Dosing Lanthanum Method (Tropic Marin)

[PotatoPig]

So I’m trying a DIY slow doser for this:

I have a 500ml bottle, airline tube and a valve. The tube siphons from the bottle into the filter sock holder. The valve adjusts flow.

I put 2ml of Tropic Marin Elimini-Phos Rapid in the 500ml bottle, diluted with RODI. This is about 1/6 the dose that would eliminate phosphates. I then adjust the valve so the siphon runs at a drop by drop trickle so the bottle takes about 8-12 hours to transfer to the tank.

The skimmer is in the same compartment as the filter sock, so any that makes it through that goes straight into the skimmer.

Is this a reasonable/safe way to dose this stuff?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I’m trying a DIY slow doser for this:

I have a 500ml bottle, airline tube and a valve. The tube siphons from the bottle into the filter sock holder. The valve adjusts flow.

I put 2ml of Tropic Marin Elimini-Phos Rapid in the 500ml bottle, diluted with RODI. This is about 1/6 the dose that would eliminate phosphates. I then adjust the valve so the siphon runs at a drop by drop trickle so the bottle takes about 8-12 hours to transfer to the tank.

The skimmer is in the same compartment as the filter sock, so any that makes it through that goes straight into the skimmer.

Is this a reasonable/safe way to dose this stuff?

I do not know what causes a few folks to have issues with fish and most to not have such issues. It seems like a reasonable plan, however.

 

[PotatoPig]

I do not know what causes a few folks to have issues with fish and most to not have such issues. It seems like a reasonable plan, however.

So it’s not a blanket issue?

I ask as the directions on the bottle didn’t indicate particular hazards or strict dosing (other than a max per dose based on tank volume) and seemed to leave a lot of where and how you dose up to the user.

Which I did the first few times (dump it in, let it distribute through the tank and then have socks and skimmer filter out) and haven’t had any issues, but then I came across a bunch of articles suggesting this was extremely hazardous to fish so got rather worried…

I guess it seems maybe not necessary but also no harm in a slow dose system.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The effect in tangs does not always happen, if that is what you mean by a blanket effect. Its much less common than not seeing it, but it appears to be a real risk.

 

[i0nz]

In my experience, I’ve had good results in the past dropping a new 5 micron sediment filter into a reactor and slowly dosing Lanthanum chloride near the feeding pump. It almost seems to charge the filter as you would with a water polishing filter and diatomaceous earth. However I’m currently dealing with undetectable PO4 levels where algae is present. I also have tangs which is my concern.