Aroginite binding

danimal1211 · Sep 5, 2023

So I have a tank full of CaribSea base rock that is sucking up PO4 like <your favorite dirty analogy> and was curious what other elements it may bind.

I plan on slowly replacing this rock over the next few weeks but was thinking it’s not a bad thing to keep on hand for future PO4 absorption if those levels get too high. But it makes me curious what other elements it may strip out (or leach if past saturation)

I just mailed off an ICP (ATI OES) and while I know it won’t give me definitive answers, it may show some guidance on what else this stuff may be useful for. In the future I’m considering mixing up a batch of fresh SW, doing an ICP, then dropping a piece of this rock in for a few days and doing another

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 5, 2023

Organics will bind to bare calcium carbonate, as likely will small amounts of trace metals such as iron.

However, the form of trace metals present matters hugely for binding, and the forms present in new salt water will be different than in a reef tank due to changes in oxidation state (ferrous vs ferric iron, for example) and due to binding by organics in the water.

danimal1211 · Sep 5, 2023

I’ll run a test on Ca and Mg when I get home. I haven’t been monitoring those since I so far only have Zoas and Ricordia in the tank. I take it I shouldn’t be too surprised to see my ICP results come back deficient in Iron and Strontium.

As a flocculant I can certainly testify to its effectiveness. Everything but the cat sticks to that rock. Hopefully she doesn’t fall in.

Salty_Northerner · Sep 5, 2023

danimal1211 said:
I’ll run a test on Ca and Mg when I get home. I haven’t been monitoring those since I so far only have Zoas and Ricordia in the tank. I take it I shouldn’t be too surprised to see my ICP results come back deficient in Iron and Strontium.

As a flocculant I can certainly testify to its effectiveness. Everything but the cat sticks to that rock. Hopefully she doesn’t fall in.

How old is the tank?