Phosphate removal with ferric chloride

[UK_Pete]

kits cannot detect anywhere near the NSW surface iron concentration

Thats a shame. So the only way would be to observe changes in the tank. Makes the idea rather unattractive! Thanks Randy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That is a potential drawback, but if the changes in the tank aren't apparent, maybe there aren't any big problems with elevated iron.

 

[UK_Pete]

I was just reading the thread 'The DSR method' and realised that the OP has been dosing iron to precipitate phosphate for some time. He has some interesting notes, namely that levels above 0.25ppm seem to be toxic to some fish, but that it works well for him at a level of 0.25ppm. He also says that levels drop after a few hours to around 0.05ppm. I haven't read what his measuring methods for this level of iron are, but that will be interesting to ask. I wonder if hes got more sensitive tests than you mentioned Randy, or if his iron levels are higher than you were referring to when you mentioned NSW iron levels? I will ask him the question re his test methods in his thread.

Will the iron slowly be combining with hydroxide and precipitating, over a few hours, or what will be happening to it in your opinion? I know iron has to be chelated to stay in solution in plant fertiliser mixes, and that it precipitates out easily, but would it stay in solution (in the unchelated form) in say a vinegar mix with its fairly low pH? IE maybe it could be mixed in with the carbon source in a suitable quantity, if excess safely precipitates out over a few hours, that could provide a natural mechanisim to keep iron from building up perhaps?

 

[italquam]

Some of the brands of polymer binders are Seachem's Purigen and Brightwell's Organit-R.

Switching to limewater (kalkwasser) may be useful, but not as effective as the other methods).

Generating a lot of calcium carbonate precipitation in the tank will likely lead to big maintenance headaches with pumps, heaters, maybe even cleaning the glass. I don't know waht level you'd stabilize at if adding a lot of calcium and hydroxide, but once the precipitation initiates, it might drop it quite a bit back toward normal. That's what happens in a limewater overdose.

Organic carbon dosing also helps reduce phosphate.

On the Brightwell Organit-r , do you have any knowledge of running it in a slow flow reactor ?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

On the Brightwell Organit-r , do you have any knowledge of running it in a slow flow reactor ?

Awww, couldn't you have waited a full decade to revive this thread?

 

[italquam]

Awww, couldn't you have waited a full decade to revive this thread?

Sorry I didn't even notice that

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

On the Brightwell Organit-r , do you have any knowledge of running it in a slow flow reactor ?

There’s no reason for flow to be slow, but I expect it binds organics as it claims and like other products such as Purigen do.