Lanthanum chloride

Ok so here are my results. I have been dosing LaCl for a week now and I have a few observations. I asked a few days ago if LaCl when not used in conjunction with a filter sock will cause PO4 to rise. I asked this because my PO4 was reading @1.9 on my Hanna PO4 checker. This was almost triple of what my levels were a few weeks prior. So I checked my PO4 last night using salifert and what do you know, no colors in the test vial. Not sure if there is anything wrong with my Hanna but it is just strange that I am getting a completely different reading between the two. My skimmer is performing more than usual and I am changing my filter floss every two days. There are no signs if stress in the fish nor is there cloudy water.
I am dosing 5ml LaCl in 1L of RO dripped at 1ml every 10 minutes. Actually I have stopped for now since the initial dose has finished.
I am hoping to test the water with someone else's test kit in the next few days.
 
Great information Gary and thanks to all for your contributions! I have read the thread in its entirety 3 times and suggest anyone considering using La/SeaKlear/etc. to read it thoroughly!

I just want confirmation on how much SeaKlear "CR" to use for my system...TWV at 181g with 30% displacement equals 127g approx...solution of 5ml SeaKlear CR with 1g RO/DI? Slow drip of solution into overflow where there will be a 5 micron sock where water enters sump...which is located in skimmer section. I will also use a 5 micron sock where water exits skimmer :0) Monitor tank for cloudiness, negative reactions in livestock/corals and monitor Alk and pH...GO SLOWLY and Test often! Let me know if I've forgotten anything :0) Thanks!!!
 
Hey Gary, The new SeaKlear CL is less potent than the old SeaKlear. What should I adjust the dosage to? Or should I try to find the commercial type?
Thanks---Rick
 
What is your ml per hour drip rate?

Great information Gary and thanks to all for your contributions! I have read the thread in its entirety 3 times and suggest anyone considering using La/SeaKlear/etc. to read it thoroughly!

I just want confirmation on how much SeaKlear "CR" to use for my system...TWV at 181g with 30% displacement equals 127g approx...solution of 5ml SeaKlear CR with 1g RO/DI? Slow drip of solution into overflow where there will be a 5 micron sock where water enters sump...which is located in skimmer section. I will also use a 5 micron sock where water exits skimmer :0) Monitor tank for cloudiness, negative reactions in livestock/corals and monitor Alk and pH...GO SLOWLY and Test often! Let me know if I've forgotten anything :0) Thanks!!!
 
What is your ml per hour drip rate?

I don't know as I will be doing it manually over the course of hours. :facepalm: All I know for sure is that I will go very, very slowly and test often. I don't have a doser and I'm not sure if I'll rig up a drip method. I will watch everything VERY closely and if everything seems good, I'll probably drip a drop every 30 seconds. How's that sound?
 
You can buy IV drip bags with different drop sizes on amazon for like 10 bucks. I have a few of them for random reasons. 1 is 15 drips per ml. The other is like 60 (or something like that).

Then you just adjust the drip rate to how many ml you want to dose per hr.

If that is out of reach, you can always just tie a knot in some tubing to adjust the rate. Certainly not as accurate, but works ok.

I dose 5ml an hour. Others may have different advice.

I don't know as I will be doing it manually over the course of hours. :facepalm: All I know for sure is that I will go very, very slowly and test often. I don't have a doser and I'm not sure if I'll rig up a drip method. I will watch everything VERY closely and if everything seems good, I'll probably drip a drop every 30 seconds. How's that sound?
 
Thought I'd post back here since I've started my LaCl maintenance dosing. System volume is right around 1000 gallons and just started up tank yesterday. I've set to 1.1 mL/hour with a 1% dilution of the concentrated SeaKlear and will see where the Phosphates go. We'll see how things work out but only think I need to do is mount a float switch on sock tray that will turn off dosing and text me when socks clog and overflow.

Skimmer and LaCl system. Doser feeds to output of skimmer.


LaCl Res above skimmer/doser.


Drew's Doser that is controlled via Apex.


Sump feed with 3 X 10 Micron socks.


 
Hi Dustin,
Couple questions for you. What is your current phosphate since you have just started up your system? I like your sump area design where the skimmer returns,...the 3 sock over flows. How are you monitoring when they are clogged with the float switch?
My system is very similar to yours in size. Thanks---Rick
 
Hi Dustin,
Couple questions for you. What is your current phosphate since you have just started up your system? I like your sump area design where the skimmer returns,...the 3 sock over flows. How are you monitoring when they are clogged with the float switch?
My system is very similar to yours in size. Thanks---Rick

Phosphate in DT was ~.07 ppm and system with coral fish was ~.03 ppm. After tying the two together and starting LaCl it was down to 11 ppb or ~.03 ppm. I'll likely test in a couple more days but I'm not feeding much currently considering the sheer volume. Just placed order of first round of fish so cannot wait!

As far as the sock holders, I forgot to glue the float switch mount originally and am going to have to dry off a place and glue while in sump one day. Here's the sketchup.
 
Cool setup. On mine system everything goes through its own filter socks also,...refuge, skimmer return, and DT return. They all dump into one section of the sump that has the skimmer intake also.
Its all in my basement and pumps up to my first floor DT, I just ck the socks daily. I have a DIY high water alarm on my refuge and sump area that I made from a smoke detector. Its done its job on more than occasion.:lmao:
Keep us updated on your LC dosing.---Rick
 
i went ahead and go a triple reactor. i did the following:

1st chamber
reaction chamber with lower foam removed from cartridge top foam left in to trap the debris.

2nd chamber
cartridge filled with sand with lower and top foam in place.

3rd chamber
cartridge filled with polyester filter floss

i am thinking to put the out of this reactor to inlet of a carbon reactor filled with ROX.
i am using 5ml diluted in 2lts ro/di water and about 80ml per day. have not started the system yet just put together.
what do u guys think?

Marine-Depot-GFO-and-Carbon-Filter-Media-Reactor-Triple-99_zpsb9bfbdb8.jpg
 
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