Phosphate question

icu2 · #1 12/18/2007, 06:46 PM

I was losing some of my SPS so I tested my water and PO4 was high. Bought a PO4 reactor and now SPS look GREAT but my LPS (in frag tank attached to main system) look like crap; actually receeding. Anyone else notice anything similar?

m2434 · #2 12/18/2007, 06:58 PM

What type of media? Aluminum based media can certainly effect LPS corals and iron based may if dust gets loose. Also, a sudden decline in PO4 can actually shock a coral, and IMO LPS corals can actually be more finicky than many SPS corals... so it wouldn't surprise me.

icu2 · #3 12/18/2007, 07:12 PM

Rowaphos and phosban in a GEO 6" reactor- as for a shock how's 2 or 3 to 0 overnight...

m2434 · #4 12/18/2007, 07:20 PM

2 or 3 ppm? Thats a heck of a shock!

icu2 · #5 12/18/2007, 08:45 PM

Yup... I didn't realize that it would go down that quickly in a system that is ~180 total gallons.

rhythmicfire · #6 12/19/2007, 10:27 AM

Yeah, the major drop in PO4 levels could definitely have shocked the LPS, especially if they're used to being in a certain amount of PO4. I was advised to put a little ferric oxide in at first, and then slowly add more to slowly bring down the PO4...less at a time is sometimes more

rhythmicfire · #7 12/19/2007, 10:27 AM

Yeah, the major drop in PO4 levels could definitely have shocked the LPS, especially if they're used to being in a certain amount of PO4. I was advised to put a little ferric oxide in at first, and then slowly add more to slowly bring down the PO4...less at a time is sometimes more

John Zillmer · #8 12/19/2007, 10:34 AM

I recently had the same results (receding LPS -- Lobophyllia) and and bleaching due to switch to iron-based media. I've switched back to aluminum media.

icu2 · #9 12/19/2007, 11:54 AM

I have the PO4 reactor unplugged and fed heavily last night. Hopefully, that will help. I will also remove some of the media and redirect the return to the SPS tank rather than the sump and see if that will help at all.

Cozen89 · #10 12/19/2007, 06:34 PM

I also experienced the same exact thing a few weeks ago after adding a phos reactor. I've done multiple water changes and things haven't really gotten any better. I think I used too much media at first, so now I've reduced the amount of media to 1/5th of what I had in initially. If I find a solution to this problem I'll let you know. If you find one, please let me know =)

icu2 · #11 12/21/2007, 11:22 AM

I reduced media content and removed acans to lower light - seems to be doing better... time will tell!