My 280g Custom upgrade.....
- Thread starter SPotter
- Start date
( I use ALk checker and sometimes use elos test kit for reference..pretty accurate..
danfeig
.Registered Member
Steve, how are the Phosphates? It always seem like my Phosphates rise when I don't change out my filter socks after 4 days. But I feed a ton!!!! I just ordered a larger reactor from Advast Marine to run GFO. My Seaside Aquatics reactor was just too small for my system.
I can't wait till my towers are covered with coraline like your rocks!
It is great to see your corals coming back!
I can't wait till my towers are covered with coraline like your rocks!
It is great to see your corals coming back!
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Thanks for the link Dustin, that's very helpful.
SPotter
Active member
I can only imagine how much you feed every day!!!! I cant believe how much coraline I have right now. It seems like it all popped out at once.
After weeks of not being able to get my Po4 to consistently drop from the .08 range, I followed a link that Dustin posted earlier about dripping Lanthanum Chloride. I thought about hooking up a gfo reactor and use it in conjunction with my scrubber but I decided to give the LC a try. After dripping about 1.5L of the solution I prepared (3ml LC/2L rodi) my po4 dropped from .08 to .03 and a week later I'm still at .03 with another treatment planned for this weekend.
The cost for this was so much cheaper than gfo since I had sold off all of my reactors and didnt want to have to buy another reactor, pump etc. The LC cost me $30, a 10 micron filter sock $5, empty 2l pepsi bottle $0 and BRS dosing pump that I already had. The great part about the LC is the bottle will last me a life time since I only used 3ml of a 16oz bottle.
nightOwl
Premium Member
Steve - very good info...I will give this a try the next time I have the Po4 issue. Have you noticed a reduction in the algae as well?
SPotter
Active member
Hey Henry, I've noticed less growing on the glass...especially the back panel. I was very nervous about doing it but as long as you use the 10 micron filter sock and drip it slowly its fine.
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
People don't realize it's potency but it's very effective! The LaCl method is amazing and long term I'd like to set up a method where I can continuously drip it and feed it into a reactor, then sock, then to a skimmer to remove any additional that might have slipped through. It'd be very hands off and could make it so changing the sock would be simple and would have to change out the diluted LaCl from time to time.
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
So you make the solution and drip it where?
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
I do it every couple weeks now and just drip it into overflow and into a 10 micron sock. I usually just dilute 2 mL of LaCl (Pool Phosphate Remover made by SeaKlear) in 2 L of RO/DI and drip into the overflow pipe. 8-12 hours later take the filter sock out of picture and phosphates drop like never before.
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
SPotter
Active member
its definitely a cheap alt to gfo and other methods for removing po4.
With that said....I think my rocks are leaching po4. my po4 level is popping back up within a few days of each treatment. Im only feeding 2 cubes a day, a pinch of pellets once a day and a sheet of Nori every other day.
I got new filter socks yesterday so I will start with a daily dosing schedule done slowly thru out the day and hopefully bring it down slowly so I don't stress my sps with all of this up and down on the po4 levels.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
With that said....I think my rocks are leaching po4. my po4 level is popping back up within a few days of each treatment. Im only feeding 2 cubes a day, a pinch of pellets once a day and a sheet of Nori every other day.
I got new filter socks yesterday so I will start with a daily dosing schedule done slowly thru out the day and hopefully bring it down slowly so I don't stress my sps with all of this up and down on the po4 levels.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
Steve you used dry rock and some rock from an old tank right? Where'd you get the dry rock from? I'm thinking about getting some from BRS as I'm finally getting close to being in the new house and I was thinking of using LC on the dry rock before it goes into the tank, would you recommend that?
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
Helps to clarify which rock from BRS you are interested in. Pukani is likely the highest leacher and the reef saver rock is to be the best for not leaching!
