Phosphat-E & ReefMat

[Jody Owens]

I put it in my ReefMat my overflow which the it passes through my ReefMat. The calculators do not know your daily addition of po4 through feeding or what is in your rock/sand. Just keep at it and be patient. Phosphate-e works really well and sometimes to well, so be careful

So is it your overflow or directly to your Reefmat?

 

[Jody Owens]

So I am seeing that into the tank isn’t advisable. The Reefmat might filter out a little fast, but not too bad. There is also the overflow which might be a good option.

 

[haitian_reefer]

So is it your overflow or directly to your Reefmat?

Overflow then you’ll hear your ReefMat react to it

 

[Stevorino]

I have slow dosed Lanthanum for a while now. Well over a year, maybe 2+

I currently dose 6ml a day through an Apex DOS.

In my last system, I dosed it directly into my skimmer and that seemed to work fine for well over a year. I had the output hose go down into the cylinder per a recommendation I probably read on this forum.

Nowadays I dose it into my crash chamber (I cannot reasonably reach the overflow, or I would do that). My thought is that the Lanthanum has a chance to be mixed with lots of water, and then caught by the roller filter, and then remaining particles have a chance to get caught by the skimmer.

I have never perceived problems with my tanks related to Lanthanum, but I have also been very slow with my dosing.

 

[Jody Owens]

I spoke to someone at Brightwell today. They said dosing right into the Reefmat is fine because the reaction is almost instant.

 

[Coolcasino]

PO4, not NO4

Just making sure your paying attention... lol.

 

[Coolcasino]

I spoke to someone at Brightwell today. They said dosing right into the Reefmat is fine because the reaction is almost instant.

Thats good to know as id like to dose it thru a versa or a Kamoer x1 Pro. I can run a line right into to middle of the reefmat.

 

[Jody Owens]

I have Fluval BioFX in one of my tanks. I am wondering if they are keeping the phosphate levels higher.

 

[Coolcasino]

I have Fluval BioFX in one of my tanks. I am wondering if they are keeping the phosphate levels higher.

They might have absorbed (or are absorbing) PO4 at some time like your LR & LS and might be releasing it back slowly. I don't think they create PO4 on their own.

 

[thom_smith]

So I am planning out a sump build and struggling trying to figure out how to support both ReefMat and socks interchangeably. Maybe I'm overthinking this beause I don't regularly dose lanthanum--only if I get lax on upkeep for a bit and phosphate gets out of whack--but when I do I have always removed regular socks and dosed into a 5 micron sock over several hours. It actually becomes several 5 micron socks over several hours as they become plugged. But then I am confident the lanthanum immediately bonds phosphate, never makes it through the sock and is immediately removed. My pre- and post-dosing phosphate tests using both Hanna and Red Sea confirm this. I also regularly do ICP testing and using this method lanthanum has never once been present. To those that dose lanthanum into the ReefMat, do you test before and after observing expected results? And do MS ICP tests reflected undetectable lanthanum?

 

[Jody Owens]

So I am planning out a sump build and struggling trying to figure out how to support both ReefMat and socks interchangeably. Maybe I'm overthinking this beause I don't regularly dose lanthanum--only if I get lax on upkeep for a bit and phosphate gets out of whack--but when I do I have always removed regular socks and dosed into a 5 micron sock over several hours. It actually becomes several 5 micron socks over several hours as they become plugged. But then I am confident the lanthanum immediately bonds phosphate, never makes it through the sock and is immediately removed. My pre- and post-dosing phosphate tests using both Hanna and Red Sea confirm this. I also regularly do ICP testing and using this method lanthanum has never once been present. To those that dose lanthanum into the ReefMat, do you test before and after observing expected results? And do MS ICP tests reflected undetectable lanthanum?

Right now, I do testing after the dosing, but I wait some time because it is possible to receive false negatives. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to do socks along with a reefmat. The Reefmat is going to remove the bound materially almost instantly.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Right now, I do testing after the dosing, but I wait some time because it is possible to receive false negatives. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to do socks along with a reefmat. The Reefmat is going to remove the bound materially almost instantly.

False negatives means what to you?

 

[Jody Owens]

False negatives means what to you?

I was basing this on what I had read on different instructions and such. I thought it would read higher than what it was. How long should I wait to test?

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I dose phosphate E right into my skimmer cup hole .

Are you using a roller mat?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was basing this on what I had read on different instructions and such. I thought it would read higher than what it was. How long should I wait to test?

I suspect the origin of such a concern is one of these facts:

1. If there is lanthanum phosphate in the sample that gets tested for phosphate, it might show up in a phosphate test by dissolving during the test. That would be, IMO, a false high reading.

2. Anything you do to suddenly lower phosphate will be followed by dissolution of some phosphate off of rock and sand surfaces. Thus the value will seem (and in fact, is) lower initially, and then rises. I would not call this any sort of false result, just a changing one.

 

[Yazannreef]

I am currently running a Reefmat in my tanks over filter socks. I have noticed high levels of phosphates (over 1 ppm possibly closer to 3ppm based on the Selifert test) and was dosing Phosphat-E to help lower them. I have been putting 5ML in the reefmat once a day. Based on what I am seeing with the Selifert test, it appears to have lowered the levels some, but they are still high. Is the reefmat the proper location to be dosing it or should I put putting it directly into the skimmer?

I have been dosing phosphate E thru the side opening of my reefmat 500 for 6 months now and I managed to keep my phosphate under 0.1.

I dose exactly 5 ml at night via apex.

I had around .3 po4 when I started and no my tank hold it from 0.05 to .1.
Yes I have 5 tangs and a tank full of corals. No harm done

 

[Coolcasino]

I have been dosing phosphate E thru the side opening of my reefmat 500 for 6 months now and I managed to keep my phosphate under 0.1.

I dose exactly 5 ml at night via apex.

I had around .3 po4 when I started and no my tank hold it from 0.05 to .1.
Yes I have 5 tangs and a tank full of corals. No harm done

I also was able to bring my PO4 down to 0.10 with Phosphat-e dosing 5ml into my reefmat 500 but I am also dosing TM NP bacto balance as I cant find elimi NP. Im thinking of trying the TM NP bacto balance by itself to see if it can handle it by itself. I tried Rowaphos but it was getting expensive and the PO4 was up and down in part of me not having time to change it out of my reactor.

 

[Jody Owens]

I have been dosing this for awhile. I split it up to 5 ml in the morning and 5 ml in the evening. I dose it directly into the reefmat all at once. I have noticed that my phosphates are not skyrocketing like before, but aren't really dropping much either. I am wondering if it is something that I might be doing wrong. Could the issue be that I need to actually by a doser and drip it in or should I put it in the skimmer neck over the reefmat. Any help would be awesome.

 

[Coolcasino]

Make sure you have some NO3. You might need to dose a bit more phosphat-e. You might be dosing just enough to not let it go up much more. Use the calculator and check how much to dose to drop it down to your target. You might just have PO4 that is still leaching from your rocks and sand. Once at your target you can try bacto balance. Thats how I did it and its working out.

 

[Jody Owens]

Make sure you have some NO3. You might need to dose a bit more phosphat-e. You might be dosing just enough to not let it go up much more. Use the calculator and check how much to dose to drop it down to your target. You might just have PO4 that is still leaching from your rocks and sand. Once at your target you can try bacto balance. Thats how I did it and its working out.

I am thinking that it is leaching from them and coming to equilibrium.