Lanthanum chloride

[drawman]

I'm curious what you guys are all using for 5-10 micron filter socks.

Filterbag.com has polypropylene and polyester felt for reasonable prices. I will probably end up throwing these away so cheaper is better. Which exact material/bag are you guys using?

[Dimorb]

Hello everybody.

I'm having some trouble hope you can help.

I dose lanthanum chloride into my pipe work that goes down to a clarisea sk5000 roller filter after the filter the water goes into the sump - skimmer - filters etc..

I dilute my seaklear commercial 7 ml lanthanum chloride / 1 L of water. Dose it over 24 hours distributed on 150 occasions a' 3,6 ml/dose.

I get the wanted effect in lowering phospates but it also shows on ICP testing and the amount in the water is rising. 4 ug/l last time and 11 ug/l this time.

What do you recommend? Maybe the clarisea sk5000 isnt suitable for this?

I've also noticed an increase in other of other substances like aluminium, lithium and barium do you know if the lanthanum could "free" other substances?

[Isayso]

Is it showing at an alarming quantity? Maybe you can dilute a little more

[Dimorb]

Originally Posted by Isayso

Is it showing at an alarming quantity? Maybe you can dilute a little more

Not alarming. Maximum so far is 11 ug/l. But it's increasing. So that's why I stopped.

[orly20]

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

results are in: this works

reason I tried it: heavy feedings of fishes and anemones in an SPS reef aquarium result in high PO4 levels. GFO is an expense.

quick summary of the methodology I used: lanthanum chloride was diluted in RO water (5ml to 1 litre for treating roughly 300 gallons of water) then slow dripped into water to be treated as it enters a 10 micron filter sock (in place of a sand filter that is often used on larger systems). My protein skimmer also processed this treated water.
Lanthanum chloride acts as a flocculant and binds to phosphates upon contact. This stuff can clog a 10 micron bag in no time!

If you dose too fast or too much the water will get cloudy and sensitive Tangs will start breathing heavy. (Dose it really heavy and I've heard it can cloud up the surfaces of an aquarium.)

regrets: I don't have a way to test low range phosphates so results are based on anecdotal observations (for now. Wanna give it a try, Tom?)

results after one month (two treatments per week equaling eight treatments) SPS coloration, growth and polyp extension much improved. Algae eating Blenny getting skinny due to lack of food.

Hi Gary

Are you still utilizing the LC method disproved above? Did you any adverse effects over long term use? I’ve been using it off and on but I love running ROWAPHOS, it works great. I have the pure pool LC which I’ve used but I’d like to implement again, much cheaper then Rowaphos

Thank you
Orly

[Gary Majchrzak]

Orly- I've not used my bottle of LC for several years now. (It's still sitting here in my sump room!)
Several things have changed in my reef husbandry since this (old) thread.... but that's another story.

LC is still a low cost viable method to reduce P if you follow the guidelines posted !
Go slow with it!
Like anything else, abuse can cause disasterous results.

I prefer to use LC in conjunction with 10 micron and/or sand mechanical filtration.
Good luck!

[orly20]

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

Orly- I've not used my bottle of LC for several years now. (It's still sitting here in my sump room!)
Several things have changed in my reef husbandry since this (old) thread.... but that's another story.

LC is still a low cost viable method to reduce P if you follow the guidelines posted !
Go slow with it!
Like anything else, abuse can cause disasterous results.

I prefer to use LC in conjunction with 10 micron and/or sand mechanical filtration.
Good luck!

I appreciate the response but would you be so kind to share your current Phosphate export method?
Thanks again

[LouCiro]

I used it for a long time. It does lower phosphate, however if you use too much and lower phosphate below 0.1 it will cause some of the fish to die. My large Sohal was on its side
and almost dead. Threw it into a tank without lanthanum and it recovered almost immediately. Other tangs had the same symptoms.

[jgwinner]

I think the important thing is "too much". I had really high phosphates at first, but went sorta slow. Never had precipate. My blue tang has been fine.

Glad your Sohal got better!

== John ==

[pfoxgrover]

Originally Posted by LouCiro

I used it for a long time. It does lower phosphate, however if you use too much and lower phosphate below 0.1 it will cause some of the fish to die. My large Sohal was on its side
and almost dead. Threw it into a tank without lanthanum and it recovered almost immediately. Other tangs had the same symptoms.

Thanks for sharing your experience, I have considered this stuff a few times, glad I passed.

[jgwinner]

Originally Posted by pfoxgrover

Thanks for sharing your experience, I have considered this stuff a few times, glad I passed.

That's a shame, because used properly, it's fantastic. Note that your quote said "if you use too much".

Don't use too much. Start slow, look at the numbers. Nothing good in reefing happens quickly.

== John ==

[DgenR8]

It's been said, a number of times in this thread that there is need for caution. Used correctly, it's really proven to be a good tool. Overuse, well, overuse of anything becomes problematic.

[chiefifd]

I haven't used lanthanum in quite some time, I bought my lifetime supply quite a few years ago from a pool supply store.
I used it weekly for probably 6 months with a Kole Tang in my 90 gallon. I didn't see the Kole have any issues when used. Dripped it very slowly into a 5 micron sock, it was like a drip every few seconds into the sock. It would take 8 hours or more to drip the gallon of solution into the sump if I remember right.

My tank matured or whatever, no need to use it right now, however I'd use it in a second if my phosphates got out of control.

What are you using to measure your phosphates? Phosphorus Ultra Low Range Colorimeter HI736 Hanna Checker is what I've come to rely on. There has been some confusion on the right checker. I prefer this one, there's a simple conversion formula you can use.

Take the number you get from the HI736 Hanna Checker, Multiply it by 3.066 then divide by 1000. This gets you the PO4 in ppm. Example 20 on the Hanna gives you 0.061ppm.

Hope some of this helps someone. I was so confused several years ago, I had the wrong Hanna Checker, I was so frustrated I almost gave up on the whole thing. Hanna does have a new checker that does the math for you, the 774 I believe.

Many people complain about the powder packages for the Hanna Checkers, if you simply follow the printed dotted lines and make the curve on the packet, you'll have much better luck.

Take care all.....