Phosphate rmovers... Which one?

[Macimage]

What about the liquid phosphate removers like the Blue Life one?

Thanks!
Joyce

 

[richofoz]

I'd wondered about the liquids too but the ones in my lfs' claim to be the greatest thing ever. blah blah blah... Nobody I know (or in the shop) had used them and they just sounded to good to be true to me.
I also worry about the fact that they don't actually "Remove" phos they just turn it in to something else or bond with it to make it precipitate?
Where as the solid mediums actually absorb the phos so it's actually being removed from the tank when the media is replaced.
Interested to hear from any one with experience using the liquids too...

 

[melev]

I've used many bottles of Phosbuster Pro in my tank over the past two years, and it will bring PO4 levels to 0 overnight.

It is a flocculant. It is best to boost up alkalinity 10 mins before dosing this product, and I prefer to use it at night when the fish are sleeping. Using a length of PVC pipe, I point the end at the intake of my return pump and pour the liquid into the PVC. It mixes as it pumps into the reef, and the water turns cloudy.

The next morning the water is clear and the phosphates are 0. I've never had any losses using it, and like it more than using GFO. Just my personal preference.

The stuff Blue Life sells (Lanthanum chloride) is dosed by the drop, and I've not tried it yet. However, I love the idea of dosing it one drop at a time in my skimmer, every 10 mins. Turning that water's PO4 to a solid would keep it trapped in the skimmer and collection cup, rather than have it do its thing in my reef. It would take longer dosing it every 10 mins, but I'd like to try it at some point.

 

[VaderWS6]

Anyone else use Phosbuster Pro? What are the negative effects of this liquid? Does it only remove phosphate?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11145399#post11145399 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I've used many bottles of Phosbuster Pro in my tank over the past two years, and it will bring PO4 levels to 0 overnight.

It is a flocculant. It is best to boost up alkalinity 10 mins before dosing this product, and I prefer to use it at night when the fish are sleeping. Using a length of PVC pipe, I point the end at the intake of my return pump and pour the liquid into the PVC. It mixes as it pumps into the reef, and the water turns cloudy.

The next morning the water is clear and the phosphates are 0. I've never had any losses using it, and like it more than using GFO. Just my personal preference.

The stuff Blue Life sells (Lanthanum chloride) is dosed by the drop, and I've not tried it yet. However, I love the idea of dosing it one drop at a time in my skimmer, every 10 mins. Turning that water's PO4 to a solid would keep it trapped in the skimmer and collection cup, rather than have it do its thing in my reef. It would take longer dosing it every 10 mins, but I'd like to try it at some point.

 

[richofoz]

I like the idea of dosing liquid into the skimmer Melev. If the Phosbuster is a flocculant does that mean it turns the phos into a solid that will fall out of the water column?. If so could you dose that very slowly into the skimmer inlet with a piece of air hose or something?

I used the Seachem phosban and after reading the article posted above have decided not to replace it with the same thing.
I don't have any leathers but I do have a few polyps I don't want to stress out...
Now the levels are down I can relax and I might get some of the phosbuster in case the levels go back up before I can find the source of the problem...