# High Phosphates in my tap water,what to do?



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Seachem makes a filter media that will absorb phosphates.


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## Spacefly (Jun 25, 2007)

lauraleellbp said:


> Seachem makes a filter media that will absorb phosphates.


Have you ever tried this product? I have used alot of Seachem products before, never had a complaint with them, but I would like an opinion on how reliable/cost effective this would be. 

It seems that all these phosphate removal products are media type that remove whats already in your tank, only problem with this is that I'm adding alot of phosphates with every water change.

I guess what I am aiming for is something to condition my tap water before I put it into the tank, so I'm not adding more Phosphates into the tank every weekend with a water change. 

I suppose I could just pre treat my water in a bin or something,and store it away, but I'm limited on space, and this just seems like a major headache no matter which way I look at it.


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## neilfishguy (Dec 16, 2007)

RO water is your best bet.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I've never personally used it, just testimony from others who have and say it does a good job. I believe Seachem developed it specifically for your type of situation, and for use in SW tanks.

Wouldn't hurt to drop their customer support an email, describe your situation, and ask their recommendations- they're pretty good with customer support.


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## Spacefly (Jun 25, 2007)

lauraleellbp said:


> I've never personally used it, just testimony from others who have and say it does a good job. I believe Seachem developed it specifically for your type of situation, and for use in SW tanks.
> 
> Wouldn't hurt to drop their customer support an email, describe your situation, and ask their recommendations- they're pretty good with customer support.


Went to seachem site and this was the product info given.

"PhosGuard™ rapidly removes phosphate and silicate from marine and freshwater aquaria. It is not recommended for phosphate buffered freshwater"

Pretty sure I fall under that category, I believe they add phosphate to combat against lead in our water. So wouldnt that be considered phosphate buffered water?:help:


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I really would shoot them an email and ask; they're the experts about their products.

Otherwise, maybe there are some others on here with much more chem expertise than I have who can chime in?


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## julioarca (Feb 2, 2008)

try to do a pps aquarium, http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/.../4241-pps-perpetual-preservation-systems.html

I to have high tap phosphate, I do a water change once a week, plants are growing like crazy, this is with Discus too.

There is one guy on this site who, with discus, has not done a water change for approx 2.5 years. Plants eventually eat up the phosphate. Mine is slowly going down, still approx 5 but the blue is not as dark on the test kit.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Spacefly said:


> I'm kind of stuck and dont know how I should approach this.
> My Tap water has a Very high reading of phosphates in the range of 5.0-10.0
> So I dont add it to my dosing regime, I keep my Nitrates at 10ppm, and would like to keep my phosphates in a 10/1 ratio, but the problem is the tap water.
> 
> ...


I think the basic question is why a non limiting level of PO4 makes any difference with a ratio:?

This does not induce algae.
This does no harm of any sort to plants or live stock.

So why freak out and assume you have to do anything?
Like extra work?

If you use a test kit, then at least calibrate it, otherwise it's just a guess and not useful info.

Whether you have 10 or 40ppm of K, 2 or 10ppm of PO4, it should never matter.

Your goal is a planted tank and none of the issues you have raised suggest that high PO4 will be an issue.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Spacefly (Jun 25, 2007)

plantbrain said:


> I think the basic question is why a non limiting level of PO4 makes any difference with a ratio:?
> 
> This does not induce algae.
> This does no harm of any sort to plants or live stock.
> ...


Tom
I'll be the first one to admit I am still a novice when it comes to running a planted tank, but I was just concerned with providing the correct dosing schedual for my tank. 
I have recently converted over to a better setup,and will probably start dosing using the EI method, what concerns me is when I reset my tank with a water exchange.

Should I be adding Kno3 right after the exchange since there is always going to be plenty of Po4 in the tank? I just dont want to throw off the balance of my tank and have problems arise.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Spacefly said:


> Tom
> I'll be the first one to admit I am still a novice when it comes to running a planted tank, but I was just concerned with providing the correct dosing schedual for my tank.
> I have recently converted over to a better setup,and will probably start dosing using the EI method, what concerns me is when I reset my tank with a water exchange.
> 
> Should I be adding Kno3 right after the exchange since there is always going to be plenty of Po4 in the tank? I just dont want to throw off the balance of my tank and have problems arise.


As mentioned already, you may not need to add KH2PO4(assuming the PO4 is present).

Just do the other stuff and take that off the list of dosing.
Then focus well on CO2.

CO2 causes far more trouble to dosing routines than the dosing itself, which is rather easy and straight forward.

Whether the ratio is 10:1 NO3O4 or 5:1, does not matter.
If and only if the levels are non limiting to plant growth.

You generally try to focus on getting less waste and tweaking things to that end more, but keeping things into the non limiting range is generally wise.

Then you can focus on CO2.

If you want more wiggle room, less light is the best thing to "limit".
Slows growth down without having to limit or test CO2/nutrients.

And also places less demand on CO2/nutrients, so if you want to use less, it provides the best solution, also if you like to prune less, do less work, and do not mind slowed growth rates, light is the best variable to change since it drives everything else.

Some folks never understand that and assume a lot about nutrients/CO2, then never test or measure light(or CO2 well for that matter as it interacts with light intensity).

Many think more = better when it comes to light.
I've been telling folks that's not the case for decades now.
The rational is really simple and founded in the very core of Plant Science.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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