How To Reduce Phosphate in A Reef Tank 

Very underrated channel this is. Excellent content and detail! Great stuff

".. As good as a snooze button on a smoke alarm" Lol, you strike again. You got one of the best humour dude

Love the no nonsense style.

I just has a large outbreak of cyano possibly due to crappy pellet food, it was a relief seeing you toss that garbage in the trash can as I did the same lol. I did use Chemiclean and within 48 hrs it was all gone. Running a GFO reactor now. Great vid!!

Was using red sea test to and was having problems with algie. Prehaps that was the problem. Great info as always

Completely agree with the RowaPhos. Effective but messy. I can highly recommend the Hanna Phosphorus ULR Checker. After messing around with Rowaphos I tried Sili Out 2 and Phos Out 4 from Microbe-Lift; both work very well. Lately I'm using Phos-Out 4 LIQUID, which is very very easy to dose (weekly a few ml), with very effective results.

Yes this is exactly what's going on in one of my tanks some really really good helping information way better then google thank you

Can't believe the effort and cost you put in to control nutrient export. I used to have chaeto, Purigen, Rowa etc etc. Got tired of a messy sump so went clean! Removed the chaeto and added sheet plastic mesh instead to grow algae. Put Continuum exxodus nitryx small blocks in a in-line DI holder. And used Quantum phosphate remover, awesome stuff. After only a month I'm now feeding more and manually dosing phosphorus.

The Rowaphos instructions state “DO NOT RINSE” and go on to explain there’s zero requirement to rinse the product, the small amount of cloudy brown water it produces when initially putting it in the reactor in my sump does no harm to the tank and on my setup doesn’t even make it to the display before it’s dispersed into nothingness. Best product out there for lowering phosphate on my opinion.

Love how honest you are... LOL

Thank you so much for your content. I watch all your videos as they become available. About phosphate removal... Did you consider the product from Fauna Marin - Phos 0.04? This is made from granules, it is not messy at all and, miraculously, reduces phosphates to 0.04 and not lower.

Your tank is looking so good!

Hello Alex, For a year now Im running a 180 liter saltwater aquarium. (Juwel 180) I went through all the start up problems a newbie can go through :-) I am using mostly Aquaforest products, Salt, Rock. So no life rock, I have used liverock before that, but well, its a long and a shameful story how I screwed that up. Anyway , for over 9 months now Im using the AF rock. The huge difference for me was. KH is constantly stable at 8,9 with the AF rock, I was dosing KH before that with the life rock, but I kept on doing it and my KH went up to the point of 13, and then I stopped dosing it completely, and now it never drops below 8,9 (my rodi water has 0,6) Now that I steadily added the corals and fish over the last couple of months every parameter is ok, except NO3 en PO4, at the moment as expected. Im using a internal Tunze 9004 DC skimmer. I use an external potfilter with AF's zeolite, carbon, PhosphateMinus (I guess its the same messy stuff as Rowaphos, but with the difference to not wash it in RODI water before use) Since 6 weeks I switched from Red Sea's No-pox to the liquid AF's NO pox , Nitraphos minus, in combination with AF Pro Bio S. Regarding to feeding, I have an autofeeder that gives once a day a tiny amount of the smallest pellets available because of my fish size. In the evening they get frozen marine food, I turn off the pumps , watch them eat it all , and turn the pumps back on. I was giving Red Sea AB+ daily but after seeing your test for using it over a year, well I used it for over 6 months, and I can also say, it doesn't effect Po4 because now after 6 weeks of not dosing it, my Po4 is still 0,10. Once every 3 days I feed reef roids. I dose only the Phosphate minus stuff and Microben lift all in one, it also contains Calcium, costs me only 1 reefdose pump instead of 5 (4 red sea bottles and calcium) I guess the Germans found a way to put it all in one bottle :-) So to add it up, Im using 3 different PO4 reducers and it does nothing to my PO4 , and NO3 for that matter. The Tank contains, soft , LPS and a few cheap and sturdy SPS corals, all "beginner" corals. Fish , 6 in total with a combined length of around 40 cm , 2 shrimps, 3 snails. Values as of this morning. Temp 24,5 Salt 1025 / 34-35 PPT KH 8,9 (hanna) PH 8,0 Calcium 450 Magnesium 1300 Iodine 0,04 Potassium 375 PO4 0,10 (hanna) NO3 20 instead of 3 If im correct. It took you 4 months if im correct to lower your PO4, it's not that I am impatient but how long can my corals sustain the high levels, I see it in the 0 growth, not as big as before etc.. I couldn't see a great reduction in NO3 and PO4 with Red Sea's No-Pox , and now the same with AF products, must i really buy al kinds of other brands to look for something that does work, despite the fact that these products are sold as NO3/PO4 reducers/stabilizers ? Keep up the great work , I learned allready a lot from your video's , big thanx ! Greetings from the Netherlands !

