Adding new water to the aquarium. Phosphates??

chicap29 · 11-04-2007, 04:05 PM

I have a 90 gal. saltwater aquarium. It has about 120 pounds of live rock in it. I'm having a problem keeping the phospates out of the water. I have a phoslock granual in the water now. But it seems like every time I have to add water to the aquarium the phosphates come back.

I have a whole house filter that takes out the chlorine and other stuff out. Are you suppose to boil the water before you put it in?

blue_eyes53813 · 11-04-2007, 04:11 PM

Im not framiliar with that kind of house filter. Test the newly mixed saltwater before you add it to the tank. If it has a phosphate reading the house filter isnt doing the job.

I use phosban . It does a very good job. I have a couple bags in the sump.
Also rinse all foods before feeding the tank.

chicap29 · 11-04-2007, 04:48 PM

Thanks. I just tested my fresh water it's at 0 to 0.03. Then I tested my saltwater & it's still b/w .1 to .25.

I have been using PURA Phoslock, granules. However, my boyfriend didn't put it in the filter we have it in a bag in front of the filters blower (half blows out and have sucks in), sorry not sure what it's called. It's connected to a biowheel filter.

But I was also wondering if you should boil water first before you add it to the tank (I don't have a closed top so my water evaporates and I have to add water weekly)?

Scouter Steve · 11-04-2007, 05:40 PM

Do not boil your fresh water. It will concentrate anything that is bad in the water. My guess is your whole house filter is filtering out particles but doing nothing for TDS (total disolved solids). Get an RO/DI system for your tank and you will be very happy. A plus with your whole house filter is less work for the RO/DI.
Evaporation is your friend. Down the road it makes room for adding supplements. Also aids in cooling if you have good lights.

BigAl07 · 11-04-2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicap29

But I was also wondering if you should boil water first before you add it to the tank (I don't have a closed top so my water evaporates and I have to add water weekly)?

Weekly? I know this isn't part of your PO3/4 problem but most of the time WEEKLY top off isn't enough. Your salinity will swing slowly up as fresh water evaps and then when you add Fresh Water for top off you'll cause it to swing wildly back down to normal. How much do you have to add?

chicap29 · 11-04-2007, 05:55 PM

Thanks Scouter Steve!

Big Al07, I just had to add about 8 qt.s of water.

searoyalwulf · 11-04-2007, 09:35 PM

I'd have to agree with Scouter... I believe a whole house filter will only remove sedimentary items in the water. I purchased a pretty good RO/DI unit from a seller on ebay. I was worried about wild swings in salinity as well, so I have my ro/di unit on a steady drip (approx 30drps a min) it seems to keep my salinity very stable and makes up for the evap and the skimmate..

Take a look at some of those RO/DI units. I think I got mine for less than $110 with shipping. It has 3 filter stages 1 RO membrane and two DI canisters.. .

11-04-2007, 04:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
chicap29 Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 49 View Gallery Karma Komment	Adding new water to the aquarium. Phosphates?? I have a 90 gal. saltwater aquarium. It has about 120 pounds of live rock in it. I'm having a problem keeping the phospates out of the water. I have a phoslock granual in the water now. But it seems like every time I have to add water to the aquarium the phosphates come back. I have a whole house filter that takes out the chlorine and other stuff out. Are you suppose to boil the water before you put it in?

11-04-2007, 04:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
blue_eyes53813 Hey!Its not my fault Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lancaster, Wisconsin Posts: 8,024 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Adding new water to the aquarium. Phosphates?? Im not framiliar with that kind of house filter. Test the newly mixed saltwater before you add it to the tank. If it has a phosphate reading the house filter isnt doing the job. I use phosban . It does a very good job. I have a couple bags in the sump. Also rinse all foods before feeding the tank. __________________ 265 Gallon Reef built into basement wall. Lighting = 6x250 watts MH, 2x96 watt PC ,and 2x140 watt VHO for a total watt of 1,972 watts . New addition on 4-14-07 of 100 gallon sump and 100 gallon refugium. I think I have lost my mind. Gotta love this hobby Vicki Life is like a pathway of untrodden snow. Be careful how you step in it for every mark will show Definition of FRIENDSHIP: All lives touch other lives to create something new and alive My tank chronicles. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wall-reef.html

11-04-2007, 04:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
chicap29 Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 49 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding new water to the aquarium. Phosphates?? Thanks. I just tested my fresh water it's at 0 to 0.03. Then I tested my saltwater & it's still b/w .1 to .25. I have been using PURA Phoslock, granules. However, my boyfriend didn't put it in the filter we have it in a bag in front of the filters blower (half blows out and have sucks in), sorry not sure what it's called. It's connected to a biowheel filter. But I was also wondering if you should boil water first before you add it to the tank (I don't have a closed top so my water evaporates and I have to add water weekly)?

11-04-2007, 05:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
Scouter Steve Neon dottyback Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somers Wisconsin (Kenosha County) Posts: 687 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding new water to the aquarium. Phosphates?? Do not boil your fresh water. It will concentrate anything that is bad in the water. My guess is your whole house filter is filtering out particles but doing nothing for TDS (total disolved solids). Get an RO/DI system for your tank and you will be very happy. A plus with your whole house filter is less work for the RO/DI. Evaporation is your friend. Down the road it makes room for adding supplements. Also aids in cooling if you have good lights.

11-04-2007, 05:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
chicap29 Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 49 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding new water to the aquarium. Phosphates?? Thanks Scouter Steve! Big Al07, I just had to add about 8 qt.s of water.

11-04-2007, 09:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
searoyalwulf Fire Coral Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cumberland, MD Posts: 68 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding new water to the aquarium. Phosphates?? I'd have to agree with Scouter... I believe a whole house filter will only remove sedimentary items in the water. I purchased a pretty good RO/DI unit from a seller on ebay. I was worried about wild swings in salinity as well, so I have my ro/di unit on a steady drip (approx 30drps a min) it seems to keep my salinity very stable and makes up for the evap and the skimmate.. Take a look at some of those RO/DI units. I think I got mine for less than $110 with shipping. It has 3 filter stages 1 RO membrane and two DI canisters.. . __________________ 90g Perfecto (custom drilled) Equipment: Reef Fanatic HQI lighting Retrofit 2x250W HQI + PFO 2x110W VHO Actinic = 720 watts. Reeflo Barracuda (closed loop circ), OceansMotions 4 way + 2 Revolutions Nozzleheads Sump 1 (46.5x 17.75x 15.5), twin Mag 18 return pumps, EuroReef RS135 & DIY Beckett Skimmers Sump 2 In Basement: (46.5x 17.75x 20) Pacific Coast 1/4hp Chiller, Phosban reactor 24g Aquapod as refugium (fed w/350gph w/gravity drain to display sump) http://www.reefsanctuary.com/photopo...5/DSCN1799.jpg Livestock: 2 Ocellaris Clownfish, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 1 Long Nose Hawkfish, 1 Foxface Rabbitfish, 1 Orchid Dottyback, 1 Valentini Puffer, 1 Yellow Tang. (still adding fish). Inverts: 1 Heteractis magnifica, 1 Coralbanded Shrimp, 1 Pistol Shrimp, 2 Peppermint Shrimp, Snails(astrea, turbo, nerite, nasarius, cerith) Corals: misc zoos, asst shrooms, lavender tip acropora, Artic Blue Cloves, Green Hammer. Macroalgae: Chaetomorpha SP., Caulerpa Prolifera.

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