Can I overdose lanthanum while curing?

[Brocksamson7]

I have a bunch of pukani that was in tanks for many many years. I bleach cured for a week and then dechlorinated them and left them in the sun for a couple weeks. I didn’t know phosphates would unbind and used some in a tank. All my levels are great, and I have no algae, but my phosphates are through the roof. All the corals actually look great. but it’s too late now so I’ve come to grips with battling it till it’s all gone. I have another tank to setup and don’t want to use the rock without removing phosphates first. I already read a million forums about different ways to leach out the phosphates but I don’t want to wait for weeks or months if I don’t have to. Lanthanum chloride seemed like the best choice? Since it’s just gonna be in a bucket is there any advantage to using a crap ton of lanthanum? Will it speed up the release? Will it hurt the rock like acid does?
Is there another way that speeds this up to a couple days? I should’ve never bought this stupid “prized” rock.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

once the LC binds with the Po4, what's your plan to export them? This is why LC is dosed in filter socks or skimmers. But if you are just going to dump it in a rubber maid with the rock are you going to do a water change or use some sort of filtration?

 

[Brocksamson7]

once the LC binds with the Po4, what's your plan to export them? This is why LC is dosed in filter socks or skimmers. But if you are just going to dump it in a rubber maid with the rock are you going to do a water change or use some sort of filtration?

I was going to skim the junk off the top with a brine shrimp net and then rinse whatever’s left off in RODI.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Lanthanum is a good choice for removing phosphate from rock prior to use. Assuming you do not use the water, all that will happen with excess lanthanum is stripping a lot of P, so the rock may be in absorbing phosphate mode when used. Thst can be overcome in tank by dosing or feeding.

 

[Brocksamson7]

Lanthanum is a good choice for removing phosphate from rock prior to use. Assuming you do not use the water, all that will happen with excess lanthanum is stripping a lot of P, so the rock may be in absorbing phosphate mode when used. Thst can be overcome in tank by dosing or feeding.

Awesome thanks!

 

[Dan_P]

I have a bunch of pukani that was in tanks for many many years. I bleach cured for a week and then dechlorinated them and left them in the sun for a couple weeks. I didn’t know phosphates would unbind and used some in a tank. All my levels are great, and I have no algae, but my phosphates are through the roof. All the corals actually look great. but it’s too late now so I’ve come to grips with battling it till it’s all gone. I have another tank to setup and don’t want to use the rock without removing phosphates first. I already read a million forums about different ways to leach out the phosphates but I don’t want to wait for weeks or months if I don’t have to. Lanthanum chloride seemed like the best choice? Since it’s just gonna be in a bucket is there any advantage to using a crap ton of lanthanum? Will it speed up the release? Will it hurt the rock like acid does?
Is there another way that speeds this up to a couple days? I should’ve never bought this stupid “prized” rock.

Just scientific curiosity…is the “through the roof phosphate” level similar to the highest phosphate level that these rocks were exposed to in previous aquaria (might be impossible to recall)?

 

[BriansBrain]

Just scientific curiosity…is the “through the roof phosphate” level similar to the highest phosphate level that these rocks were exposed to in previous aquaria (might be impossible to recall)?

Pukani is just so porous all the microfauna - sponges, snails, detritus, algae, etc etc etc get trapped inside the rock and decays. In my experience, it’s difficult to clean/oxidize all that out. It’s very important, while bleach curing, to have a cheap powerhead in to blow that bleach water through the rock.

I was honestly always curious if pukani also contributed to issues pertaining to “old tank syndrome”. When I broke down a tank 10 years ago with pukani, I remember so much crud falling out when disturbing and pulling it out.

 

[Brocksamson7]

I have a bunch of pukani that was in tanks for many many years. I bleach cured for a week and then dechlorinated them and left them in the sun for a couple weeks. I didn’t know phosphates would unbind and used some in a tank. All my levels are great, and I have no algae, but my phosphates are through the roof. All the corals actually look great. but it’s too late now so I’ve come to grips with battling it till it’s all gone. I have another tank to setup and don’t want to use the rock without removing phosphates first. I already read a million forums about different ways to leach out the phosphates but I don’t want to wait for weeks or months if I don’t have to. Lanthanum chloride seemed like the best choice? Since it’s just gonna be in a bucket is there any advantage to using a crap ton of lanthanum? Will it speed up the release? Will it hurt the rock like acid does?
Is there another way that speeds this up to a couple days? I should’ve never bought this stupid “prized” rock.

Just scientific curiosity…is the “through the roof phosphate” level similar to the highest phosphate level that these rocks were exposed to in previous aquaria (might be impossible to recall)?

Not sure. I bought it off a guy who leased tanks all over the city for 20 years. Was very excited to get them. They’re real nice and light and big. But totally spaced on the phosphate release. Fighting it down every day from 1.2 ppm. Thought my Hanna was defective at first but I use a few other kits and it’s still high.
He did tell me he never tested his tanks. Only used softies. Never over stocked fish. He’d just adjust things based on look and feel. So they might’ve been loading up for years.

 

[Dan_P]

Not sure. I bought it off a guy who leased tanks all over the city for 20 years. Was very excited to get them. They’re real nice and light and big. But totally spaced on the phosphate release. Fighting it down every day from 1.2 ppm. Thought my Hanna was defective at first but I use a few other kits and it’s still high.
He did tell me he never tested his tanks. Only used softies. Never over stocked fish. He’d just adjust things based on look and feel. So they might’ve been loading up for years.

Thanks for the reply. I thought it might be a long shot.