I was using rowa now I’m testing out fauna marin phos 0.04, have a read about it.

I use Red Sea no3 po4x because I have really high phosphates as well, I’m on day 3 and I already see a huge reduction in algae and phosphates, my corals and sand bed were covered in algae and after three days my sand bed is back to being white and bright, it’s expensive stuff but worth it in my case

Loving the vids Alex. I'm a rowaphos man myself. With a bit of zeolite. 👍

HI MY FRIENDLY REEF DORK YOU ARE BESTEST DORK

Great video as always Alex! 😀👍👍

I think you nailed it. Too many fish and too much feeding. I would put 8-10 medium sized fish in that tank. Unfortunately salt water tanks can hold way fewer fish than fresh water. I feed once a day a combo of frozen food. You have a lot of technology just to try to maintain that bioload. Sometimes less is more. A new tank would cost less than all the tech you are using. The weekly 10% water changes are good (I do 15%). Get another tank and distribute the bioload:) Great channel and I love your attitude and suggestions. You got a new subscriber.

Excellent as always. Mr mentor..

from what i've heard is that ICP test for phosphates arent as reliable, since the sample you took has a lot of living bacteria that most often die off by the time they test it, what causes a higher phosphate. I am strugling with to low on phosphate what gives me alot of problems, but ICP says something else. When my dad tests it at his work (he's scientist, test is done only a few hours after taking the sample) with chromatograph (highly acuurate) it stil shows up as almost 0

great content, i think i might try elmi np in my next tank when i get it up and running

Yeah phosphates can be tricky. There are many different types of phosphates and most hobbyist test kits only test for two different kinds. The ICP test will detect them all.

I use Phosphat-E from Brightwell Aquatics. Works great & practically instantly removing phosphates as it has a binder in it that attaches to the free form in your tank and makes it neutral... Something like that not sure of the science but love the stuff. I also use Brightwell PO4 cubes.

I have struggled with phosphate since day one in my tank. I thought it was overfeeding but recently found it was the ro and saltwater I was purchasing from LFS. I purchased a RODI system and now levels are going down nice and slow.

Great channel. Keep up the great work, Alex. I've recently binned off my refugium and running TM Bacto Balance (Phosphate and Nitrate were low enough). Tank never looked better. Run in collab with DIY TM All-For-Reef. 2 dosing channels to take care of nutrient control and all major and trace elements. What's not to like?!

Always useful content on your channel Alex. Off topic, in your reactor at 4:25+ are they digitate hydroids?

I would do Liquid Phosphate remover like Brightwell Phosphate E.

Funny you say phos guard isn’t good when I’ve been using it for years and works amazingly.

In my experience lanthanum chloride is much more effective than Rowa/GFO. What are the reasons for not using lanthanum chloride long-term? I currently dose 1ml a day on my Red Sea Reefer 350 which keeps my po4 fairly steady (0.03-0.06).

i had the same problem too and I used reef feel and I could say bey to my phosphate in 2-3 weeks

I put a nicely coloured foxface in my tank. Months later I found she lost a lot of colour. I swapped to NSW and my foxface is now bright yellow again. Just a thought as to why anthias lost colour

Do you like birds bird wall paper behind the tank birds behind the bin 😂

@reefdork just for clarity. Is it okay to do carbon dosing if you have a cheato refugium running already ? Great Channel!

Great video 😁 Interesting choice to go the carbon dosing route.. My experience with nopox it that it is alot better in reducing nitrate than it is in reducing phosphates. Could be that it is difrent with tropic marine tho, Im looking forward to see the outcome.

Hands up I'm a over feeder. My evo phosphate is high but I cant starve my fishes. I see there little face and feel bad if i dont feed them dinner. I have an algea out break in the 200l tank but I'm not touching at the moment as I'm about to upgrade the tank so the sand which is coved in algea wont be going in the new tank and I have ich in the tank as well so hopefully will cut my chances of getting it by changing the sand. It will be my first sump, I'm looking at just doing a refugium and a skimmer maybe phosgaurd if needed. What light would you recommend for the refugium? I dont want a really expensive but I want a decent one.

i always watch your channel and its exellent...{but you gotta admit its the wall paper its just.......scary }sorry about that. i followed you and mr saltys advice on the semigrow light s you both have and am very happy with them havent quite mastered the controllar thing lol great vid

videos are awesome, currently dealing with relatively high phosphate levels myself. I have a different question regarding dosing foods for corals, what would you or other people recommend?

