Phosphate Problems

Question
Hi Chris,
pH: 7.1, Ammonia, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 20ppm, KH: 6, Temp 81F

I've spoken to you about my cloudy 10 gallon community tank a few weeks ago. Definitely has a bacteria bloom problem. Water is milky. Water changes have little and only temporary effect. I purchased a Phosphate test kit. only because I feel like I need to have a full set, in all the colors (good packaging works). The scale goes from light green (0.5 ppm) to dark blue (10 ppm). My sample turned black (no exaggeration). Took my water sample to the fish store. They concurred. The owner said that he has never seen phos levels like mine before. Tested my tap water and it has 5 ppm phosphate. I used quite a few doses of the Proper pH crap. That stuff is full of phosphates. I bought bottled RO water, buffered the pH and did a 25% water change. I have a submersible Flugel 3, so I am limited as to what X-phos I can use. I found these combo metals, iron & phos pads. I cut it to size and sandwiched between the two sponge pads inside the Flugal. Waited 24 hours. Still no drop in phosphate levels. I am pretty sure that the bacteria bloom (for 4 weeks) is due to the phosphate as a food source. What can I do to lower the phosphate? Do you think there is any point in doing more water changes with my 5 ppm tap water?

Thanks
-Lee

Answer
Hi Lee;

Wow. That's pretty high. If I were you I would get a small old-style box filter. They run off of an airpump. Get a nylon knee-high stocking and rinse it well. Fill it with phosphate remover granules and close it off with a knot. Place it inside the box filter instead of the fiber and carbon that is normally placed in there. Unless you can get enough of the phosphate remover working it really can't change the phosphate level. Or, try the nylon stocking thing without the box filter. Place it right in the tank next to the intake on your Fluval.

Let me know how it goes......

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins