Aluminum toxicity (Phosguard) in stomatopods

[DanInSD]

I've been looking for sources of potential toxicity in my tank, after two mantis deaths. Lacking any other direction, I basically started over, with new live rock, sand, powerheads, filters, and refugium.

One thing that came to mind during re-assembly is that I use PhosGuard in a flow-through bag in my power filter. PhosGuard can leach aluminum into the aquarium in tiny quantities. I follow directions and rinse it really well, but there is always some inevitable cloudiness that comes out for a short while.

Does anyone have any experience using this product for phosphorus removal for stomatopod tanks?

Dr. Roy, any data on this one?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[miztic]

I always rinse phosguard and products like that in R/O water untill it runs clear, that big brown cloud scares me

they 'say' its not toxic, but who knows, i'm not risking it..

 

[DanInSD]

miztic, PhosGuard is white. Maybe you're thinking PhosBan? I think that one is iron-based and brown.

I also rinse mine very well, but it never seems quite enough. I will experiment. Aluminum is not particularly toxic in general. Just looking for people who have used PhosGuard on a mantis tank.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[danskim]

Yeah Phosban and RowaPhos are ferric oxide hydroxide (iron based and broken as Dan said) without any aluminum.

Seachem's Phosguard is aluminum based.

 

[Gonodactylus]

No data. Just one anecdote. I tried a phosphate reducing product several years ago. I can't remember the brand, but the stomatopod died within a couple of days and I never used it again. The death could have been due to other causes, but I decided that there were other ways to deal with phosphate.

Roy

 

[BLockamon]

NOW I find this thread...I've been using Phosguard in Lou's (formerly Lucy...uh, are those what I think they are?) tank for about a week now. He's doing fine. Of course, Lou's tank (30 gal) is tied into the filter system of my 90 gal reef, so that'll dilute the aluminum.

I know the dust from Phosguard can irritate corals, but I've never heard of it harming a sensile invertibrate.

 

[DanInSD]

Huh. OK then, guess it's one more thing to "not try". Anyone else out there have any experience with phosphate reducing products in mantis tanks?

 

[pinobutter]

i use phosbuster with no bad effects as of yet

 

[ryano]

Ive used phosgaurd several times in my 10 gallon mantis tank, and the mantis has been fine as far as I can tell.

 

[mattyice]

why not just switch to something natural to take it out like macro algae?

 

[DanInSD]

I have a macroalgae rufugium with chaetomorpha. Phosphate levels are around 0.2 in the absence of PhosGuard -- enough to cause algae problems.

Dan