CAN PUMICE LEECH ALUMINUM

GARRIGA · Apr 28, 2023

Randy,

Knowing Pumice is aluminum silicate yet marketed as being inert than is there documented proof of it leeching aluminum or other elements? I've attached a screen shot I found on it's properties where it is listed as inert except with Calcium Hydroxide yet can't find how exactly does Calcium Hydroxide affects Pumice. Been running it in my test tank since September 2021 and will be sending out an ICP in a couple of weeks and have used Kalk briefly (few days) but even if the results come back lacking excess aluminum there's now a concern I perhaps should stop using it. Have other options but do appreciate that it's the lightest of the options and available at low cost and various sizes.

The item I've been using is sold for orchids. Assumed it would be of a cleaner quality as far as perhaps not having other impurities yet wasn't concerned with the actual material itself since it is marketed as being inert.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 28, 2023

GARRIGA said:
Randy,

Knowing Pumice is aluminum silicate yet marketed as being inert than is there documented proof of it leeching aluminum or other elements? I've attached a screen shot I found on it's properties where it is listed as inert except with Calcium Hydroxide yet can't find how exactly does Calcium Hydroxide affects Pumice. Been running it in my test tank since September 2021 and will be sending out an ICP in a couple of weeks and have used Kalk briefly (few days) but even if the results come back lacking excess aluminum there's now a concern I perhaps should stop using it. Have other options but do appreciate that it's the lightest of the options and available at low cost and various sizes.

The item I've been using is sold for orchids. Assumed it would be of a cleaner quality as far as perhaps not having other impurities yet wasn't concerned with the actual material itself since it is marketed as being inert.

It may release some. Ignore the reactivity comment claiming it is inert. That is likely not based on any real evidence (aside from it looking like it didn't dissolve), and the election of calcium hydroxide as special (over other, much stronger hydroxides)l is, IMO, evidence of lack of rigour.

GARRIGA · Apr 28, 2023

Thanks

Carlos Oliveira · May 22, 2023

GARRIGA,

How much pumice did you add to your system?

I was considering to try it here but I got a little concerned about aluminum leaching.

Can you please share your ICP?

Cheers.

GARRIGA · May 22, 2023

Carlos Oliveira said:
GARRIGA,

How much pumice did you add to your system?

I was considering to try it here but I got a little concerned about aluminum leaching.

Can you please share your ICP?

Cheers.

Added 4g to a 20g tank. Haven’t sent ICP out yet. Curious myself to know and will post up the results

Carlos Oliveira · May 23, 2023

GARRIGA said:
Added 4g to a 20g tank. Haven’t sent ICP out yet. Curious myself to know and will post up the results

Can you also show some pictures of the pumice you used? Because there is a lot of colors and shapes out there...

For example there is some beauty products listed as pumice, but I'm not really sure what are they...

This one is for beauty purposes and costs only 1 buck:

GARRIGA · May 23, 2023

Carlos Oliveira said:
Can you also show some pictures of the pumice you used? Because there is a lot of colors and shapes out there...

For example there is some beauty products listed as pumice, but I'm not really sure what are they...

This one is for beauty purposes and costs only 1 buck:

Pumice I purchased marketed for orchids from Home Depot. Same size and texture as Denitrate from Seachem. Not sure how pumice stone for back scrubs would work. Wanted something inert. Guessing anything for orchid should be safe.

GARRIGA · May 23, 2023

Pics

Carlos Oliveira · Jun 6, 2023

GARRIGA said:
Pics

I just bought 5 liters of this one... Just waiting your ICP feedback to put it in the sump hehehe (or not)

Carlos Oliveira · Jun 20, 2023

GARRIGA said:
Added 4g to a 20g tank. Haven’t sent ICP out yet. Curious myself to know and will post up the results

Hey Garriga,

Any news?

GARRIGA · Jun 20, 2023

Carlos Oliveira said:
Hey Garriga,

Any news?

Solving a semi tank crash from experimenting with algae. Risks involved with experimenting

Carlos Oliveira · Jun 21, 2023

GARRIGA said:
Solving a semi tank crash from experimenting with algae. Risks involved with experimenting

Algae supposedly shouldn't be cause by aluminum... But.. let's see what ICP's says

I wish you good lucky solving it...

GARRIGA · Jun 21, 2023

Carlos Oliveira said:
Algae supposedly shouldn't be cause by aluminum... But.. let's see what ICP's says

I wish you good lucky solving it...

Didn’t say that. Just that I’m experimenting with algae and had a glitch.

Carlos Oliveira · Jan 17, 2024

GARRIGA said:
Didn’t say that. Just that I’m experimenting with algae and had a glitch.

Got it.. Did you send out the ICP ?

GARRIGA · Jan 17, 2024

Carlos Oliveira said:
Got it.. Did you send out the ICP ?

Not yet. Just defeated a dino and cyano and waiting to see if they rear their ugly heads again. Might also send out a biome test. Plus I’m now running Pom Pom macroalgae and curious if my iron supplementation is working. Post test. Hopefully have moved on to my next tank and new testing and why things taking so long. It’s going to be a wrap up ICP test.

GARRIGA · May 18, 2024

Carlos Oliveira said:
Hey Garriga,

Any news?

Finally sent my ICP out and results were promising. Results showed 29 ppb yet my tap had 10 ppb therefore the accumulation likely mostly that. Test saying my levels in tank near nature. Don't perform water changes therefore what's there the make up of what the initial salt had and what is being contributed by my tap as I was running several experiments. Doesn't appear the pumice contributed anything meaningful.

Sorry for the delay but wanted to send a sample out once I dismantled the tank and moved onto my next project.

Carlos Oliveira · Jul 16, 2024

GARRIGA said:
Finally sent my ICP out and results were promising. Results showed 29 ppb yet my tap had 10 ppb therefore the accumulation likely mostly that. Test saying my levels in tank near nature. Don't perform water changes therefore what's there the make up of what the initial salt had and what is being contributed by my tap as I was running several experiments. Doesn't appear the pumice contributed anything meaningful.

Sorry for the delay but wanted to send a sample out once I dismantled the tank and moved onto my next project.

Thanks for your feedback!

I'll give it a try.