PVC Phosphate Leaching

[rbattle]

Anyone have any ideas about how to get rid of phosphate leachate from the plasticizers in PVC? I have a research system that I just set up and it is running 1.12mg/L reactive phosphate right now. I need to get animals in the systems as soon as possible. How long will it last? How can I get the pvc to leach all it is going to leach quickly? Thanks for the help!

Rush

 

[elephen]

Basically anything plastic will leach the PO4 and you'll get some funky algae growth. You may try upping the phosban?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Many of use have lots of PVC pipe and fittings and have no such issues that we've noticed.

What sort of PVC are you using? How do you know it came from the PVC?

 

[rbattle]

It is regular Schedule 40 PVC.

Randy, the plasticizers are phosphate based, so they break down into orthophosphate. I know it is leaching it because there isnt anything in the systems but pvc and glass, a pump and some ro water that was tested at zero phosphates today.

I thought about iron oxide, but I don't know if it will work in freshwater. I forgot to mention I am just rinsing the systems right now because of this very problem and to get rid of the glue residue.

R

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm familiar with the potential for organic phosphate esters to be used as plasticizers, but I've never noticed an issue with it. Still, it could be that. How are you testing for phosphate?

GFO should work fine to bind phosphate in fresh water. Maybe better than in salt water at a siimilar pH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What are you researching? You might not want the soluble iron in the water that GFO might release to fresh water.