Removing Lanthanum Chloride with Diatom Filter

cthetoy · 10/16/2008, 08:41 AM

I know you are not a big fan or Lanthanum Chloride because there is no way of removing it besides the skimmer which does little. I've noticed that my water is slightly cloudy when adding Lanthanum Chloride. I thought of running a diamtom filter for a few hours to clear and remove this. Do you think this would work or a good idea?

Randy Holmes-Farley · 10/16/2008, 09:45 AM

I have heard of someone who doses it right before a sand filter, and a diatom filter would be similar or better. So dosing into the intake might be a good way to go. But continual running of a diatom filter will potentially release a lot of silicate.

cthetoy · 10/16/2008, 09:55 AM

Thanks Randy for your help. So there seems to be a trade off. Phosphate will go down but silicates will increase. Are silcates from the Diatom filter just as bad as phosphates?

Randy Holmes-Farley · 10/16/2008, 09:58 AM

Silicate, if you have too much, might spur diatoms. I actually dose silicate, so it does not especially scare me, but if you get the problem, you will know the source of the silicate.

10/16/2008, 08:41 AM	#1
cthetoy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA Posts: 1,891	Removing Lanthanum Chloride with Diatom Filter I know you are not a big fan or Lanthanum Chloride because there is no way of removing it besides the skimmer which does little. I've noticed that my water is slightly cloudy when adding Lanthanum Chloride. I thought of running a diamtom filter for a few hours to clear and remove this. Do you think this would work or a good idea?

10/16/2008, 09:45 AM	#2
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	I have heard of someone who doses it right before a sand filter, and a diatom filter would be similar or better. So dosing into the intake might be a good way to go. But continual running of a diatom filter will potentially release a lot of silicate. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

10/16/2008, 09:58 AM	#4
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Silicate, if you have too much, might spur diatoms. I actually dose silicate, so it does not especially scare me, but if you get the problem, you will know the source of the silicate. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

10/16/2008, 09:55 AM	#3
cthetoy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA Posts: 1,891	Thanks Randy for your help. So there seems to be a trade off. Phosphate will go down but silicates will increase. Are silcates from the Diatom filter just as bad as phosphates?