Lanthanum Chloride and live rock

[PPBlimpy]

Does Lanthanum dosing hurt the biological Bacteria in live rock?

I am about to rework my big tank (210G) , Phosphates are horrendous and I want to pull 50% of the rock, transfer to a 100G horse trough with heater, pump and skimmer and heavily dose lanthanum into the skimmer to try to pull as much phosphates out of the rocks as I can. Figure it would take 2-3 weeks and transfer the rock back in. Then do the second half the same way but ad GFO to the tank at the same time to help pull what I can out of the sand. There are a couple soft corals, mostly disco mushrooms and some palys.

Each time removing the rocks I would also do a 100G water change, using the tank water to refill the trough.

My tank has 10 tangs currently so I don't want to risk effecting them.

Sounds halfway reasonable? This tank has been fairly neglected after a tank crash last October. Lost most of my corals. All fish survived but have just been feeding and minimal water changes.

Once the tank is reset I plan to do 2G / day AWC. I have it all plumbed and everything ready to go as I was setting it up prior to the crash. Want to push the tank toward SPS/LPS

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would not expect a problem unless you drop phosphate so low the bacteria are starved for it.

 

[PPBlimpy]

I would not expect a problem unless you drop phosphate so low the bacteria are starved for it.

I do not plan to go that low. Would like to get the rock to about .1 and have it hold and not leach for 3-5 days before returning it to the tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have no reason to think that would be an issue.