Phosphate

[Sime]

hiya, i'm battling to try to lower the PO4 in my tank. It's currently at 1 when coming out of the tap, then 2 (maybe more as my scale ends at 2) when in the tank.

i'm using a PO4 free fish food, and my Dupla root tablets contain 0 PO4 too. I use leaf zone fertilizer but that doesn't say it has any. Only other thing i can think of is the fertilizer sticks which come with my CO2 kit - but i've lost the packaging to see what they contain.

I've been using phosvec to try to lower it before i get a Phos-Zorb pouch for the filter - but nothing is working! I've even done a water change every few days.

Anyone else got any advice for lowering high PO4?

 

[George Farmer]

If you are getting good growth then levels of 1 ppm are fine. Are you getting algae?

The Nutrafin fert sticks do contain PO4 but it should remain in the substrate.

Your test kit could be inaccurate too.

Personally I wouldn't worry unless you start to experience algae problems, even then it will likely be due to other factors other than high PO4 alone.

 

[Sime]

thanks - yeah im getting awful hairy algae - however all other factors are fine - nitrate and so on.

PO4 was the only thing I thought was a little on the high side.