Help! Phosguard is making my water milky white!

[Sophie"s mom]

I rinsed my phosguard and let it soak and then added it to my tank and noticed my water turn milky white. I immediately removed it and continued to rinse it and let it soak in freshwater. It’s not getting any better. Is this normal? Is it like carbon where the water will run clear? Do I have to keep rinsing it until the water runs clear? Should I let it soak in freshwater? Either way it seems to be really dusty and I assume that isn’t good.

Hmm, I have been using it off and on since I set my tank up with no issues. I do rinse it very thoroughly, and I only use a couple tablespoons in a 90 gallon system. How much did you use?

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I've used PhosGuard for decades, and always get it fully rinsed of visible particles with about one gallon of RODI poured through a cup or a little more of media. I use it in a 10" reactor -- I put the media in the canister, then rinse through over the sink, then put the rinsed canister into the reactor.

My recent ICP had Al at 0.112 mg/L. Possibly not ideal, but I had terrible results with GFO when I used it, so this is the best alternative for me.

Also what’s the difference between PhosGuard and PhosBond?

PhosGuard is just aluminum media. PhosBond is aluminum media with a coating of GFO (to give the worst of both worlds, perhaps?).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've used PhosGuard for decades, and always get it fully rinsed of visible particles with about one gallon of RODI poured through a cup or a little more of media. I use it in a 10" reactor -- I put the media in the canister, then rinse through over the sink, then put the rinsed canister into the reactor.

My recent ICP had Al at 0.112 mg/L. Possibly not ideal, but I had terrible results with GFO when I used it, so this is the best alternative for me.


PhosGuard is just aluminum media. PhosBond is aluminum media with a coating of GFO (to give the worst of both worlds, perhaps?).

What issue did you have with GFO?

 

[Malum Argenteum]

What issue did you have with GFO?

Caused a substantial increase in hair and similar algae. Phosphate tested stable (i.e. similar levels as with using aluminum media), but algae was uncontrollable.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Caused a substantial increase in hair and similar algae. Phosphate tested stable (i.e. similar levels as with using aluminum media), but algae was uncontrollable.

Curious. Perhaps soluble iron was very low prior to the GFO and some dissolution added it.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Curious. Perhaps soluble iron was very low prior to the GFO and some dissolution added it.

Yes, something like that that was my thought at the time. I never tried to diagnose the cause since switching back to aluminum media was an easy fix.