Hi there Larry,

I'm no expert at this, but I have found two ways of lowering my PO4... One
fast and wastes your ferts, one a bit slower and is my preferred method...

The fast way is to perform 50% water changes for a couple of weeks with
reduced feeding (a lot of ppl overfeed their fish anyways) and this will
bring the PO4 - and all other nutrients in the tank down...

the second method, which is the one I use, is to increase your potassium and
nitrate levels, bringing them into balance with the PO4. I have found that
if I have high PO4, it is normally because I don't have enought nitrate or
potassium in the water... It normally takes about 3-4 weeks to bring it
down, but the plants benefit because they were lacking something to start
with, thus the reason they were not using the PO4...

If you choose the first method, you will possibly have to increase your
trace element additions to keep your Fe and other traces at the correct
levels as the increased water changes will drop those levels as well... If
you choose the second method, do it slowly, don't put in enought potassium
nitrate to take your tank to 10ppm in one go...

Hope this helps.
Justin.


"Bill Stock" wrote in message
...

"Larry" wrote in message
...
I have a 26g fully planted tank. Phosphate readings of my tap water
is .25-.5 ppm. My tank registers close to 2.0 I do weekly water
changes(25%), clean exposed gravel and feed the fish once daily.
Lighting is 55w on for about 10-12 hours/day. I use fertilizer once a
week, potassium twice weekly and have a diy CO2.

Any idea what's in your 'fertilizer'?

2 ppm is a little high, but not outrageous. Larger water changes would
help or maybe some algae eaters for the algae.


I think I should be lowering the PO4. Some algae buildup is showing
on my plants. Other than more water changes should I be using
something I saw at my LFS. It was a white sack with some type of
granules in it. Claims to reduce PO4 and is good for 3 montshs. Put
in filter or in tank. Is this charcoal? I've heard people using
this but never knew for what purpose. I don't have room IN my filter
so would have to slip it into the back of my tank behind plants.

Likely not charcoal, but some kind of resin. Most carbon actually contains
Phospahtes.


Your advice?
(also posted to rec.aquaria.freshwater,misc.)

Larry