ScottF
Well-Known Member
I run GFO (Rowaphos) to control PO4, but I also dose Si because I have photosynthetic sponges. I feel like the Si is reducing the potential for the GFO to absorb PO4 and the GFO is just absorbing the Si that I am dosing. It seem like a whole lot of wasted money.
I tried running AFO (Phosguard) in the past and it leached a bunch of aluminum into the water and killed my toadstool leather. For a while I was dosing a mixture of calcium hydroxide and vinegar as a source of carbon, but my reef didn't seem to like the increased bacterial load in the water column.
I also run a sulfur reactor that keeps my NO3 pegged at 9. I'm convinced that I could take a dump in my tank without much of an increase in NO3. The sulfur denitrator is super effective. I wish everything just worked as well as my sulfur reactor. So I'm only looking for a solution to control PO4. Not NO3.
I do also use some lanthanum chloride (Phosphate Rx, Phosphat-E), but I'm concerned with residual build up of lanthanum chloride since it does show up as a pollutant on my ICP tests and I also have fish that are sensitive to lanthanum like yellow tangs and a foxface.
Is there a better way to remove PO4 that doesn't also remove Si? Is there something that will remove the residual lanthanum? Is there a safer way to dose lanthanum than just adding it to my overflow that drains into my roller mat?
I tried running AFO (Phosguard) in the past and it leached a bunch of aluminum into the water and killed my toadstool leather. For a while I was dosing a mixture of calcium hydroxide and vinegar as a source of carbon, but my reef didn't seem to like the increased bacterial load in the water column.
I also run a sulfur reactor that keeps my NO3 pegged at 9. I'm convinced that I could take a dump in my tank without much of an increase in NO3. The sulfur denitrator is super effective. I wish everything just worked as well as my sulfur reactor. So I'm only looking for a solution to control PO4. Not NO3.
I do also use some lanthanum chloride (Phosphate Rx, Phosphat-E), but I'm concerned with residual build up of lanthanum chloride since it does show up as a pollutant on my ICP tests and I also have fish that are sensitive to lanthanum like yellow tangs and a foxface.
Is there a better way to remove PO4 that doesn't also remove Si? Is there something that will remove the residual lanthanum? Is there a safer way to dose lanthanum than just adding it to my overflow that drains into my roller mat?
