New phosphate media

So I just put in some new phosphate reducing media... My phosphates wernt a problem to begin with but I figured why not get them to zero!

Unfortuintly, after adding the media, I slowly saw an Increase in both cyanobacteria and hair algae. Isn't the media supposed to have the opposite effect?!

 

What are your phosphate readings and which test kit are you using?

 

i dont see how the reading is going to tell us anything...

for the past 5 months until a week ago i had very minimal hair algae and NO cyano. the only thing i changed in the past week was the addition of the phosphate media to reduce what little phosphates i had to support the little amount of hair algae i had

im developing the phosphate test now so ill post in 5 min. its API

 

reading is <.5ppm but slightly >.25ppm

my top off water always has the same readings as above

 

I would consider that fairly high. What are you using for top-offs?
I say coincidental timing. That is definitely unacceptable phosphate levels. My tap water has less than half that amount.

 

actually it does make sense for this timing. i recently moved and the water quality here at state college is horrible!!!

Ive been starting to purchase RO water up here that has phosphates at zero but this still leaves the initial phosphate infested water... guess its as you said coincidental timing

 

On a side note, i take care of this aquarium at Penn Stateand we have two RO/DI units and we still have a MAJOR phosphate problem...
the main Pacific DT has no hair algae, but the Caribbean DT is completely covered in hair algae. both tanks are piped together through the sump and protein skimmer