Reducing phospahates in tank.

[PPBlimpy]

I have been toying with the idea of dosing lanthanum chloride into my skimmer to reduce phosphates.

265G system currently sitting at 1.2 phos w/ approx 200 lbs rock

Problem is I have a bunch of tangs....and I really like them.

So to avoid injury and loss a recent thought is.

To set up a temporary system, say 60G breeder with my spare HOB octo 100 skimmer and have the exhaust of the skimmer into a 10micron sock filter, will be in my basement, with no livestock and transfer 30% of my rock into this temp system and Dose LC without any fish.
If it works well I figure i can do a fairly healthy dose daily. i have an extra dosing head sitting here.
May take a while but let the LC pull from the rocks and then when it comes down to under say .3 transfer them back into the tank and pull another 30% and repeat. I know it will balance out but hoping it will help bring it down.

My Aquascape is a mess anyways and want to redo it.
ATS is coming online and will eventually help reduce phosphates on the DT.
Also going to be starting daily 3G WC ASAP.
I Have already changed up feeding.
Was trying to run chaeto but have no luck in this system keeping it alive just slowly disappears. My other tank it thrives but phos is only at .1

This will allow me to have space to rebuild the aquascape more to my liking also, I hope.

This a waste of time and energy?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Seems like a lot of work. What is the phosphate level now?

 

[PPBlimpy]

Seems like a lot of work. What is the phosphate level now?

1.2

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry, missed that.

It seems like a fine plan, but will take an extended period to not stress corals left in the tank.

 

[PPBlimpy]

yes very true, unfortunately a crash took out most my corals back in October. What is left and have been bought are all mounted on small pieces of rubble or small rocks which i probably wouldn't transfer over to the 60G.

The crash is one reason the aquascape is not to my liking anymore. had to pull 50+ bta from the tank in a single night as they were letting go of the rocks and just floating around. Didn't want them to nuke the tank any further

 

[PPBlimpy]

Sorry, missed that.

It seems like a fine plan, but will take an extended period to not stress corals left in the tank.

I went back and edited the original post it a bit after you asked about the measurement.

 

[dwest]

I bet a half cup of GFO placed in a bag in a medium to high flow area will slowly bring your phosphates down to acceptable levels. Replace every 2 weeks.

Just food for thought. Good luck.

 

[PPBlimpy]

I bet a half cup of GFO placed in a bag in a medium to high flow area will slowly bring your phosphates down to acceptable levels. Replace every 2 weeks.

Just food for thought. Good luck.

I have tried gfo and the swings were crazy.

I wound up using 1/4 recommended in bag and the next week I added another bag with 1/4 and third week replaced the first weeks and continued that way for 6 weeks. Running 1/2 of the recommended dose. Got it down to .8 for a while.

But trying to find a better /cheaper way