Phosphate and nitrate filter pads

[siniardem]

Has anyone used a phosphate and nitrate remover pad in the aquarium or filter? I don’t want to use chemicals, water changes to get rid of nitrates aren’t getting them down fast enough, and I have too much phosphate that it’s browning algae a d killing my plants. 
 

if you do, how do you use it in your filter? My filters are full of sponges so should I just remove one and out these in? I can cut them to any size. Your experience will be helpful, thank you!

[Bill]

I've used Seachem Phosguard before in my canister filters, and a really good LFS said they use them in all their tanks. If you don't have enough room just remove enough to fit it, it's a relatively small packet. Look at the instructions, I think they say to remove it in a few days and recheck the phosphate level. 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Bill

[tolstoy21]

If water changes aren’t reducing them, you might need to find out what’s creating them at that rate you suggest they are being created. That is, if I am interpreting your problem correctly  

I don’t have direct experience with either of these specific types of pads (I have used purigen) but in general if your numbers are consistently elevated, then you’ll probably exhaust the capacity of the pads over time and will either be replacing them or recharging them as your routine chore instead of doing water changes. 

But from what I have understand about these types of pads, they should work as advertised. But they will have a limit to what they can remove without recharging or replacing. 

That being said, I’ve  read good things about the Api Nitrazorb product. 

Edited November 2, 2020 by tolstoy21

[siniardem]

I do know the pads need rinsed weekly and changed often. I know I have potting soil in my tanks which add to the phosphate and my fish food does too. My tanks are highly stocked and I need to get back on weekly water changes, but my health is not well and I’m hoping to get back to the bottom of the problem. I do have high filtration and 50% water changes help but I don’t want to shock my neon tetras. 

[siniardem]

My pads are literally a giant pad sponge off Amazon and I cut it to fit in my tanks just like I do for my filter sponges. I buy in bulk and cut to fit. I have intake filters too but I have the round ones but I use the square ones and cut a whole for intake filters to go in. 

[tolstoy21]

What kind of filter are you using ? Hang in back? Canister? Plain old sponge?

in any event, you just need to get the nitrate and phosphate removing products  in line with the water flow to be effective. The more water that passes through the pads, as opposed to around them, the better. Just be mindful that they can clog with organic matter and slow the flow rate over time. 

In any event, they are normally made to go in a canister or hang on the back. I’m guessing one could also fit them into a box filter.

Some of the pads need to be rinsed and recharged in a brine or bleach  solution. Purigen uses diluted bleach to recharge, nitrazorb uses salt and water.  Not sure about the phosphate product. Super easy to do. The products should all have instructions. 

Edited November 2, 2020 by tolstoy21

[Dandy Pearl]

As @tolstoy21 mentions, these are kind of a band aid. You mentioned you have health problems and can't keep up with the water changes. I hope these work for you until you can service your tanks more regularly. Do you have a friend who could take some of the fish, or space for another tank you could set up? If you can reduce the fish load, then your spikes will likely go down as well.

If not, try increasing your plant load to consume those extra nutrients. Pothos are very popular option for this type of thing and are much easier to take care of than additional chemical filtration.

 

Good luck with your tank!

[siniardem]

I do have chronic illnesses that will not change but keeping fish help. I started changing my tanks to live plants and realized why I was growing algae was the phosphate levels. I thought I needed to go longer in water changes so it was my mistake. I also was doing well in water changes until I tried live plants and my Buenos Aires tetras wanted to eat them all so I fed heavier which caused more nitrates and I didn’t water change more as plants were settling. It created a bad cycle. I’m trying to jump start back down to normal to restart and start again learning from my mistakes. My other tanks are not having these issues just too high phosphate levels to grow outstanding plants although the bulbs are doing great! All my filters are HOB so it’s easy to change.