Massive Lanthanum Overdose

[Empti1280]

Hello, I just went to feed my corals with a squirt of coral food & didn't realise I had a bottle of phosphate remover in my hand. Id estimate bare minimum 30-50 mls max 100ml into a ~150L tank. Instant clouding, corals sulking and fish breathing heavily and I shut off circulation within 45 seconds, ripped everything apart and now have all my fish and corals jammed into the sump with the skimmer on low for oxygenation/some flow. Its 11pm so no shops open, where do I go from here?

I could test phosphate & perhaps add some to the sump to prevent po4 from bottoming out? At this point I likely have to completely redo my display as I tore the rockscape apart and mixed up sand which had been dormant for atleast a year.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Once the cloudiness settles, check the alkalinity as you may also precipitate lanthanum carbonate. Phisphate almost certainly dropped very low.’, and may be hard to bring back up if there is substantial lanthanum remaining in the water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Water change is in order, if possible.

 

[VintageReefer]

The issue (from my understanding) is not the drop in phosphate, but that the phosphate remover is fine particulates that messes with fish breathing. You need a super fine filter sock to collect it all.

 

[Empti1280]

Water change is in order, if possible.

My current plan is to let the corals/fish sit in the sump overnight, do a 100% WC in the display and wash off all the lanthanum precipitate off the rock and sand and check levels. Does this advice still apply to changing out water in the sump of which im not sure how much lanthanum got in before I cut circulation? Things seem pretty ok down there, minimal cloudiness, some slimey stuff which may either be precipitate or coral goop and fish arent breathing heavy as they were in the tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I dont know whether the precipitate is an issue or not.

 

[Empti1280]

I dont know whether the precipitate is an issue or not.

That's ok, thank you so much for your advice anyways :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That's ok, thank you so much for your advice anyways :)

You're welcome.

Good luck!

 

[1ocean]

I would get a small pump and recirculate the sump water into a filter sock to remove as much particles as possible to help relieve the situation in the sump while you deal with the tank...

 

[moretor1]

Look up one of Brandon's rip clean threads if you really want to be thorough with getting everything out