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I recently tested the water in my 55g community tank and everything (ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and pH) checked out just fine... except the phosphate level. The sample turned DARK blue before I even had a chance to shake it. I have no idea what a high phosphate level does to the aquarium and what to do to lower it. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

><>Dani<><

Overfeeding.

Kim

I could probably write an article on Phosphates in tank water...

Many hobbyists who experience an abundance of algae usually blame an excess of nitrates when actually the culprit may be an overabundance of phosphates.

The hobbyist will go nuts trying to eliminate the nitrates when in fact high levels of Phosphates have been thought to have a much greater impact on algae growth.

Phosphates are sneaky. They can be introduced into your aquarium just by turning on the tap water.

But there are other ways the Phosphates find their way into the tank. Some have discovered higher levels of phosphates after dosing pH and KH buffers, fish food (over feeding), carbon, heavy fish load, the dying off of algae, dead plant matter and, believe it or not, the dosing of salt.

Watch your products. Make sure they contain little or no Phosphates.

Kim mentioned overfeeding. Uneaten/undigested food is a source of Phosphates.

More frequent water changes and improved tank maintenance should keep Phosphates at a minimum.

Test your tap water. Maybe the Phosphates are sneaking in from that source also.

--garyroland.

Well i tested mt tap water. Less that .5 ppm phosphate level. My tank water is well over 10 ppm. I don't think I'm overfeeding either because I onlt feed the fish every other day and I watch each time to make sure the amount I give is all eaten.

There's very little algae in the tank. Maybe the phosphates are coming from 5 otos' and 1 clown pleco's waste?

><>Dani<><

Phosphate:...

"An organic compound of phosphoric acid in which the acid group is bound to nitrogen or a carboxyl group in a way that permits useful energy to be released (as in metabolism)."

"Organic" being the key word here.

"Ortho-phosphates are created by the breakdown of simple and complex organic phosphates."

A heavy fish load will indeed increase phosphates.

Try to do more partial water changes more frequently than you do now and retest.

--garyroland.

Thanks for the help gary. With a stock list of:
2 platys
2 swordtails
9 black neons
8 red serpaes
1 clown pleco
1 dwarf gourami
5 guppys
4 albino corys (3 died and will soon be replaced)

how often do you suggest I do a water change, and at what percent?

><>Dani<><

Last edited by gartenzwerfe at 08-Oct-2004 21:58

When I was struggling with high nitrAtes from a used (set up) tank I bought it was suggested to do 10% daily water changes. That might help.
I have to admit, when I was faced with high phosphates after having someone fishsit, and had no sucess with water changes I purchased a photsphate remover which worked much faster...not suggesting it as a permenent solution, just another possibility to help get a handle on the situation.

^_^
*Proud member of the Committee for Sig line Restoration*


Last edited by Babelfish at 09-Oct-2004 06:50

Phosphate removers do indeed remove Phosphates...

The product is added to the filter and, like taking certain meds, may have a side effect.

That side effect is the generation of heat when placed in water. The tank must have a good water flow.

Not all of various offerings produce excess heat but the product should be wet down before placing in the filter.

Why Babs did not accomplish a Phosphate reduction by doing partial and frequent water changes is a mystery to me.

A 55 gallon tank would require a 15% water change every other day for a week to dilute ortho-Phosphates.

Continued testing after that would reveal the percentage of Phosphates that are increasing.

--garyroland.

--Vero Beach, Florida

I tried phosphate remover not long ago and watched 3 of my Clown Loaches promptly curl their fins up and die. On Gary's recommendation I removed the remover. Against that good advice I tried it again a few weeks later and noticed my loach under some stress. Removed remover and threw it away. Chem free for me!
P.s. Loach still alive.

Thanks James for that post...

I completely forgot about Clown Loaches wild caught and not able to tolerate the many concoctions we dose in our tanks.

There may be other species that cannot tolerate Phosphate removers. It would be a shame to experiment and add another species to the "dead pool".

--garyroland.

--Vero Beach, Florida.

My pleasure Gary,
I've become suspect of most chems now and have stopped using anything apart from water treatment chems. I think I'll name that loach "Gary"