Dosing Tropic Marin® Elimi-Phos Rapid but not seeing a po4 drop?

[TinCanHero]

Hello!
This is my second reef tank, i downsized around 3 months ago when i moved.
Basically, a dry start with Carib sea south seas base rock and a seed rock from some live rock i had cycling for a few months before the move.

Everything has been great for the most part so far, coral and fish moved over fine and the tank cycled and stabilized quickly and things are growing again.

The only real issue ive had is phosphates. I noticed some of my Acros started to brown out after a few months as my phosphates continued to rise, they hit .2 - .3 while my nitrates stayed low. I started to use carbon dosing and GFO but it didn't move my phosphates. In the end, I almost bottomed out my nitrates so I stopped the carbon dosing and moved to LaCl3 after doing a few 50% WC's.

My phosphates dropped to 0.14 after the Wc's so i started to dose LaCl3. I started small with 0.5ml and ive moved the dose up to 2.5ml per day over the last two weeks.
Testing my water ive noticed my phosphates are at 0.16 so im super confused as to whats going on here. I still have a ton of GFO in the sump also.

The last test was 0.16 on phosphates and 1.1 on nitrate (using Hanah LR for phosphate and Hanah HR for nitrate).

My setup is a RSR 200XL G2 (200L system) with a RSK 300 skimmer and the reefmat 500. Im dripping the LaCI3 into the overflow chamber 1ml at a time spaced through the day (1ml when I get up, 1ml after work, and 0.5ml before bed.)

I'm not too sure what I'm doing wrong here or why my phosphate levels are still creeping up, is this normal? The tank, rock, and sand are pretty clean, with no algae to be found.
Could it be something to do with my filtration or method of dosing? I'm struggling to see where all of this phosphate is coming from if it's leeching.

Am i missing something here?

(I run elevated levels, RSCP salt @ 12dkh)

Many thanks, The1

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Two possible issues are not dosing enough, and having the suspended lanthanum phosphate particles still in the water that is being tested (where it dissolves).

 

[Eric Cohen]

Hello!
This is my second reef tank, i downsized around 3 months ago when i moved.
Basically, a dry start with Carib sea south seas base rock and a seed rock from some live rock i had cycling for a few months before the move.

Everything has been great for the most part so far, coral and fish moved over fine and the tank cycled and stabilized quickly and things are growing again.

The only real issue ive had is phosphates. I noticed some of my Acros started to brown out after a few months as my phosphates continued to rise, they hit .2 - .3 while my nitrates stayed low. I started to use carbon dosing and GFO but it didn't move my phosphates. In the end, I almost bottomed out my nitrates so I stopped the carbon dosing and moved to LaCl3 after doing a few 50% WC's.

My phosphates dropped to 0.14 after the Wc's so i started to dose LaCl3. I started small with 0.5ml and ive moved the dose up to 2.5ml per day over the last two weeks.
Testing my water ive noticed my phosphates are at 0.16 so im super confused as to whats going on here. I still have a ton of GFO in the sump also.

The last test was 0.16 on phosphates and 1.1 on nitrate (using Hanah LR for phosphate and Hanah HR for nitrate).

My setup is a RSR 200XL G2 (200L system) with a RSK 300 skimmer and the reefmat 500. Im dripping the LaCI3 into the overflow chamber 1ml at a time spaced through the day (1ml when I get up, 1ml after work, and 0.5ml before bed.)

I'm not too sure what I'm doing wrong here or why my phosphate levels are still creeping up, is this normal? The tank, rock, and sand are pretty clean, with no algae to be found.
Could it be something to do with my filtration or method of dosing? I'm struggling to see where all of this phosphate is coming from if it's leeching.

Am i missing something here?

Many thanks, The1

I also have a product for removing and maintaining phosphate called Phosphate Rx. It's also a Lanthanum chloride solution made for our aquariums and very effective. You should figure out where the phosphate is coming from......your food? Your Water? Your salt? Test everything you add to your tank before you put it in.....then you can also test your water in small doses to see what's effective.....

Best of luck....Phosphate is an issue so many face.

E

 

[TinCanHero]

Two possible issues are not dosing enough, and having the suspended lanthanum phosphate particles still in the water that is being tested (where it dissolves).

Hi Randy, thanks for the quick reply!
Im starting to lean towards option two there, im getting worried about pushing the dose much higher, i cant imagine id be seeing 0.1ppm of phosphates a day? (+ what the GFO is soaking up)

If the suspended lanthanum phosphate particles are not being picked up by filtration, would they dissolve back into free phosphates again? I'm not sure how the chemistry works there, to be honest.

the last question would is do you know if the reefmat floss roll has a small enough filter size to catch the lanthanum? so far ive been relying on that as a method of capture hoping my skimmer picks up anything missed. Is there a better method for dosing?

I also have a product for removing and maintaining phosphate called Phosphate Rx. It's also a Lanthanum chloride solution made for our aquariums and very effective. You should figure out where the phosphate is coming from......your food? Your Water? Your salt? Test everything you add to your tank before you put it in.....then you can also test your water in small doses to see what's effective.....

Best of luck....Phosphate is an issue so many face.

E

The only three things i can think of is the new rock, new sand or food. I feed frozen food and don't overdo it, i have skipped some feedings with no noticeable change to levels. my sand is crushed shell from TMC (there eco stuff) i know its not washed before its packaged, maybe that?

 

[Eric Cohen]

Hi Randy, thanks for the quick reply!
Im starting to lean towards option two there, im getting worried about pushing the dose much higher, i cant imagine id be seeing 0.1ppm of phosphates a day? (+ what the GFO is soaking up)

If the suspended lanthanum phosphate particles are not being picked up by filtration, would they dissolve back into free phosphates again? I'm not sure how the chemistry works there, to be honest.

the last question would is do you know if the reefmat floss roll has a small enough filter size to catch the lanthanum? so far ive been relying on that as a method of capture hoping my skimmer picks up anything missed. Is there a better method for dosing?




The only three things i can think of is the new rock, new sand or food. I feed frozen food and don't overdo it, i have skipped some feedings with no noticeable change to levels. my sand is crushed shell from TMC (there eco stuff) i know its not washed before its packaged, maybe that?

Im always skeptical of artificial rock.....check some rock threads to see if others have had similar issues.