75 gal. freshwater community phosphate levels high

Phosphate levels off the charts, pH 7.2, ammonia 0, nitrite 0. 75g
community tank with cichlids, barbs, tetras, various plants. Green
algae bloom, green stuff on substrate - is it bacteria? Algae hair
growth. This tank has been setup for one year.

Fish fed once per day - maybe a little too much food from sources on
internet, books.

My main concern is phosphate levels. Tap water used for changes has low
phosphate readings. Tested levels in tank are off the charts and have
been since testing began 12 weeks ago.

Treatments:

1. Water changed 4 times in previous weeks, anywhere from 20% - 50%, no
effect on phosphate levels.

2. Water used to change treated with chlorine remover. Phosgard and
phos-x used for 6 weeks, no effect whatsoever on phosphate levels.

Phosphate testing rig used to test tap water and filtered water from
refrigerator, results consistent.

Those are the facts. Here are the questions:

Is the phosphate level of grave concern?

Treatments listed above have been ineffective. What other treatment
methods are available?

"boosdad1959" wrote in message
oups.com...
Phosphate levels off the charts, pH 7.2, ammonia 0, nitrite 0. 75g
community tank with cichlids, barbs, tetras, various plants. Green
algae bloom, green stuff on substrate - is it bacteria? Algae hair
growth. This tank has been setup for one year.

Fish fed once per day - maybe a little too much food from sources on
internet, books.

My main concern is phosphate levels. Tap water used for changes has low
phosphate readings. Tested levels in tank are off the charts and have
been since testing began 12 weeks ago.

Treatments:

1. Water changed 4 times in previous weeks, anywhere from 20% - 50%, no
effect on phosphate levels.

2. Water used to change treated with chlorine remover. Phosgard and
phos-x used for 6 weeks, no effect whatsoever on phosphate levels.

Phosphate testing rig used to test tap water and filtered water from
refrigerator, results consistent.

Those are the facts. Here are the questions:

Is the phosphate level of grave concern?

Treatments listed above have been ineffective. What other treatment
methods are available?

Do you have any plants in the tank? Plants should help to reduce the
phosphate levels naturally. The algae, being a plant, will also help with
this.

Gill

There are many plants in the tank, 8-10 I would say, java moss and
others.

On 25 Jun 2005 07:32:26 -0700, "boosdad1959"
wrote:

Phosphate levels off the charts,

I've been have similar problems (not to your extent) in a 26 g.

May I ask how you measured the phosphates. Haven't seen any kits that
do this in my LFS.

TIA

Larry

"Larry" wrote in message
...
On 25 Jun 2005 07:32:26 -0700, "boosdad1959"
wrote:

Phosphate levels off the charts,

I've been have similar problems (not to your extent) in a 26 g.

May I ask how you measured the phosphates. Haven't seen any kits that
do this in my LFS.

TIA

Larry

Nutrafin do one...

Gill

On Sun, 26 Jun 2005 12:06:24 +0100, "Gill Passman"
gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk wrote:


"Larry" wrote in message
.. .
On 25 Jun 2005 07:32:26 -0700, "boosdad1959"
wrote:

Phosphate levels off the charts,

I've been have similar problems (not to your extent) in a 26 g.

May I ask how you measured the phosphates. Haven't seen any kits that
do this in my LFS.

TIA

Larry

Nutrafin do one...

Gill


Got a test kit, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (don't know why I didn't see
these before). Did a water change yesterday so the phosphates were at
1.0.

So far so good. Thanks.

Larry

The tests were conducted with an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals #63L.

boosdad1959 wrote:
Phosphate levels off the charts, pH 7.2, ammonia 0, nitrite 0. 75g
community tank with cichlids, barbs, tetras, various plants. Green
algae bloom, green stuff on substrate - is it bacteria? Algae hair
growth. This tank has been setup for one year.

Fish fed once per day - maybe a little too much food from sources on
internet, books.

My main concern is phosphate levels. Tap water used for changes has low
phosphate readings. Tested levels in tank are off the charts and have
been since testing began 12 weeks ago.

Treatments:

1. Water changed 4 times in previous weeks, anywhere from 20% - 50%, no
effect on phosphate levels.

2. Water used to change treated with chlorine remover. Phosgard and
phos-x used for 6 weeks, no effect whatsoever on phosphate levels.

Phosphate testing rig used to test tap water and filtered water from
refrigerator, results consistent.

Those are the facts. Here are the questions:

Is the phosphate level of grave concern?

Treatments listed above have been ineffective. What other treatment
methods are available?

Is it possible that laundry or dish detergent (contain phosphates +) is
getting into your aquarium, say from the bottom of a bucket placed in
laundry tub, etc? I fill my water change buckets in the laundry room, so
am careful and aware of this possiblity.
Steve

Any items used for changing water, testing, or other activities related
to the tank are scrupulously used only for that purpose. This is one of
the things that has puzzled me: we have been very careful not to
contaminate the environment or tools used in the environment, yet we
have the huge phosphate readings.

On 25 Jun 2005 07:32:26 -0700, "boosdad1959"
wrote:

Phosphate levels off the charts, pH 7.2, ammonia 0, nitrite 0. 75g
community tank with cichlids, barbs, tetras, various plants. Green
algae bloom, green stuff on substrate - is it bacteria? Algae hair
growth. This tank has been setup for one year.

Fish fed once per day - maybe a little too much food from sources on
internet, books.

My main concern is phosphate levels. Tap water used for changes has low
phosphate readings. Tested levels in tank are off the charts and have
been since testing began 12 weeks ago.

Treatments:

1. Water changed 4 times in previous weeks, anywhere from 20% - 50%, no
effect on phosphate levels.

2. Water used to change treated with chlorine remover. Phosgard and
phos-x used for 6 weeks, no effect whatsoever on phosphate levels.

Phosphate testing rig used to test tap water and filtered water from
refrigerator, results consistent.

Those are the facts. Here are the questions:

Is the phosphate level of grave concern?

Treatments listed above have been ineffective. What other treatment
methods are available?

Are you using a pH down product of any kind, these usually are based
on phosphorous or phosphate. Plant fertilizers may include
phosphorous, using any of these? I think the way it works with algae
is that they consume phosphorous, break it down and create phosphate
as a byproduct. I can't say this as a fact though, just IMO. This is
discussed very thoroughly, to an extent beyond my ability to
assimilate the info, at http://www.thekrib.com/ Hit the Chemistry
link and then the phosphate link.

-Derek