# New Setup And Have Phosphates?



## jamesw (Jan 28, 2009)

Hi guys,

On friday I set up a 100 gallon saltwater tank, well filled it with RO water and added salt, I still have not reached the 1.025 salinity yet, but getting there. Question is, today I tested for ph, and phosphates. Ph was good at 8.2, however phosphates are at about 3ppm







.? Is it because its all new, or am I doing something wrong? Also, I am going to be starting off with a FOWLR setup, I have read that it only harms corals, so does this reading matter to me at the moment? Although I would much rather find out where it is coming from and remove/reduce it permanently whether I have corals or not. My salt claims to have 0 phosphates, so I do not think it is that, but sometimes they do talk crap.

Any suggestions............


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

Hmm..I find it pretty odd too since you used R.O water. What other items are in your tank right now? Any decor? 
Are there any filters, heaters, old media from a previous running tank on this setup?

Also..not quite sure what you mean when you say your salinity isn't at 1.025 yet, it wont get up there on it's own. If it's not there yet, you're going to have to add more salt. I'm sure you know this already, but I just wasn't sure what you meant by that.


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

Sheppard said:


> Hmm..I find it pretty odd too since you used R.O water. *What other items are in your tank right now? Any decor?
> Are there any filters, heaters, old media from a previous running tank on this setup?*
> 
> Also..not quite sure what you mean when you say your salinity isn't at 1.025 yet, it wont get up there on it's own. If it's not there yet, you're going to have to add more salt. I'm sure you know this already, but I just wasn't sure what you meant by that.


yes some more info on what else you got in the tank would be helpful
you shouldnt be having any phosphate trouble as you are using RO water. 
high phosphates are also caused by uneaten food, dead fish, dead or dying plants/corals, tap water and the such. although i have read that sometimes the aquarium salt that you use has phosphate in it. although it should be so much where it spikes your tank

also as sheppard said, to raise your tank salinity you need to add salt.


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## jamesw (Jan 28, 2009)

yes I have been adding salt, it is now at 1.024 from yesterdays salt addition. All I have in the tank at the moment is coral sand. I am using a filter (with media) and heater from a previous freshwater tank, is this not good idea then? Did not think it would affect it, not this much anyway?

Thanks


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

My guess would be that the phosphates are from the freshwater media. No matter how much you clean it....there is still going to be a ton of bacteria left over that will decay.


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## jamesw (Jan 28, 2009)

Grosse Gurke said:


> My guess would be that the phosphates are from the freshwater media. No matter how much you clean it....there is still going to be a ton of bacteria left over that will decay.


Ok, do you think that the phosphates will go down after a period of time, with water changes etc? Would it be alright to add live rock with this phosphate reading?

Thanks


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

i suggest removing the current media and replacing it with new media. phosphates should go down after a couple of water changes.
adding LR will be fine. it will assist with filtration and the cycling process


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