Phosphate hell

Hope_WA

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 13, 2014
106
0
16
Washington State
In my community the tap water comes out of the tap with a ph between 8.2 and 8.5 and is very heavy with phosphates that buffer the water alkaline. I hesitate to do water changes because they sometimes cause algae blooms, and the more water I change the more likely the bloom and more severe it will be.

Other than ordering an R/O unit (which I'm doing but it isn't here yet), does anyone have a suggestion how to clear up the cloudiness?
 

Hope_WA

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 13, 2014
106
0
16
Washington State
Bump.

FWIW, my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels are all zero. I've been trying to get my ph levels down but they keep climbing right back up.
 

burbon44s

Candiru
MFK Member
May 13, 2012
919
1
48
milwaukee
Nitrate zero? Shouldn't be. Should have some. Maybe test kit is wrong.

Cloudy water: you can try a diatom filter or diatom powder in a canister, it worked for me a while back.
Phosphate: there's a Pure Chem Pad that removes phosphates.

R.O units waste a lot of water and with tap that your describing the membrane won't last long.
Maybe try large carbon blocks.

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Hope_WA

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 13, 2014
106
0
16
Washington State
Nitrate zero? Shouldn't be. Should have some. Maybe test kit is wrong.
In my sump I have some plants but on top of the big tank I have egg crate suspended on the top of the water with a good sized pothos plant and some peace lilies on it. They've done a good job eating up the nitrogen in the tank. It's just the cloudiness and algae from the phosphates that's driving me crazy.
 

burbon44s

Candiru
MFK Member
May 13, 2012
919
1
48
milwaukee
Even with all those plants, you still need nitrates.
What was the phosphate reading?
Plants and algae should be eating up phosphate to.
Cloudy water: you could try a UV.
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MadRussian79

Candiru
MFK Member
Mar 16, 2009
695
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48
Where my fish swim
You don't need nitrates but most tanks will have some. Not all. If the RO/DI unit is on order then Id just wait then do normal WC when it gets here. UV won't help and the diatom filter will only polish the water but will cloud right up after a few days or weeks. Just rember to add RO Right or other similar products to the RO water.

I've had more than one tank with Zero organics but they were well balanced and did not have rays.
 

burbon44s

Candiru
MFK Member
May 13, 2012
919
1
48
milwaukee
You don't need nitrates but most tanks will have some. Not all. If the RO/DI unit is on order then Id just wait then do normal WC when it gets here. UV won't help and the diatom filter will only polish the water but will cloud right up after a few days or weeks. Just rember to add RO Right or other similar products to the RO water.

I've had more than one tank with Zero organics but they were well balanced and did not have rays.
Your telling me plants don't need nitrate?
And UV doesn't kill algae blooms?
Ok

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stempy

Dovii
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2011
901
302
102
Galloway, OH
Your pothos should be utilizing the nitrates as well as the phosphates. Though if you want to get rid of the phosphates coming out of the tap your only choice is RO/DI as using chemical media every time you do a water change would end up being a huge cost factor. Just remember you need to add minerals back into the RO water before you use it. Tap water is generally treated and most of the nitrates/phosphates removed, some will be there yes but at very high levels it shouldn't be, are you sure you have accurate test kits? Also how do you know phosphates are causing your cloudiness? Maybe take your water to a local pet store and have it tested to verify your results just to be sure. Good luck!
 

Hope_WA

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 13, 2014
106
0
16
Washington State
No need to take a water sample to an lfs since I have the full API test kit.

This isn't the first time I've been through this process, but it's the first time with my new set-up. It's frustrating because I had things looking good when the baffles on my sump let loose (bad silicone job by a bad lfs).
I had to move the fish I had in the refugium. When I filled the sump back up to test the baffles after I redid them I added new water which I treated with Prime. After turning the pump back on I had a huge algae bloom that I'm still dealing with.
 

stempy

Dovii
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2011
901
302
102
Galloway, OH
Btw, api kits on nitrate and phosphate are horribly innacurate. Just go to any reefers firums and watch the bashing on those test kits. You need the more expensive Hanna, elos or salifert to get an accurate measurement.
 
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