Lanthanum cloride. Removing the residue

[ReefingInMadrid]

Hello,

just started using Lanthanum cloride in my reef tank with great results to leave the phosphates where i want them. I am using Tropic Marin's Elimi-phos Rapid and the dosing and lowering of the phosphates is spot on..

Also i see that it is super economical versus resins, so i was wondering if it is a viable choice to use it long term.

I am applying it as per instructions i found here in the forum. Diluting the dose on 2 liters of RO water and dosing it during several hours into the sump return, so it gets mechanically filtered via a 10 micron filter sock and then into the skimmer chamber... i see no clouding of the water and my 4 tangs showed no stress signals at any point.

My question is... Are there any resins that capture the lanthanum residue that escapes the mechanical and skimmer filtration? can i eliminate that chemically too to try to avoid the build up and make it a long term and cheap solution to control phosphates? @Randy Holmes-Farley your input would be greatly appreciate it.


My LFS said that they think there is a TRITON product that eliminates it.. they are looking into it. if they give me that product's name i will share it here.


TIA

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do not know of any way to remove unprecipitated lanthanum (except by adding phosphate and precipitating it)

Lanthanum that has already precipitated as a solid particulate can be removed by suitably fine mesh filters, but I don't think that particulate material later gets stuck to things. I think that crusts on glass and such are precipitating in place there.

 

[laverda]

I have used this for many years. I recommend dosing at half the recommended rate. If you do not have phosphates in your water it will cause calcium to participate out, which can cause breathing issues and death in some fish. The manufacturer specifically told me calcium will participate if no phosphate is available years ago when I worked in the business. The phosphate that participates out is supposed to be permanently bound into a harmless solid.

 

[ReefingInMadrid]

@Randy Holmes-Farley ty for your response. I do not see any precipitacion anywhere, it is just that reading through different threads i saw some people that use lanthanum that had ICP tests coming back with it present, and i thought it was a residue of using it.. Never hurts to ask.

@laverda No of course, i am not planning on depleting my phosphates, that would unbalance the system, it is simply that i feed a lot of frozen food and even though i rinse it, phosphates tend to creep up over time to values that my acros are not happy.

I found the dosing instructions to be pretty accurate and i have been reducing my phosphates gradually to a point where they are low but are still there and in a good proportion with my nitrates. The "high input high output" approach its what works for me, but my algae reactor and my skimmer need some help from time to time. That is the planned used of lanthanum... and just wondering if that precipitation should be removed... Seeing that it is not important and that most of it will be catched by my sock and skimmer i guess there is nothing to worry.

Thank you guys for your responses.