SPotter
Active member
Hey Doug....I primarily used 90% new dry pukani rock from BRS and then kept a few pieces from my old system. I really like the pukani because you get a lot of rock for the money. I only put 150lbs of it in my tank and its pretty full. I love the way it looks now that its covering with coraline and has been in there for 6 months. I did use LC in a brute can for 2 months on half of the rock and for about 6 weeks on the other half. I am dealing with some po4 issues right now and believe its coming from the rock. I used Phosfree instead of Seaklear assuming all phosphate removers were equal....never assume. Phosfree has a very low concentration of LC compared to SeaKlear. So while I was getting 0 readings, my process only scratched the surface. So, I would definitely buy the rock again if I were to ever set up another tank (not in this life time) but I would use either acid or the SeaKlear or both if you have the time.
Alex T.
Active member
Your situation sounds like what led me to break down my last tank Steve. My PO4 was through the roof and I really don't think I was as diligent as I should have been in getting things back on track.
I believe our live rock is the ticking time bomb in our systems. It's a sponge that will keep absorbing phosphate until it can't do it anymore, and then just leaches back into the system. I think you're definitely on the right track, and most likely will be better for it this time around. I'd love to see the changes you've made in aquascaping. I loved the look before, but as you said...it's tough to perform maintenance when there's so many inaccessible areas in the tank that can build up gunk over time.
Hope all is well...
I believe our live rock is the ticking time bomb in our systems. It's a sponge that will keep absorbing phosphate until it can't do it anymore, and then just leaches back into the system. I think you're definitely on the right track, and most likely will be better for it this time around. I'd love to see the changes you've made in aquascaping. I loved the look before, but as you said...it's tough to perform maintenance when there's so many inaccessible areas in the tank that can build up gunk over time.
Hope all is well...
SPotter
Active member
Hey Alex.....the changes really werent major and you probably will look at it and say, "what changes?" I had rocks on the sand bed that were blocking the openings to some caves and rocks that were just placed on the sand bed for no reason at all. I lifted the rocks that served no purpose and opened up the openings to the caves it improved the flow on the bottom a lot and made it easier to identify where food and gunk were building up. It also give me room to point a baster or power head into the rocks to blow out debris when doing water changes.
SPotter
Active member
Updates and FedEx Friday
Updates and FedEx Friday
FEDEX FRIDAY
After seeing another member have several fedex friday's (danfeig :wavehand
, I will be having my own tomorrow. I ordered a tune up cuc from reefcleaners.org and bought some sps from Divers Den on liveaquaria.com.
UPDATES
I've added some fish over the last few weeks and everyone is doing very well. Some of the highlight additions are 6 Bartlett Anthias and an Earmuff wrasse. In the beginning I wasnt a fan of wrasses but after putting a couple of them in the tank...thats all changed now.
Here are few cell phone pictures of some recent coral additions. I will get the big boy camera out over the weekend and try to take better picture.
The piece on the right I picked up as part of a brown out special. I found someone that was breaking down his tank. He had sold the rest of the corals in his tank all he was left with were pieces that had browned out out so he didnt know what they were. All I had to pay for was shipping and this one was completely brown when I received it. The base is coloring up nicely and the tips are starting to turn a light blue.
This piece was also completely brown when I got it.
Stay tuned for more pictures and updates!
Updates and FedEx Friday
FEDEX FRIDAY
After seeing another member have several fedex friday's (danfeig :wavehand
, I will be having my own tomorrow. I ordered a tune up cuc from reefcleaners.org and bought some sps from Divers Den on liveaquaria.com. UPDATES
I've added some fish over the last few weeks and everyone is doing very well. Some of the highlight additions are 6 Bartlett Anthias and an Earmuff wrasse. In the beginning I wasnt a fan of wrasses but after putting a couple of them in the tank...thats all changed now.
Here are few cell phone pictures of some recent coral additions. I will get the big boy camera out over the weekend and try to take better picture.
The piece on the right I picked up as part of a brown out special. I found someone that was breaking down his tank. He had sold the rest of the corals in his tank all he was left with were pieces that had browned out out so he didnt know what they were. All I had to pay for was shipping and this one was completely brown when I received it. The base is coloring up nicely and the tips are starting to turn a light blue.
This piece was also completely brown when I got it.
Stay tuned for more pictures and updates!
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
Nice pickups Steve. Everything is falling into place. Congrats on the PO4 battle.
