[ericpop27]

As far as the phosphates go, the only solution I've seen is filter media. Unfortunately, a water change does me no good because our tap water is very high in phosphates. Will my plants absorb the phosphate over time or would it be best to get the filter media?

My GH and KH are so high that my soft water tank registers like a Cichlid tank :-( What's the best way to get them down?

 

[speakerguy]

Use a reverse osmosis/deionization system. I have the AirWaterIce.com Typhoon and it is an excellent system. It takes my 480ppm TDS water down to 12ppm after the RO and 0PPM after the DI. I have the optional 150gpd membrane (it's not listed on their page for the typhoon but they will put one in for you for no extra charge instead of the 75 or 100gpd membranes, the 150gpd membrane is new).

My tap is pH >8.0 kH >20dkH, which is why I use one.

 

[ericpop27]

I can't afford that, unfortunately.

I think I will just not dose phosphates anymore and see if the plants can absorb the amount that's in the water.

All of my chemistry problems have created a constant bacterial bloom and I think I just need to let the nitrogen cycle take its time.

 

[Bert H]

Out of curiosity, what exactly are you calling 'high PO4, kh and gh'? What are their values?

There certainly are issues with hard water, I know because I have it. But bacterial blooms have never been one of them.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

I'm in the same situation, with parameters similar to what speakerguy posted.

I have not yet calibrated my test kits to know if they are accurate or not. My PO4 says 2.0 from tap and PH is 8.0-8.2 after aerating(7.4 straight from tap)

So far I have plants growing in my lower lighting non co2 tank

 

[ericpop27]

All of my readings were off the chart, so I can't really give an accurate number.

 

[hoppycalif]

When all of your readings are "off the chart" you need to first try to verify that your test kits are giving accurate results. In fact, anytime you are going to depend on your test kits to guide what you do, you should first calibrate them. That means making at least a couple of water solutions with known values of whatever the kit tests, and using the kit to see if it agrees with those known values.

 

[Bert H]

When all of your readings are "off the chart" you need to first try to verify that your test kits are giving accurate results. In fact, anytime you are going to depend on your test kits to guide what you do, you should first calibrate them.

Very true!

Do you have well water? If not, just contact your utitlity department and ask for a report on your municipal water. All those parameters will be there measured much more accurately than most of us have access to.

 

[aquabillpers]

Two years ago I tested 4 phosphate test kits. Two turned out to be unusable and a third wasn't much better. One was fine.

The resuls of the test here at APC, at http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...9719-comparison-four-phosphate-test-kits.html

Bill

 

[ericpop27]

I changed about 90% of the water and everything is inline.

I had recently gotten Equilibrium and dry ferts. I think I went overboard with both of those, because when I tested my tap water everything was almost at 0.