How to lower...

Hockeyben51 · #1 01/27/2006, 07:41 PM

1.Phosphates
2.Ammonia
????
Please give me ways to lower these, thankyou

Hockeyben51 · #2 01/27/2006, 07:50 PM

anyone?

T-6 Driver · #3 01/27/2006, 07:51 PM

Water changes work for an initial fix. Amonia should cycle out as the bacteria that consume it multiply.

Phosphates can be reduced by adding a fuge with macro algae if you have the time and money to set one up.

integlikewhoa · #4 01/27/2006, 07:53 PM

Is this a new tank. ammonia should cycle its self. And there is phosphate remover or a refugium would work too.

Hockeyben51 · #5 01/27/2006, 07:55 PM

no this isn't a new tank but i have a little ammona and my phosphate is kinda high

Hockeyben51 · #6 01/27/2006, 08:07 PM

help?

integlikewhoa · #7 01/27/2006, 08:17 PM

what size is the tank? (i see you got a few) how much live rock and how much sand? How long has it been running? and when did this problem start? And how high is high?

The Reefer91 · #8 01/27/2006, 08:21 PM

phosphate can be removed by phosphate reactor and water changes. ammonia will be taken care of by cycling

integlikewhoa · #9 01/27/2006, 08:27 PM

Thanks reefer91. Both have been stated. But why does he have ammonia on a running tank. Had to have a bio filter problem or something. Somthing died maybe. I wounder how long this has been going on?

Hockeyben51 · #10 01/27/2006, 09:21 PM

75gal tank i noticed problem with phosphate for months now but being stupid couldn't figure out how to fix it tank has been up since last april

dots · #11 01/28/2006, 12:07 AM

Ammonia is the inital food for the bacterial cycle, find where your excess imput is coming from. Vague? Your cycle should take care of ammonia and it should be in balance, when it is, ammonia is zero. So, something has probably died, you added a bunch of stuff, or you are WAY overfeeding. Ammonia remember is the by product of organics breaking down. Anyhoo, I had a HIGH ammonia problem once and was scratching my head, turned out I had all kinds of dead sails.

To get rid of phosphates. Don't use tap water, tap water has phosphates. Macro Algae is good as stated above. Xenia and Clams are said to take up phosphates, but wouldn't live in your tank right now. Lower feeding, most foods especially flake has phosphates. Try phospate media AKA Phos-Ban in a reactor.

I think you have something dead in your tank, do a head count.

egdevilboy · #12 01/28/2006, 12:38 AM

Ammonia - h2o change. Dont over feed (2-3 times per week max). Check if something died. Check for dead snails.

Phosphate - h2o change. Lower your lighting cycle to 8-10 hours. Phosban

corals b 4 bills · #13 01/28/2006, 12:44 AM

Sometimes people buy that one more cool piece of live rock at the LFS and don't realize that you will be entering ammonia spike city, Which will also be followed by high phosphate. or if all else fails kick up the flow and move some dead stuff or detritus around.

integlikewhoa · #14 01/28/2006, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hockeyben51
75gal tank i noticed problem with phosphate for months now but being stupid couldn't figure out how to fix it tank has been up since last april

The phosphate is a problem but mostly a algae problem and not as serious as your ammonia problem. Thats what i was really asking for. How long have you had a this ammonia problem? I would follow the others advise. Did you add any rock recently? Did anything die? Anything been dead in the tank? How much live rock and live sand do you have. Do you have any other Bio filter? Like maybe a wet dry?