lanthanum chloride

[TimT]

Hi Everyone,

Thought I would chime in on this thread.

There is three types of Lanthanum available on the market.
The buffered variety that they use to control phosphate in people.
The pool variety which I wouldn't recommend using as who knows whether there is an algaecide(like copper) in it or they could begin adding it to enhance the product. Not worth the risk imho.
The aquarium variety. I personally have used the aquarium variety for 3 years to keep my phosphates between .02mg/l and .06mg/l in my SPS system with no effect on Alkalinity. The raw product comes highly concentrated and is very expensive. Some people have bad math skills and have overdosed the concentrated product and stressed and/or killed corals/fish. I have created Foz Down to have a safe concentration to minimize this risk. When directions are followed there is no ill effects.

I will have 4 inch 10 micron filter socks in stock this week.

Cheers,
Tim

[lastlight]

This is what I have:

http://www.ilovemyoasis.com/commerci...aw/no_phos.pdf

I'm wondering if they'd have to list things like copper etc on this document if it contained anything other than LC?

[mark]

Tim: no Foz Down in Edm, nor can I say I've ever seen 10 micro socks can I order from you?

[TimT]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Lastlight

This is what I have:

http://www.ilovemyoasis.com/commerci...aw/no_phos.pdf

I'm wondering if they'd have to list things like copper etc on this document if it contained anything other than LC?

I checked the MSDS and it does not list copper. It does not list the purity of the LC which can be from 99% to 99.999%. It also does not mention the liquid used to dissolve the LC in. So who knows what is exactly in the product.

The reason for using LC in pools is to control algae. They also use Copper sulfate to control algae in pools. It could make a more powerful product to control algae by adding copper to the LC. They could also try cutting costs by reducing the LC and adding Copper to keep the net effect the same. There is so many variables that could affect the ingredients it's hard to know. To me it's not worth the risk of experimenting by using a pool based product.

For a 100 gallon system a $30 bottle of Foz Down will neutralize 10mg/l of Phosphate. This would probably last for a year with an average fish load. I have personally tested the aquarium grade for 3 years on my acro culture system with no ill effects. I know the product is safe for acros, clams, shrimp etc. I have no experience with the pool product.

Is money saved by buying the pool product and is it worth the risk of not knowing until it's too late.

Cheers,
Tim

[Myka]

Tim, you use the product continually? Like once a week or dripped with a doser?

[TimT]

Hi Mindy,

Originally Posted by Myka

Tim, you use the product continually? Like once a week or dripped with a doser?

Yes, I add the diluted product into my magnesium mix. This gets dosed into sump 16 times a day.

It would probably be fine in the Calcium mix too but I have Strontium mixed into that one.

Another option is the water reservoir for the ATO water. I don't use a reservoir/pump style ATO so I am stuck with adding it into the Magnesium bucket.

You can see how the corals do in this pic of my system from a while ago. When I took the photo I had been dosing Foz Down daily for over a year.
http://www.oceanfreshaquarium.com/aquarium-additives/

Cheers,
Tim

[Myka]

Interesting Tim, thanks for sharing.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by TimT

To me it's not worth the risk of experimenting by using a pool based product.

I obviously agree with you as I've had the stuff for a while and have been too uncertain to use it. I'm not asking you to divulge exactly what fozdown is and I'm actually content to hear you outright say it is different than these pool products which quite a few people have tried.

When my current supply of gfo is out I'm going to try out your product. Hopefully it and a suitable filter sock will be be easy to obtain when that time comes. Thanks for the info.

[TimT]

Originally Posted by jordsyke

Hey Tim, does it have to be dosed into a 10 micron filter sock?, I have a 300 micron filter sock I could dose it into. I do not keep sps only softies

The reason people want to use filter socks is to remove the flocks of LC and Phosphate. Some people are concerned that there might be a potential for the bound phosphate to be released back into the system. There is no scientific studies on this that I am aware of.

The medical variety LC does not release the bound phosphate even when it's in a persons stomach acid so it seems highly unlikely that it would release it at the pH of a marine tank.

I just dose it directly into the sump and let the flocks settle out in the sump. I do clean the normal detritus that tends to build up in the sump on a regular basis.

If you have a high flow rate through the filter socks some of the product will pass through before reacting with the phosphate.

I am bringing in the 10 micron filter socks to offer people the alternative to just letting the flocks settle out.

Originally Posted by Lastlight

Hopefully it and a suitable filter sock will be be easy to obtain when that time comes. Thanks for the info.

Glad to have been able to help. More and more stores are carrying Foz Down. If your favourite store does not carry it they can order it through some of the distributors(Aqua Digital and Reef Supply Canada) that offer it. If they don't want to bring it in we can set something up. The 10 micron filter socks arrive tomorrow.

Cheers,
Tim

[badAZZlars]

I just bought some Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-E from JL aquatics. I bought some live rock for my new setup and its leached phosphates into the water where it got to .32 and the GHA was starting to grow.

I believe it is Lanthanum Chloride and it seems to be working well. Have already brought it down to .21 after a quick initial dose. Should have it down around zero within a couple days. I've been dosing it directly into the inlet of the skimmer.