Too much lanthanum in my tank

[didou]

Hello,

2 months ago I switched from GFO to lanthanum chloride for phosphate reduction. Because GFO is expensive for a 1500 liters tank.

Even though I am dosing it like I have read on this forum (diluted 1/10 in RO water, dosing 5ml every 1hour into a 5micron sock and only 2 days a week when my phosphate go above 0.08). I have lanthanum residue in my tank on my last ICP (15mμg/L on oceamo ICP test and they recommend lanthanum to stay below 3μg/L).

Is 15μg/L really high ? Will it go away on its own or should i do a water change today ? Should I go back to GFO ?

thanks for your help

 

[VintageReefer]

Going forward you could use an algae scrubber to control phosphate for free and not have to worry about changing media or harming fish

You control your numbers with the amount of hours the scrubber leds are on each day

 

[didou]

Going forward you could use an algae scrubber to control phosphate for free and not have to worry about changing media or harming fish

You control your numbers with the amount of hours the scrubber leds are on each day

I already have a refugium with chaetomorpha, are algae scrubbers better than refugium or is it the same? But it seems that my chaeto is only reducing nitrates and doesn't do much about phosphates.

Because it reduces nitrates so much, I have to dose nitrate+ otherwise it will go to 0 and I have to dose lanthanum to reduce phosphates... I would like to have to control only 1, not both.

 

[VintageReefer]

I already have a refugium with chaetomorpha, are algae scrubbers better than refugium or is it the same? But it seems that my chaeto is only reducing nitrates and doesn't do much about phosphates.

Because it reduces nitrates so much, I have to dose nitrate+ otherwise it will go to 0 and I have to dose lanthanum to reduce phosphates... I would like to have to control only 1, not both.

Scrubbers grow turf algae and control nitrate and phosphate and they are more efficient / productive than refugium.

They will likely outcompete and kill your cheato….they are that strong

 

[didou]

Scrubbers grow turf algae and control nitrate and phosphate and they are more efficient / productive than refugium.

They will likely outcompete and kill your cheato….they are that strong

I see, thanks.

Isn't there a risk the turf algae propagate into my main display? Ive just seen some post with people trying to get rid of turf algae.

Can I use my refugium to put the turf algae scrubber?

 

[VintageReefer]

I see, thanks.

Isn't there a risk the turf algae propagate into my main display? Ive just seen some post with people trying to get rid of turf algae

No risk. There are over 1000 species of algae. The turf algae people get in displays is not what grows in a scrubber

The algae in a scrubber can not survive outside the scrubber

I put it on a clip right in my display and feed it to my tang. No worry of it propagating or spreading

 

[didou]

No risk. There are over 1000 species of algae. The turf algae people get in displays is not what grows in a scrubber

The algae in a scrubber can not survive outside the scrubber

I put it on a clip right in my display and feed it to my tang. No worry of it propagating or spreading

Ok thanks, which scrubber do you have ?

 

[VintageReefer]

Ok thanks, which scrubber do you have ?

Santa Monica surf 2

 

[Pistondog]

Hello,

2 months ago I switched from GFO to lanthanum chloride for phosphate reduction. Because GFO is expensive for a 1500 liters tank.

Even though I am dosing it like I have read on this forum (diluted 1/10 in RO water, dosing 5ml every 1hour into a 5micron sock and only 2 days a week when my phosphate go above 0.08). I have lanthanum residue in my tank on my last ICP (15mμg/L on oceamo ICP test and they recommend lanthanum to stay below 3μg/L).

Is 15μg/L really high ? Will it go away on its own or should i do a water change today ? Should I go back to GFO ?

thanks for your help

I would not use lc below 0.3 ppm po4 to insure it reacts quickly.
Run a skimmer to aid in reducing the flocculant, LaPO4.
keep the 5 micron sox in for a few hours after stpping lc treatment.

 

[didou]

I would not use lc below 0.3 ppm po4 to insure it reacts quickly.
Run a skimmer to aid in reducing the flocculant, LaPO4.
keep the 5 micron sox in for a few hours after stpping lc treatment.

I'm rarely above 0.1 po4, should I stop using LC?

I already have a skimmer.

Oh ok, I used to remove the micron Sox when I stopped the LC. I will put it back now

 

[Pistondog]

I already have a refugium with chaetomorpha, are algae scrubbers better than refugium or is it the same? But it seems that my chaeto is only reducing nitrates and doesn't do much about phosphates.

Because it reduces nitrates so much, I have to dose nitrate+ otherwise it will go to 0 and I have to dose lanthanum to reduce phosphates... I would like to have to control only 1, not both.

You could also increase to light cycle or light intensity of your refugium to help reduce po4.
For a large tank though, Lc is most effective.

 

[Pistondog]

I'm rarely above 0.1 po4, should I stop using LC?

I already have a skimmer.

Oh ok, I used to remove the micron Sox when I stopped the LC. I will put it back now

A po4 level of 0.1 ppm is fine.