Along with phosphate and yellowing compounds, I'm wondering if I'm removing other things when regenerating this sand. Iodate, iron, manganese perhaps? Any insight @taricha @Randy Holmes-Farley please. Tank phosphate now at 0.2ppm (Hanna)
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If you remove significant yellowing compounds, you are removing some iron.
On GFO, PO4 and Si both attach to the sites, so I'd guess Si might also attach a bit to aragonite too.
Right. Yellow organics in tank water has an absorbance/fluorescence profile that's a pretty good match for what's measured in marine humic substances. So I'm expecting some part of our yellow compounds also likes to grab Fe.Couldn't the yellowing be organics?
Right. Yellow organics in tank water has an absorbance/fluorescence profile that's a pretty good match for what's measured in marine humic substances. So I'm expecting some part of our yellow compounds also likes to grab Fe.
@Garf are you still doing this test?Tank phosphate now at 0.15, nitrate at 10ish (salifert). I'll add a pic of the regeneration bucket after giving the regenerated sand a dang good massage;
Edit - I would add that nitrates have taken a nose dive since adding manganese, iodine and iron. Related? I am adding a little more vinegar in my kalk now, however. Maybe still related? Another edit - and double the amount of sand, lol.
Yes, this is the method I'm sticking with, works well for me. Started doing it in the wife's tank also. I would add that in a tank with loads of sand already in the system, progress maybe painfully slow due to the amount of phosphate already bound to that sand.@Garf are you still doing this test?
I have run into a rapid po4 climb myself and I'm thinking it might be because I removed about 15ish lbs of arragonite sand from my system. (not sure exactly on weight) in the past month I went from 0.1ish (forever ran there) to 3.8 today. Last Monday it was 2.8
I first thought testing error but now I don't think so. I'm using a Hanna tester.
The only other change in my system is dosing ammonium chloride as I was zero nitrates since last May. Now I'm about 7.9 days the Hanna tester. It was up to 11pm and I was getting some funky green floating algae in the sump. Actually, I think it was some form of cyanobacteria. I dialed back the AC dose and the cyano is subsiding.
I'm thinking I may put the sand back in and see if po4 drops again. It was basically a remote dsb in the refuge.
I'm finding this type of po4 reduction pretty interesting.
Sounds a bit odd. Remote deep sand beds are generally for nitrate control as the sand is left in situ for prolonged periods. I can't think of any process that would increase your phosphates like that, apart from dumping loads of food in, or a phosphate solution, sorry.in the past month I went from 0.1ish (forever ran there) to 3.8 today. Last Monday it was 2.8
I did have a auto feeder on the system feeding flakes 4 times a day. I have since removed that. I realize that the sand is for nitrate control and I was trying to get rid of mine. I thought that maybe the sand was also reducing phosphates a little bit. I also tested a new batch of salt water thinking it was in my well, that was 0.02 on the Hanna.Sounds a bit odd. Remote deep sand beds are generally for nitrate control as the sand is left in situ for prolonged periods. I can't think of any process that would increase your phosphates like that, apart from dumping loads of food in, or a phosphate solution, sorry.
Can you share your pics of the whole process?Update - the wifes tanks phosphate had elevated to 0.8ppm (4 to 5 feedings daily). The tank previously was dosed directly with lanthanum but wanted a tang so employed my sand bag method, which have there own separate regeneration bucket to mine. Unlike my tank she has a skimmer and a sock. A couple of months after adding a lanthanum regenerated sand bag and it's down to 0.17ppm (Hanna). She changes the bag out religiously every 7 days, 3kgs, in a 240 litre tank, bare bottom.
Update - the wifes tanks phosphate had elevated to 0.8ppm (4 to 5 feedings daily). The tank previously was dosed directly with lanthanum but wanted a tang so employed my sand bag method, which have there own separate regeneration bucket to mine. Unlike my tank she has a skimmer and a sock. A couple of months after adding a lanthanum regenerated sand bag and it's down to 0.17ppm (Hanna). She changes the bag out religiously every 7 days, 3kgs, in a 240 litre tank, bare bottom.
You don't like GFO? Lol.Can you share your pics of the whole process?
I'm steadily climbing, 0.4 right now. I just added 30#'s of new sand and a rock that's probably 15ish pounds. Still climbing.
Yes, although likely not as efficient.Do you think this method is safer than adding lanthanum directly into a tank?
One shot.Do you spread out the lanthanum dose or just dose one shot?
I did some testing early on in my own style that indicated a sand bag with reach equilibrium in 3 days. I actually think it's faster than that but I had absolutely no intention of cleaning it any sooner than that anyhow.How do you know when the phosphate is completely desorbed?
I've tested zero in regenerated clear water, and high phosphate in the sludge, so I guess so.Is testing phosphate in the regeneration bucket accurate if you dose lanthanum?
Nope, I don't recall those questions before.I hope I’m not asking repetitive questions.
I've pondered this also. I got it into my head that GFO gets a coating of calcium carbonate over time, reducing its effectiveness towards that of sand. No idea why I've got that in my head, probably on a googling session, perhaps @Randy Holmes-Farley knows.Imagine using the regeneration method with GFO instead of sand. Would the GFO have more surface area than sand to adsorb more PO4?
Thank you so much! It’s a very interesting method. Can you explain the story on how you came up with it? Pretty ingenious if you ask me!Yes, although likely not as efficient.
One shot.
I did some testing early on in my own style that indicated a sand bag with reach equilibrium in 3 days. I actually think it's faster than that but I had absolutely no intention of cleaning it any sooner than that anyhow.
I've tested zero in regenerated clear water, and high phosphate in the sludge, so I guess so.
Nope, I don't recall those questions before.
I've pondered this also. I got it into my head that GFO gets a coating of calcium carbonate over time, reducing its effectiveness towards that of sand. No idea why I've got that in my head, probably on a googling session, perhaps @Randy Holmes-Farley knows.
Imagine using the regeneration method with GFO instead of sand. Would the GFO have more surface area than sand to adsorb more PO4?
I'm trying to cement my name in reefing history, perhaps even develope a new science, lolThank you so much! It’s a very interesting method. Can you explain the story on how you came up with it? Pretty ingenious if you ask me!