recommendations for phosphate removal in new 700g tank build

[jesstabby]

Hello,

We have just installed a 700 gallon tank, its brand new I.e. rock only at this point have not introduced any coral or fish. We have .5 phosphates currently, most like leaching from rock. We cycled dry rock prior to adding to tank for months and then combined with some live rock form lfs that had also been cycled at the store and regularly tested. Nitrates are 0 and all other parameters are good, just phosphates. We wont be adding coral until we get phosphates back down under .04 or hopefully better.

Since we are just finishing up the set up today we will be adding the protein skimmer and phosphate reactor to assist. In our smaller tanks we would also combat this with large water changes, but large water changes in this tank means several hundred gallons and I am wondering if we just need to suck it up and commit to those water changes or if there are other strategies for ranks this size.

Any suggestions.

 

[marinelife]

Lanthanum chloride
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1474839

 

[slief]

Lanthanum chloride
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1474839

+1 but read that thread in it's entirety because the stuff can be dangerous to the fish or livestock if not used properly. The precipitate it creates is dangerous and needs to be captured so it doesn't enter the water columnn.

If you are going to use LaCl, I strongly suggest you do your homework. You need to determine, the correct dose and dilution ratio, dose it VERY slowly at around 1 drop per second and dose it directly into a 10 micron or smaller filter sock to trap the precipitant before it gets into the water column. The precipitant damages fishes gills, has been known to kill tangs and will impact anemones and clams. If you see any clouding of the water you are using it wrong and have put your livestock at serious risk.

Anyhow, get the Sea Klear Commercial stuff, not the CR version. It's the same stuff packaged for public aquarium use. 5ml of LaCl diluted in 1 liter of RODI water will lower Po4 by bout .06 in a 600 gallon volume system. I dose it using an IV bag so I can control the drip rate precisely and I monitor my tank continuosly during the treatment to make sure my socks don't clog and make sure there is no clouding of the water. Clouding of the water means precipitate is escaping and that is BAD! It doesn't take much but you need to be careful. As I said, I use an IV bag when I dose LaCl and monitor my tank constantly over the several hour dose. It's serious stuff and not something to be taken lightly.

This is the stuff I use when I dose every several months.
http://www.amazon.com/SeaKlear-SKZ-U-Q-Phosphate-Remover/dp/B0017SV6HU


This is my setup.

Dosing straight into the 10 micron sock with good flow from the tank.

 

[sethd12]

Slief, where did you locate that refillable iv bag. I have looked around a few places and haven't been able to find one.

 

[prickles]

+1 on the lanthanum chloride. If you overdose, it will stick to your glass. Annoying. Of course you can also try GFO or an ATS. I stopped lanthanum and switched to larger water changes and dual ATS. Hair algae was making an advance, now it's mostly gone.

 

[IdahoCindy]

Try a feeding tube bag, available at the pharmacy without a prescription. They have a large opening at the top but a roller on the tubing.

 

[slief]

Slief, where did you locate that refillable iv bag. I have looked around a few places and haven't been able to find one.

Mine isn't a refillable one really. I got it full of saline from the local pharmacy. I drained the saline and refilled it using a large 100ml syringe. I stick the syringe in the bottom hole of the IV bag with the plunger removed and hold it up to the spigot on my RODI tank and fill it through the syringe. The syringe acts like a funnel.

Here is my complete setup.

That said, you can find refillable ones online. Here are a few examples.
http://www.jrsmedical.com/Gravity-F...180012ct.htm?gclid=CMy4j6CtyskCFU5afgodwUoPoA

http://www.amazon.com/Kangaroo-Enteral-Feeding-Gravity-000-mL/dp/B014I1WTV4

 

[sethd12]

Awesome guys thanks so much. I will swing by my local pharmacy tomorrow.

 

[jesstabby]

thank u all for the recommendation and cautions...will definitely look into it.

 

[hobbzz]

I also use lanthanum. However I use 1 micron filter socks. Dudadiesel sells them on ebay. ~$5 for a 4x14. You need a .5 micron to capture the unbound lanthanum iirc. My drains are about 15' to the sump, so I dose the lanthanum into the overflow and capture in the sump. Gives it time to mix well.

 

[muttley000]

I also use lanthanum. However I use 1 micron filter socks. Dudadiesel sells them on ebay. ~$5 for a 4x14. You need a .5 micron to capture the unbound lanthanum iirc. My drains are about 15' to the sump, so I dose the lanthanum into the overflow and capture in the sump. Gives it time to mix well.

I had thought about doing this as well, glad to hear it's been attempted with success!

 

[bmanzie]

If you have the space you could dose Lanthanum for PO4 and Methanol for NO3