Sailfin tang heavy breathing after adding Quantum Phosphate remover (lanthanum)

sim2142

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 23, 2020
Messages
89
Reaction score
73
Location
NSW, Australia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As the title suggests after adding half the recommended Quantum Phosphate remover dose to my tank my sailfin rapidly broke down into heavy breathing and refused to eat

After doing some research online I saw a small number of posts indicating that it was the active ingredient Lanthanum Chloride and its precipitate which caused this.

Im actually amazed that the safety sheet and usage information on the bottle as well as the vendor site doesn’t specify this? I’m even more amazed that other vendors of this supplement don’t list this as a warning either, simply saying that as long as it’s not overdosed it’s suitable for everything from mixed reefs to FOWLR tanks.

As if no companies would list this warning for people using this supplement???

I did a big water change so hopefully he fully recovers as his breathing has slowed back down. Any other recommendations on what to do?
 

SPR1968

No, it wasn’t expensive dear....
View Badges
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
20,028
Reaction score
124,588
Location
Nottinghamshire England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I believe your supposed to add it just before mechanical filtration so the particles that’s precipitate out are immediately removed from the system

The fish may have some caught up in its gills which hopefully will clear out.

Ive never used it myself although I have researched it, I prefer rowaphos
 

Reef and Dive

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2018
Messages
1,108
Reaction score
5,117
Location
Brazil
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As the title suggests after adding half the recommended Quantum Phosphate remover dose to my tank my sailfin rapidly broke down into heavy breathing and refused to eat

After doing some research online I saw a small number of posts indicating that it was the active ingredient Lanthanum Chloride and its precipitate which caused this.

Im actually amazed that the safety sheet and usage information on the bottle as well as the vendor site doesn’t specify this? I’m even more amazed that other vendors of this supplement don’t list this as a warning either, simply saying that as long as it’s not overdosed it’s suitable for everything from mixed reefs to FOWLR tanks.

As if no companies would list this warning for people using this supplement???

I did a big water change so hopefully he fully recovers as his breathing has slowed back down. Any other recommendations on what to do?
You’ll find that all liquid phosphate removers are Lanthanum chloride based.

If the particles are not removed by filtration some fish really have a hard time breathing.

Be careful not to get “true zero” phosphates because that’s pretty possible with Lanthanum.

After those initial hard moments your sailfin will be fine.
 
OP
OP
sim2142

sim2142

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 23, 2020
Messages
89
Reaction score
73
Location
NSW, Australia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ah okie, whenever I feed oily foods to the anemones the protein skimmer stop working for around an hour.

I fed just before adding the Lanthanum so maybe that’s why it’s wasn’t pulled out of the water?
 

josephxsxn

Mixed Reef Peninsula
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2020
Messages
682
Reaction score
592
Location
Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You may want to use a lower dose perhaps? I have my LC on a doser and highly diluted. Then I run it into my skimmer directly through the top of the cup. Been working just fine for weeks now. Additional the tank has a Sailfin and a Scopas tang both of which are rumored to be sensitive.

 

9975

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
523
Reaction score
402
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If I remember correctly from previous posts, tangs can be a little more affected by LC. I always drop mine into the protein skimmer which seems to be a typical suggestion
 

oldmonk

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
298
Reaction score
170
Location
Asia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You may want to use a lower dose perhaps? I have my LC on a doser and highly diluted. Then I run it into my skimmer directly through the top of the cup. Been working just fine for weeks now. Additional the tank has a Sailfin and a Scopas tang both of which are rumored to be sensitive.

Mind sharing the dilution ratio ??? thanks
 

josephxsxn

Mixed Reef Peninsula
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2020
Messages
682
Reaction score
592
Location
Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
2000ml RO water and 250ml Brightwell Phosphate-E


I just wanna update here that I have stopped mixing this down and am only using straight phosphate-e now into my skimmer. I think the RO and LC was settling over time giving weird results where phosphates would drop hard for a while and then stop dropping completely until I refilled with a new mixture.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 73 51.8%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 72 51.1%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 36 25.5%
  • None.

    Votes: 31 22.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 6.4%
Back
Top