NOPOX is expensive. Reefers are so caught up in these expensive gimmicks. You can do carbon dosing for a 1000th of the price of all these gimmicks. :)

Please do a video about how you manage to control nitrate

I’m new back into salt water. The test kit showed .25 I purchased a hanna and it was 0.50

you dont need to rinse it, it says in instruction ). that brown stuff actually get rid off silicates

Fluval sells a phosphate removal pad that works well for me (designed for their canister filter, but you can cut it up and use it on just about any filter). Phosphate always tests at 0 for over a year now. But most importantly don't overfeed...I'm amazed at the amount of food I see people (including RU-vidrs) dump in their tank. Fish will almost ALWAY appear to be starving once they get used to you, don't fall for that trap!

Hey man, i did an aqua spin test and my phosphates were at 0.3 which is heard is wayy too high specially for a 10 month old tank. What equipment do you recommend i buy with a tank with no sump ? Should i stick a breeder box in there and put chaeto or ?

Great vid, as always.

hows it going i m battling phos at the mo - new tank only 2 months old, cant get it down from 0.4 . Was using NT Labs phos remover in a bag in a filter sock but its not effective, got a reactor coming tuesday with rowa hopefully that will do the trick

I have Rowphos reactor in my tank but it seems not to do much good.

Hi mate could you do a rowaphos guide

Hi Alex can you help my phosphate is now down to 0.04 due to me dosing Nexus from cellar marine stoke .i have a 340lte mixed reef tank 2 year old with two fluval filters (for quietness ) and uv light and a algi scrubber . Permitters are all fine . But do I go for a tunze chetoe reactors ( not having a sump ) or a carbon reactor ? At the moment I’m trying chemi pure blue which I hope to get 6 months out of who knows . Keep the vids coming top man 😃👌

Finding phosphate free frozen will be the challenge but eradicating that source into your tank you will lessen the need to add products like phosguard and use Rowaphos or GFO

How do you keep your nitrates under control. Ps. Great channel dude

Hello Alex, How about the ChemiPure Elite? I'm using that in my canister filter.

I was relatively happy with my red sea algae control test kit until i saw your video!! I have been measuring under 0.08 ppm, but I have now tested my water with 2 other (older) kits and it is showing at around 0.8!!! So much so, i have decided to send out for an ICP test to verify what the real truth is. Any plans for a test kit review, or have i missed it?

I've used this product and it does a great job reducing the phosphates, but I found that it reduces it to where I want and then I take it out. How do I measure it out to leave it in the system so phosphate levels remain stable instead of dropping them and removing the mixture? I'm worried about it keep dropping lower than where I want it to go.

Hi, any advice on zoas closing while some others are open? Because some of my zoas closed but aren't opening anymore😢

Quantum phosphate remover is very good I automatically dose it. Rowaphos didn't work for me!

I have a question about carbon dosing. I've used the same red sea product you used in your video but when I do use it my skimmer stops working as effectively. Is this to be expected or am I doing something wrong?

Hi Alex, great content, on the subject of nutrient export trying to reduce nitrates at mo (40ish ) going to try refugium with AI prime?

My aquaforest ICP Test tells a higher phosphate number than my hanna checker. The ICP test is the one I can trust more?

Snooze button on a smoke alarm, as good as my snooze on the ATOMIC BOMB 😁

🤔 my phosphates were low when only (auto) feeding pellets and became high when also feeding frozen cubes...... (Why) do you think that pellets are responsible for high phosphates and not the frozen food?

Interesting. I have had my Anthias for several months and only feed frozen twice a day and maybe a pinch of pellets. They are bright pink and always have been. Hm

What was your overall experience with elimi np and nopox? Did it really reduced phosphate and and side effects?

