Did I unlock all the phosphate from 100#s of live rock?

[Daddy-o]

Hi, @Randy Holmes-Farley Several months ago I did a tank clean up. I pulled all the rocks one by one, soaked them in straight vinegar for at least 15-20 minutes, washed, rinsed, and put back into the reef.
My question, is it possible that at 2.5ph, the vinegar has unbound phosphate from my rocks? If so, will they level out at some point?
Cheers! Mark

 

[JumboShrimp]

Following. Similar question: If I have rocks in a tank with sky-high phosphates, and I soak them individually in buckets of straight RODI several times (I know I’m not preserving my bacteria), will it leach out all the phosphates fairly quickly so I can reuse the rocks in a new ‘clean’ tank?

 

[Daddy-o]

I have fought with phosphates for a couple years. I have spent hundreds on GFO and hundreds more on PhosGuard. The phosphates just don't go down. They run between .27 and .5 I just ordered some Lanthanum Chloride. It is Blue Life phosphate RX. I am done filling my reactor every 4 days. I am going to go slow, but I am going to get these phosphates below .1
Cheers! Mark

 

[jccaclimber]

If I remember correctly, rocks bind quite a bit of phosphate relative to the amount that ends up in the water. As a result, soaking it out isn’t particularly effective without something (LaCl, algae, etc) to consume it.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Interesting, thank you!

 

[piranhaman00]

Interesting, I am attempting something similiar in the future, my plan was to just use form of LaCl but I am hesitant to try it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi, @Randy Holmes-Farley Several months ago I did a tank clean up. I pulled all the rocks one by one, soaked them in straight vinegar for at least 15-20 minutes, washed, rinsed, and put back into the reef.
My question, is it possible that at 2.5ph, the vinegar has unbound phosphate from my rocks? If so, will they level out at some point?
Cheers! Mark

It is possible that you stripped out a lot of the phosphate, yes. All? Probably not.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If I remember correctly, rocks bind quite a bit of phosphate relative to the amount that ends up in the water. As a result, soaking it out isn’t particularly effective without something (LaCl, algae, etc) to consume it.

Acid is also effective as it dissolves off the outer layer of the rock.

That said, lanthanum also works well, maybe better, if phosphate is the only concern. Lanthanum will take a lot longer, though.

 

[Dom]

Shouldn't you be concerned about an ammonia spike? I would think that your nitrifying bacteria colony took a hit.

 

[JumboShrimp]

My rocks are in buckets with RODI— but based on the comments I think I will add some of this Agent Green— basically LC.

 

[Daddy-o]

Interesting, I am attempting something similiar in the future, my plan was to just use form of LaCl but I am hesitant to try it.

I was really nervous and didnt have a clue til I watched the video:

Phosphate Rx - Blue Life

bluelifeusa.com

 

[Daddy-o]

Shouldn't you be concerned about an ammonia spike? I would think that your nitrifying bacteria colony took a hit.

I did them a rock at a time and there was probably 150 pounds of untouched rock in my 200g. I only lost 1 small coral so it was worth it to get rid of the pests in the rocks.

 

[Daddy-o]

Interesting, I am attempting something similiar in the future, my plan was to just use form of LaCl but I am hesitant to try it.

My rocks are in buckets with RODI— but based on the comments I think I will add some of this Agent Green— basically LC.

I would be interested in your results. If you guys try it, please post your results into this thread.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Rst]

I have a 140g system running for the last 20 years. For the last few years, was constantly fighting very high phosphates. I dosed lanthanum chloride solution (Pool grade) hourly for almost 1 year Just to keep my phosphates from climbing way above 0.2 ppm. Finally gave up and removed all gravel, rocks, coral & fish, then just lightly rinsed all rock in the old salt water, disposed of all gravel & replaced with new washed gravel and put back corals & fish & added freshly made salt water. Whole thing took 3 hours. Drastic but problem solved. That was 6 months ago. Ever since phosphates remain low. Thinking that the old gravel was the major contributor? Maybe Lanthanum isn’t always the right answer.

 

[piranhaman00]

Very high at 0.2ppm? Im talking like 5.0ppm in my tank haha,

 

[JumboShrimp]

Mine is currently bare-bottom, so that might erode the sand/gravel theory (Lol). (Phosphates 5 to 10 in a FOWLR.)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The amount of phosphate bound to rock and sand depends both on the mineral surface area exposed (sand is likely higher than rock for many folks) and on the water phosphate level that initially deposited it. You are not trying to remove it all, just down to the point where it is in equilibrium with the level you want in the water.

 

[Daddy-o]

I have a 140g system running for the last 20 years. For the last few years, was constantly fighting very high phosphates. I dosed lanthanum chloride solution (Pool grade) hourly for almost 1 year Just to keep my phosphates from climbing way above 0.2 ppm. Finally gave up and removed all gravel, rocks, coral & fish, then just lightly rinsed all rock in the old salt water, disposed of all gravel & replaced with new washed gravel and put back corals & fish & added freshly made salt water. Whole thing took 3 hours. Drastic but problem solved. That was 6 months ago. Ever since phosphates remain low. Thinking that the old gravel was the major contributor? Maybe Lanthanum isn’t always the right answer.

I have removed the sand from 3 1/2 of the tanks and added gyres for serious flow.

 

[Daddy-o]

I think I am ready to start once the L/C gets here. My system is 4 tanks plumbed into the same sump. I am going to isolate one of the tanks (40 breeder with about 70 pounds of rock, and it has one of the system's 3 skimmers in it ) and dose this tank. When I feel the mess has cleared, I will allow the water to flow into the rest of the reef. I would guess that I have 25 gallons of water in the 40. The dosing says that 6 drops removes .5ppm of phosphate per 10 gallons. So if my math is correct, each drop into this tank should drop phosphate .0333ppm ???

Cheers! Mark

 

[brandon429]

neat thread enjoyed reading
if you set a reminder to update this thread in two years for tracking thorough clean outcomes it would really help, limited reserves of follow up data n pics