# High Phosphates for over a month



## rlove250 (Apr 29, 2010)

Specs:
50g
standard gravel, base layer of onxy sand and laterite, fert sticks where plants are.
dose with seacham iron
Co2 1 bubble per 3 seconds
fluval 305 (70gal model)
2 angel fish, 4 congo tetras, 1 pleco (4 inch) 6 SAE, 1 ram, 1 american flag fish.
Lights are on 5 hour on, 2 off, 5 on

All my other tests are good, ph, iron, amonia, nitrites/ates all normal.

My phospates are dark blue (.5?) I even have a bag of phospate remover in my filter (a new one just added 2 months ago)

The tank has been runing for 1.5 years

I do water changes once a week, the last couple have been between 20% - 50%.
It is planted and I remove the dead plant matter weekly.

Any guesses at what is causing the high phosphates, or how can I lower it as water changes don't appear to work. Can i increase lighting and co2 and have the plants take it in without causing an algae bloom (no algae problem currently)


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

fish load and the amount and type of food you feed. my discus tank used to be 2 ppm+ PO4 with beef heart feeding. I was doing water change every couple of days at 50-75%.

I didn't bother testing after wards and kept dosing normally. fish/food (organic) waste needs time to convert to inorganic(mineralized) nutrients. you will most likely get bba from the organic waste if you increase the lighting. I get a lot of bba in grow out/housing tanks. I have 2x 54w HO T5 over 5x 10 gallon. main caused of algae bloom is organic waste/nutrients.


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## rlove250 (Apr 29, 2010)

good comment, I didn't mention that part. With the fish I have, I feed about a pinch of flake a day. I'll alternate bloodworms, pellets. I have beefheart for my puffers but I haven't tried feeding this tank the beefheart yet.

I feel as if I am under feeding for what I have.


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