I need help my phosphates are off the charts

[Crazyforpeacocks]

I have not checked my phosphates in awhile all my tanks are pegged out between 5.0 to 10.0 . I just put PhosGuard in all of them hasn't done a thing. For 14 tanks this is kinda ridiculous is there anything else I can use that I can regenerate and reuse for freshwater. What do I need to do to remove this stuff to a safer level I have read everything liquid types, phosban, ROWAphos, phos-zorb, filter pad remover, what's the best and really works. I do not want to alter my ph. I'm up for any advice I can get at this point.

[ptran]

IMO, a 50% water change would be better than trying to add any chemical.

[JIM]

Read up on Borate, A natural product, even used in Visine eye drops, drives out CO2 so algae cant survive, "Not saying use it", but if you control algae that way phosphates are not an issue anymore.

[troy tucker]

+1 waterchange. 50% or more.

[JIM]

Water changes, i agree, will lower your Phosphates, unless your source water is loaded with them, as is the case in several cities that add phosphate to the water to coat the inside of old rusty water supply lines to slow down or prevent leaks. In that case you put back phosphate with every change. Test your tap water for phosphates first then go from there. IMHO

[ptran]

I have not checked my phosphates in awhile all my tanks are pegged out between 5.0 to 10.0 . I just put PhosGuard in all of them hasn't done a thing. For 14 tanks this is kinda ridiculous is there anything else I can use that I can regenerate and reuse for freshwater. What do I need to do to remove this stuff to a safer level I have read everything liquid types, phosban, ROWAphos, phos-zorb, filter pad remover, what's the best and really works. I do not want to alter my ph. I'm up for any advice I can get at this point.

Please give us a little background on your tank:
How big is your tank?
How many fish do you have in the tank?
How often you do wc and how much?
What do you add to your water at wc (for example Prime, cichlid buffer etc..)?
Why do you concern about Phosphate level? algae problem? Is the fish okay?

The more info the better.

[Crazyforpeacocks]

Water changes, i agree, will lower your Phosphates, unless your source water is loaded with them, as is the case in several cities that add phosphate to the water to coat the inside of old rusty water supply lines to slow down or prevent leaks. In that case you put back phosphate with every change. Test your tap water for phosphates first then go from there. IMHO

My tap water has it in it but not to bad most of its from feeding DIY food. Big water changes are hard for me to do also my tap waters loaded with ammonia that's in the unsafe zone. 25 to 30% is about all I can do.

[Crazyforpeacocks]

Please give us a little background on your tank:
How big is your tank?
How many fish do you have in the tank?
How often you do wc and how much?
What do you add to your water at wc (for example Prime, cichlid buffer etc..)?
Why do you concern about Phosphate level? algae problem? Is the fish okay?

The more info the better.

My tanks range from 10 gallon up to 135 gallon and there are 14 of them. I change my water every 15 days most of my tanks are not over stocked just fry tanks are. I use prime as my water conditioner no buffers. It says phosphates to not hurt fish but some of my fish are always getting sick due to bad water conditions and its not ammonia, nitrates or nitrites they are fine.

[JIM]

Phosphates do not dissipate on their own, and if youre adding some with each water change, that compounds the problem, again as ptran said, is algae growth your main concern with the phosphates??

[mnemenoi]

Perhaps acquire a 55gallon trash can, pull your WC water and stick a powerhead/air bubbler in and allow it to agitate it for a day or two. This should alleviate the Ammonia issue and you can do larger water changes. Phosphates can certainly accumulate in fish only systems and I think without planting densely that water changes are your only real course of action that is achievable.

[ptran]

My tap water has it in it but not to bad most of its from feeding DIY food. Big water changes are hard for me to do also my tap waters loaded with ammonia that's in the unsafe zone. 25 to 30% is about all I can do.

So you know exactly where the problem is: your food (and maybe overfeeding?). Maybe cut back on your food and more frequent water change would help. 30% wc once a week instead of 15 days.

[troy tucker]

As Roy said you can setup a water change tank or you could use a carbon filter.
Prime should bind any ammonia but it will still show up in you test.
I my self use a water change tank but a carbon filter would be the best way. There is one on DIY. that is affordable.

[Crazyforpeacocks]

Perhaps acquire a 55gallon trash can, pull your WC water and stick a powerhead/air bubbler in and allow it to agitate it for a day or two. This should alleviate the Ammonia issue and you can do larger water changes. Phosphates can certainly accumulate in fish only systems and I think without planting densely that water changes are your only real course of action that is achievable.

I mix my water up in a Tracy can and let it sit for 24 hrs but prime just neutralizes the ammonia to be absorbed by the bacteria. I was thinking of maybe putting some type of filter with ammonia remove cartridge and see it that would work possibly.

[Crazyforpeacocks]

So you know exactly where the problem is: your food (and maybe overfeeding?). Maybe cut back on your food and more frequent water change would help. 30% wc once a week instead of 15 days.

Its the food for sure.

[Crazyforpeacocks]

I'm going to tell a little secret I found out today I called the makers of Chemi pure to try their Chemi pure elite that removes phosphates they are sending "FREE" hint products to try ha I about tripped out. I use Vita-Chem it works very good makes my fish spawn like crazy.