Is Phosguard bad news?

[ScottF]

Recently out of the blue, my NO3 and PO4 levels spiked from their normal levels. I decided to try running a little Phosguard because water changes were bringing down the nitrates, but not the phosphates.

I didn't realize when I ordered it that Phosguard is granular aluminum oxide. My most recent ICP-MS test is showing elevated (105.0 µg/l) aluminum which I'm assuming leached from the Phosguard.

Now I am running TLF Metasorb at night to soak up the aluminum and dosing Captiv8 Iso8-MT in the morning to try to replace the "good" elements that it's binding. It seems like my corals are not happy about the situation. They look fine, but my Alk consumption seems to be way down since I started using Metasorb overnight.

Is Phosguard worse than the problem that it is trying to solve? It seems that way to me.

 

[Rocks reef]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d stop Phosguard. If you do use it again, wash it really well.

Do you have any other white media in use?

 

[X-37B]

I used it for years although the amount was small. This year I used it on my 150 and after 8 months my aluminum was very high.
I now use Phosphate minus. I hated gfo due the mess, it was probably me though.
Reason I like the minus is it comes in wet and no rinsing. I drop it in a bag and into my overflow area.
This gfo for whatever reason lasts longer than prior gfo or phosgaurd.

 

[ScottF]

I’d stop Phosguard. If you do use it again, wash it really well.

Do you have any other white media in use?

I stopped using Phosguard and don't plan on ever using it again. I switched to using lanthanum chloride (Phosphate RX) instead.

As for media, I use a little GAC periodically and I'm currently using Metasorb at night to bind the aluminum. I'm only using the Metasorb at night because it also binds "good" elements like iron and manganese. So I'm dosing a little bit of Captiv8 Isol8-MT in the morning after I remove the Metasorb. Then I put the Metasorb back in when the lights turn off.

I plan to only run the Metasorb for a few days and then I'll submit an ICP-MS test to see where I'm at. Hopefully it has removed a decent amount of aluminum by then and I can manually replace any elements that were depleted by the Metasorb.

 

[Dom]

Is it a problem to use when you are doing weekly water changes?

 

[Drag80n Reef]

I stopped using Phosguard and don't plan on ever using it again. I switched to using lanthanum chloride (Phosphate RX) instead.

As for media, I use a little GAC periodically and I'm currently using Metasorb at night to bind the aluminum. I'm only using the Metasorb at night because it also binds "good" elements like iron and manganese. So I'm dosing a little bit of Captiv8 Isol8-MT in the morning after I remove the Metasorb. Then I put the Metasorb back in when the lights turn off.

I plan to only run the Metasorb for a few days and then I'll submit an ICP-MS test to see where I'm at. Hopefully it has removed a decent amount of aluminum by then and I can manually replace any elements that were depleted by the Metasorb.

I used Rowaphos to solve my phosphate issue and it dropped 0.1 phos per day for me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is it a problem to use when you are doing weekly water changes?

Maybe, maybe not. Most folks use it ok. A closing up leather coral is often a first indication of trouble.

 

[ScottF]

Maybe, maybe not. Most folks use it ok. A closing up leather coral is often a first indication of trouble.

I have automatic 2% daily water changes. My toadstool and both of my stylocoeniella are unhappy. The toadstool has shrunken down further than I thought possible. For me it wasn't a gradual thing. I used Phosguard once in a 250 gallon reef. I rinsed it in a bucket of RODI water before putting it in my sump.

My aluminum went from 1.0 µg/l on my 4/18 ICP-MS to 105.0 µg/l on my 5/18 ICP-MS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have automatic 2% daily water changes. My toadstool and both of my stylocoeniella are unhappy. The toadstool has shrunken down further than I thought possible. For me it wasn't a gradual thing. I used Phosguard once in a 250 gallon reef. I rinsed it in a bucket of RODI water before putting it in my sump.

My aluminum went from 1.0 µg/l on my 4/18 ICP-MS to 105.0 µg/l on my 5/18 ICP-MS.

Well, that seems fairly conclusive that it is an aluminum issue.

 

[ScottF]

Maybe, maybe not. Most folks use it ok. A closing up leather coral is often a first indication of trouble.

Could ozone cause granular aluminum oxide to leach aluminum into the water? I put the media bag in the baffle that is right after my skimmer and I run O3 through that skimmer every night from 3am - 4am.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Could ozone cause granular aluminum oxide to leach aluminum into the water? I put the media bag in the baffle that is right after my skimmer and I run O3 through that skimmer every night from 3am - 4am.

No, ozone has no effect on aluminum oxide.

 

[jkobel]

I have automatic 2% daily water changes. My toadstool and both of my stylocoeniella are unhappy. The toadstool has shrunken down further than I thought possible. For me it wasn't a gradual thing. I used Phosguard once in a 250 gallon reef. I rinsed it in a bucket of RODI water before putting it in my sump.

My aluminum went from 1.0 µg/l on my 4/18 ICP-MS to 105.0 µg/l on my 5/18 ICP-MS.

Can I ask how much PhosGuard you used? My Aluminum went from 17 to 45 but I used a lot (1 cup) on a 145 gal system. and Ive been running it like this for about 6 months.

It did solve my Phosphate issues but based on the label saying "will not leach aluminum" I was surprised to see my level go up.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It did solve my Phosphate issues but based on the label saying "will not leach aluminum" I was surprised to see my level go up.

It is also surprising they continue to push this false claim since it has been pointed out to them for decades that this claims is false.

Fortunately, icp now allows all reefers to see for themselves what I showed decades ago, which caused Seachem to flip out and go after me as if I had devil’s horns. They literally posted an article later claiming they proved no aluminum release using a method that by their own statements would not have had the ability to detect the levels I reported.

I do not support Seachem for this and other false claims.

 

[ScottF]

Can I ask how much PhosGuard you used? My Aluminum went from 17 to 45 but I used a lot (1 cup) on a 145 gal system. and Ive been running it like this for about 6 months.

It did solve my Phosphate issues but based on the label saying "will not leach aluminum" I was surprised to see my level go up.

I don't remember the exact amount that I used. If I had to guess, I'd say probably about 2 cups in a large media bag laying across the baffle sponge before my return pump chamber.

I will never use the stuff again. My toadstool is still shriveled up to almost nothing. I started using rowaphos a few days ago instead.

 

[jrawk1120]

As soon as I put it in my tank, my Duncan’s closed up and 2 died.

However, I can’t say that’s the cause because idk for sure.

 

[ScottF]

As soon as I put it in my tank, my Duncan’s closed up and 2 died.

However, I can’t say that’s the cause because idk for sure.

My duncans are ok. I can't remember if they closed up, but I think they were fine.

My burning banana stylocoeniella and superman stylocoeniella both looked super angry as soon as I started using phosguard. Neither one looks as good as they did before the phosguard.

It was the toadstool leather that really took the hit though. At this point I'll be suprised if it recovers.