Phosphate RX?

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Me too Randy! The dr890 is kind of dreamy for testing and I think I have a good and easy way to dose LC. I have to see how it pans out over the next couple months. I hope it makes no difference at all!

Hope your tank doesn't crash. It might be addicted to the phosphate. lol

 

[Ryan T.L.]

T

I am not sure what the actual percentage of LC is in that product is so I can’t speak to diluting it. LC can be very potent so it is always best to go slow. There can also be a bounce back effect (which is why I may be more of a fan of constant low dose over bulk intermittent dosing)

Thank you!
Would you mind sharing what LC you use and how you dilute and dose (assuming it’s something that could be replicated at home)? Based on my very limited experience I’d say phosphate rx seems to be made for “bulk intermittent dosing” and for effectively ”zeroing” phosphates.

Thanks to your speech at macna, I believe, I stopped caring about phosphates (made reefing much more fun) so thanks for that as well!

But a few weeks ago my tank went off the rails while I was away so trying to get everything back to where it was before and doing well.

 

[Thales]

Thanks for the nice words Ryan.
This is the stuff I am using.
http://www.bluelinecorp.com/products/category/lanthanum-iii-chloride-solution/
Currently diluting 7 ml in 1000 ml DI water, dosing 100 ml of that solution over 24 hours for a 450 total gallon system. It is pretty reactive at this point and I am testing every day with a hach DR 890. I am still experimenting so I have no idea if this is a dose I will continue or not.
I don't see why the rx couldn't be used for continuous dosing, even though it isn't marketed as such - however I don't really know what is in it or at what levels. I think we assume it is LC and water, but who knows.

 

[Thales]

Hope your tank doesn't crash. It might be addicted to the phosphate. lol

Currently 1.08. I can't believe it is so low. I think we will have to have a party/wake when it goes below 1

 

[Becca Lane]

OP here! So Saturday I used 6 drops for about 14g total water volume. Sunday I used 3, and today I have used 3. My phosphate before use on Saturday was .9, today it is .7. I do believe the first day using the full recommended 6 drops stressed my coral, and I see no ill effects from using half the dosage. My phosphates do appear to slowly be coming down as well!

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I dose 10 drops a day 5 drops in the skimmer the next 5 into filter soc. I currently have an algae problem that it’s helping me with. Almost forget my first dose was 45 drops.

 

[Thales]

OP here! So Saturday I used 6 drops for about 14g total water volume. Sunday I used 3, and today I have used 3. My phosphate before use on Saturday was .9, today it is .7. I do believe the first day using the full recommended 6 drops stressed my coral, and I see no ill effects from using half the dosage. My phosphates do appear to slowly be coming down as well!

With what are you testing?

 

[Becca Lane]

With what are you testing?

Hanna phosphate tester

 

[Becca Lane]

Hanna phosphate tester

I’ll test again this weekend and post the results. I upped it t 4 drops a day. 2-2x a day in the overflow. Coral seem great

 

[Becca Lane]

I dose 10 drops a day 5 drops in the skimmer the next 5 into filter soc. I currently have an algae problem that it’s helping me with. Almost forget my first dose was 45 drops.

How big of a tank?

 

[Greenstreet.1]

How big of a tank?

75g

 

[Thales]

Hanna phosphate tester

Thanks, which one? Just dotting my i's and crossing my t's.

 

[Mark_4880]

Bump. Just wondering if I can add a couple drops to my 5 gallon ATO/kalk mix that is gravity dripped into my system?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

@melev uses Phosphate Rx. His review is the reason I bought it.

 

[User1]

Necroing an older thread if you all don't mind but wondering how the daily dosing of LC worked out? My phosphate is holding steady with the Hanna ULR / 736 model at .21 (today's reading). I've had it as low as .04 and a max of .37 and the average Apex is reporting is .221 (of course only has good as my test result inputs, right?). Nitrates which I'm not as worried about are 5 using Nyos kit. Nitrate number doesn't bother me as much but I'd like to see if I can get the phosphates down a bit to something lower and see if it helps my GHA issue(s) and maybe perk up a couple of my rose bubble tip anemones that don't look happy.

I've considered diluting LC and dosing daily but have no idea how much for 170 gallons of water or what it would do to the fish. I have read a few threads in which case it said Tangs do not do well in some cases with LC. Then others said not in a tank with low iron glass and others said to dose in a filter sock for which I don't use...

Pretty sure my high phosphate is from the pukani rock I'm using. That or my just being lazy (it really is the rocks fault, it can't be me!). Phosphate Rx was another option to use and just clip on a sock in the sump area and dose there once or twice slowly until it gets to a better lower number of something.

 

[ReefReady9]

Necroing an older thread if you all don't mind but wondering how the daily dosing of LC worked out? My phosphate is holding steady with the Hanna ULR / 736 model at .21 (today's reading). I've had it as low as .04 and a max of .37 and the average Apex is reporting is .221 (of course only has good as my test result inputs, right?). Nitrates which I'm not as worried about are 5 using Nyos kit. Nitrate number doesn't bother me as much but I'd like to see if I can get the phosphates down a bit to something lower and see if it helps my GHA issue(s) and maybe perk up a couple of my rose bubble tip anemones that don't look happy.

I've considered diluting LC and dosing daily but have no idea how much for 170 gallons of water or what it would do to the fish. I have read a few threads in which case it said Tangs do not do well in some cases with LC. Then others said not in a tank with low iron glass and others said to dose in a filter sock for which I don't use...

Pretty sure my high phosphate is from the pukani rock I'm using. That or my just being lazy (it really is the rocks fault, it can't be me!). Phosphate Rx was another option to use and just clip on a sock in the sump area and dose there once or twice slowly until it gets to a better lower number of something.

How are you getting a phosphate reading on your Apex?

 

[User1]

How are you getting a phosphate reading on your Apex?

I'm not. Just a dork who is thinking of x and typing y...

I use the Hanna checker. Also have sent in ICP tests (ATI's) as another reference point just to see. I used Phosphate Rx to lower it to around .08. A month later it was back up to .16. Seems to inch back up ever so slowly as last week results showed .28. No algae or anything else looks bad so just going to keep an eye on it.

Sorry about that.

 

[Drewbacca]

Hope your tank doesn't crash. It might be addicted to the phosphate. lol

Will phoshate rx or other LC products expire if stored properly? I see no expiration date on the phos rx, but its been in closet for about 2 + years.