you got the cyano in the first place. Our tap water is also high in phosphates but I never had a cyano problem until I added some infected plants and the cyano took off. A treatment using Erythromycin worked very well and it has never returned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicmack Posted September 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 I am running a UV sterilizer as well its just really taken over my driftwood and i am at my wits end !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 Thanks for the replies folks Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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