Help! High Phosphates

[The Fish Tankist]

I recently got my phosphate test kit and tested my water and found out it was higher than 10 ppm. I bought this tank fully setup and 4 years old so I’m not sure how long it’s been this high. I have been using lanthanum chloride for the past 1.5 weeks and it’s still not dropping below 10ppm (readable range). Any advice?

 

[BostonReefer300]

Yikes! 10ppm PO4 is sky high! Some questions:
What test kit are you using?
How many gallons is your setup?
Did it come with old rock and sand or did you put new substrate in?
What do you use for nutrient export (eg how frequent and big are water changes and use of skimmer, algae turf scrubber, refugium, etc. etc.)

 

[The Fish Tankist]

I’m using a Hannah checker. It came with sand and rock which makes me think it’s most likely bound to the aragonite. I realized that it isn’t definitely higher than 10ppm but the Hannah ULR Phosphate only goes up to .9 and it is turning blue. I just ordered an API test kit as a reference because that goes up to 10.

 

[The Fish Tankist]

I do still think it is higher than 10 ppm though.

 

[Pistondog]

Describe how you are running the lc, how much, what form

 

[WVNed]

How big is your tank, what kind of lanthanum are you using and how much.

 

[BostonReefer300]

I’m using a Hannah checker. It came with sand and rock which makes me think it’s most likely bound to the aragonite. I realized that it isn’t definitely higher than 10ppm but the Hannah ULR Phosphate only goes up to .9 and it is turning blue. I just ordered an API test kit as a reference because that goes up to 10.

I'm confused. The Hanna HI774 only goes up to 0.9 ppm (unless you're doing a dilution and getting a higher reading by doing a calculation). Do you mean that your PO4 is above 1 ppm, not 10 ppm?

 

[The Fish Tankist]

I’m using Tropic-Marin Elimi Phos Rapid and dosing 3.5 ml a day for a 350 liter tank.

 

[The Fish Tankist]

I'm confused. The Hanna HI774 only goes up to 0.9 ppm (unless you're doing a dilution and getting a higher reading by doing a calculation). Do you mean that your PO4 is above 1 ppm, not 10 ppm?

Yes I do mean 1p but I still suspect it’s above 10 because it’s a dark blue.

 

[Jekyl]

Yes I do mean 1p but I still suspect it’s above 10 because it’s a dark blue.

Here is your issue. That test is for ultra low range. The highest possible reading is .9. Not 9.0

 

[BostonReefer300]

Yes I do mean 1p but I still suspect it’s above 10 because it’s a dark blue.

OK. I'd do a 50% dilution of the sample and re-test with your Hanna checker. Measure 5 mL into the vial with a syringe or pipette you hopefully have laying around. Fill rest of vial up to the line with RODI. Then do the rest of the test as normal (including the countdown). Multiply whatever answer you get by 2. (If the answer still comes out anywhere near 0.9, you'll need to do a bigger dilution.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Run gfo

 

[Pistondog]

I’m using Tropic-Marin Elimi Phos Rapid and dosing 3.5 ml a day for a 350 liter tank.

Do you run a skimmer, or how are you removing the lanthanum phosphate flocculant?

 

[The Fish Tankist]

Do you run a skimmer, or how are you removing the lanthanum phosphate flocculant?

What is the floculant? I have a skimmer

 

[Jekyl]

First thing I would do is take a sample to your LFS to find out where your phosphate actually is. Your test only goes up to .9 You could be going crazy with ideas and solutions that really only need a better water change schedule. What are your nitrates at?

 

[TCoach]

For the Hanna URL phosphate, I do a 10:1 dilution. 1ml tank, 9ml RODI. That gives me a reading off ~.25 or 2.5 ppm for my tank. Suggest you do the same to see where you really are. I am still working on a plan to get mine reduced.

 

[Pistondog]

What is the floculant? I have a skimmer

The lanthanum binds the phosphate into a solid granular precipitate, between 5 snd 10 microns.
I'd continue your plan until you see results from hanna test.
Gfo not effective at your levels, but once lower,0.2 ppm, can be used for maintenance.

 

[WVNed]

I have been using Elimi-phos rapid and had to go twice the recommended rate.
Then I went twice the rate twice a day.
Then it started doing something.
And I am dosing 400 gallons (1500liters) SO I am hitting it with 25-30ml at a time.
You are dosing the amount it says to drop it by 0.1
Double it and do it 2 or 3 times a day. The great danger is hitting zero and you dont have to worry about that yet.
Even it it is only 1 your are safe. Keep testing.

Does your skimmer have a lid with holes? Run a piece of air line tubing down into the skimmer but not to the bottom. Just about half way. Fold the tubing back and put a twist tie on it loosly.
This will allow you to create a fast drip you control with the pinch where the tube is bent back. Put the Lanthanum in some RODI and siphon it into the slimmer slowly. I just sit a plastic measuring cup on the skimmer lid. Fill it with RO/DI water and add the LaCL.

I just switched to PhosBan-L on a doser. The doser pumps it into the skimmer on a schedule.
PhosBan-L is 4 times stronger than what you are using so you use less.

 

[Pistondog]

I Drip lc diluted 100:1 into my overflow. Put in a 5 micron sock to catch flocculant.

 

[The Fish Tankist]

I have been using Elimi-phos rapid and had to go twice the recommended rate.
Then I went twice the rate twice a day.
Then it started doing something.
And I am dosing 400 gallons (1500liters) SO I am hitting it with 25-30ml at a time.
You are dosing the amount it says to drop it by 0.1
Double it and do it 2 or 3 times a day. The great danger is hitting zero and you dont have to worry about that yet.
Even it it is only 1 your are safe. Keep testing.

Does your skimmer have a lid with holes? Run a piece of air line tubing down into the skimmer but not to the bottom. Just about half way. Fold the tubing back and put a twist tie on it loosly.
This will allow you to create a fast drip you control with the pinch where the tube is bent back. Put the Lanthanum in some RODI and siphon it into the slimmer slowly. I just sit a plastic measuring cup on the skimmer lid. Fill it with RO/DI water and add the LaCL.

I just switched to PhosBan-L on a doser. The doser pumps it into the skimmer on a schedule.
PhosBan-L is 4 times stronger than what you are using so you use less.

I will increase the dosage. Can you explain the skimmer idea. I’m confused.