Phosphate blues

[Greenie33669]

Hello everyone, I am somewhat new to the hobby I have had my aquarium up and running for about a year now and my phosphate levels are always high.
ph 8.3
kh 9
Ca 480
phosphate.90 per Hanna checker
nitrite 0
nitrate .10
Consistent weekly ten percent water changes from the start
i Have several fish which I feed three times a day frozen mises shrimp in the early am some blended shrimp mid morning and a pinch or two of flakes around three pm. I have tried cutting back on the amount I feed but my fish start acting aggressive and I have not seen a significant change in phosphates when I did cut back any other suggestions? It is a 150 Gal tank with 30 gal sump waist a moderate amount of lps corals the majority of my corals are healthy and seem to be thriving only my two elegance seem to struggle but I am told that they are prone to bacterial infections and so far I have had little success in combating this. Any thoughts are welcome

 

[Spare time]

Run GFO. I'd also consider dosing aminos just in case because your nitrates are at 0 despite heavy feeding. That indicates you have a strong demand for nitrogen sources (or an incredible filter). All tanks need some form of phosphate mechanism, and water changes are often quite ineffective at lowering them. I am not sure if you have a refugium or not, but it may be hindered by limited available nitrogen.

 

[Greenie33669]

Run GFO. I'd also consider dosing aminos just in case because your nitrates are at 0 despite heavy feeding. That indicates you have a strong demand for nitrogen sources (or an incredible filter). All tanks need some form of phosphate mechanism, and water changes are often quite ineffective at lowering them. I am not sure if you have a refugium or not, but it may be hindered by limited available nitrogen.

Thanks for the info am looking at GFO to Solve this problem

 

[Spare time]

Thanks for the info am looking at GFO to Solve this problem

Just make sure to use it slowly. If you don't have a reactor, you can put it in a very very fine mesh bag.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Thanks for the info am looking at GFO to Solve this problem

Can try dosing Brightwell carbon source as well

 

[KrisReef]

As these tanks mature they can start "eating" phosphates microbially. I would find a clean source of live rock and add a small chip (1/4 lb) to try to boost microbial diversity. The light feedings should allow phosphate to decrease over time, unless the rock you started with has a lot of phosphate clinging to it? GFO will reduce phosphate, go slow!

 

[Pistondog]

Hello everyone, I am somewhat new to the hobby I have had my aquarium up and running for about a year now and my phosphate levels are always high.
ph 8.3
kh 9
Ca 480
phosphate.90 per Hanna checker
nitrite 0
nitrate .10
Consistent weekly ten percent water changes from the start
i Have several fish which I feed three times a day frozen mises shrimp in the early am some blended shrimp mid morning and a pinch or two of flakes around three pm. I have tried cutting back on the amount I feed but my fish start acting aggressive and I have not seen a significant change in phosphates when I did cut back any other suggestions? It is a 150 Gal tank with 30 gal sump waist a moderate amount of lps corals the majority of my corals are healthy and seem to be thriving only my two elegance seem to struggle but I am told that they are prone to bacterial infections and so far I have had little success in combating this. Any thoughts are welcome

I use lanthanum chloride (brightwell phosphate e) when po4 >0.5 ppm. Diluted 50 to 1 with rodi dripped into overflow over 8 hours and caught with 5 micron filter sox. Also must run skimmer. The po4 reduction is immediate.
Below 0.5 ppm use gfo.
Search for lanthanum in upper right.

 

[CoralB]

Phosphat -e from brightwell is what I use
Just be careful not to dose too much too soon . Read instructions carefully .

 

[Spare time]

Can try dosing Brightwell carbon source as well

Their nitrate is at 0 so that could cause an issue or not work in the first place.

 

[Greenie33669]

Their nitrate is at 0 so that could cause an issue or not work in the first place.

Nitrites are at 0 nitrates are at 10 is this an issue

 

[Spare time]

Nitrites are at 0 nitrates are at 10 is this an issue

0.10 not 10.

 

[areefer01]

How does the display look? From your opening post it seems to be ok. You have a concern with the Elegance.

If I was you I would first try to understand the source of the phosphate number and is the test accurate. Is it holding steady at that number over the course of a couple weeks or is it climbing. There are ways to lower it but it should be noted all systems are different and some like numbers at X vs another's at Y.

GFO can work and started with a low amount to reduce it slowly but again if the source of the problem isn't identified it will just climb back. Doesn't matter if you use GFO, phosphate rX, or some other form of LC. It will lower but then climb back.

TL; DR - how does the display look. Of the concerns with corals do you believe it is relates to phosphate and you are sure there are no other changes that could attribute to it? Lastly are you sure about the test results and how does the data trend over a few weeks.