Hi Alex, I too have found Rowafos the best for combatting phosphate, if it jumps up, then I use vodka for a while, plus good water changes that brings it back down. Do you still have your Fairy Head wrasse ? I have one, but he is so skittish and often jumps out of the water and hits his head on the glass top and hides away, most likely waiting for his headache to disappear, did or do you find your one to be very skittish ?

not sure if i tested phosphate wrong with my hanna checker but phosphates cane up .46 i checked it about a week ago and it was at .04 so i dont know why it jumped that high or if i tested wrong'

Why do you always post a video exactly when i need advice on the topic

Merci pour ta vidéo !!!👍👍👍

Seachem phosguard is also good and you don't need to wash

Hi Alex what phosphate remover are you using please

Brilliant again 👏👍

hi if i add filter wool above my ceramic blocks to filter my water ever more will that reduce phosphates even more, my corals are dying now and my levels are po4 0.24 po3 28.. not steady at all..

Are you still using the Elini NP? If so how are you finding it after some long term use?

Funny to see that you also hate rowa, but we still all use it. 😂

Brother just use sugar for carbon dosing takes nitrates and phostate to very low to no e at all quarter tea spoon for every 30 gallons or l60 litres every day In sump make sure u hot skimmer on bacteria do the work and skimm takes them out the system win

My phosphate is a 0.25 I'm using API test kit do not know how accurate they are my ro water is 0 tds

Mine is 3 on a salifert test kit I have a 9 inch naso in a 4ft x2x2 with a 4ft sump I never had a problem till I started dosing ab+ reef energy as it says on bottle low skim rate started using reef flowers bactearia feeder carbon dosing and have now started using aquafoest pro bio s a bactearia designed as phos and nitrate its coming down skimmer as gone black it also kill pathogens and bad bactearia i used 40 quids worth of gfo fluvel in a month it done nothing so trying this method b4 I move onto there pro biotic salt

Hi Alex same problems my phosphate is 0.57 with Hanna, Nitrates 50ppm+ :-( I've tried filter rollers, phosban, daily regular water changing and still high. AB plus sky rocketed mine I think so I've backed off it.

How come the only frozen you say you will feed is Mysis?

im in the opposite side, i have almost zero po4 test with hanna phosphorus .. my tank still 2 months old. what should i do to maintain po4 level ? no fish right now, only clean up crew

Put your frozen in ro water. Drain and feed

Where can I buy chateo? I have read that you shouldn't buy from another hobbyist because of pests but most places I've looked it has been import costing more for postage than for product and then the taxes to pay before you can collect! Or on ebay from other hobbyists! Please help ☹

If you ever fancy doing a tank tour video happy for you to do a video on my 1700L Sps Reef tank. I am in Newbury Berkshire.

Hey. Do you run Triton

Imagine being in this hobby and still paying for and lugging 5 gallon buckets from the store. Slushing saltwater around your trunk and then carrying them all the way up into your house! 😂😂😂😂😂. Literal Insanity.

Ik this is late, but that sediment filter on ur rodi is filllthy

Update fish gone it was eating a 8inch sheet a day changed gfo from eihiem to to JBL phosex can't believe how good JBL is I only got eihiem because it was 3 quid cheaper the ehiem stuff is garbage I running at 5ppm nitrates and 0.25 phosphate from royal blue I doze every ab+ and reef pulse I use aquaforest np pro and probiotic bio s my po3 po4 doesn't change so I invested in 30 sps frags from fragsrus on eBay omg the growth is fantastic got 15 different kinds so my problem was too much nori and crap quality gfo I love my tank again oh sinse I got my phosphates right down my superman rodactis and Forrest fire mushrooms are splitting like crazy oh and I took your advice about bucket couldn't believe the phosphates in the salt water mixes it was also the water butt it was a bq green one so I got e from a brewing shop 15 gallons perfect so moral of story is don't jump to conclusions 😆😆😆😆😆 I love reef energy now

Vodka and keep the skimmer clean and rowa if necessary

get yourself an Algae Scrubber.

Phophate not make dark color, nor stop calcifications,thats old believes in the hobby,many guys have great colors with surprisly good results with high phosphate

Just cutting back on feeding will lower phosphates UNLESS your rocks have po4 bound up in them.

Meanwhile i gotta add a ton of phosphate since my 75 gallon consumes about 0.10 phosphates every 24 hours which i didnt even know it was possible.

mine getting pale if lower then 0.06 )

Dont need to rinse Rowa

Wtf is "Nor point nor" 3 and nor point nor 5ppm. Wtf is "nor"?

I use ferric oxide fluvel all so known as gfo

I cant get my phosphates up from being undetectable.

Bio-Phos 80

I enjoy your posts, but please hide that 1970's wallpaper! It is just too distracting.

I hate rowa, it's just filth :) I moved to LC 2 yrs ago, much easier to fine tune PO4, that just my personal preference.

My po4 is at 0,8 im changing 50% tomorrow😂