Rocks leaching phosphate

[benapilot]

So I tested today, about 24 hours after a full water change in the bucket and the Hanna Checker read .29! I put some GFO in a media bag, we'll see how well it does.

I'm thinking I don't want to put these rocks in my tank yet. Any idea how long it'll take for the phosphate to leach out?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So I tested today, about 24 hours after a full water change in the bucket and the Hanna Checker read .29! I put some GFO in a media bag, we'll see how well it does.

I'm thinking I don't want to put these rocks in my tank yet. Any idea how long it'll take for the phosphate to leach out?

Me sir no. It's a bit of math on the amount of absorption rates. How much GFO is used plus the absorption rate of the GFO and the amount of Po being targeted for removal. The absorption or actually binding rate of Po by the GFO will depend on the effiency of application. I.e. Media Bag vs reactor.

But if you did it and started a thread. It would be a great experiment and brilliant experience for many to read and share. Successful or not. The question of can it be done is would be answered for many.

How cool is the rock? You got it in Hawaii yourself of of the beach? I'm told Hawaii is a pretty special place esp for those with a love of the sea.

So IMO it's a cool science for a rock or pia job for the tank trade off

 

[benapilot]

The rock is nice... it's bleached dead coral. Not real big pieces, but very interesting. I'd attach a picture or two, but they're cooking in a 5 gallon bucket with GFO right now! LOL.
It's everywhere in Hawaii. Our family goes to Hawaii for Spring Break every year- predominately to the Big Island and rent a condo north of Kona. Lots and lots of beaches with tons and tons of dead coral (legal to collect not in excess of one gallon per person per day for reasonable, personal, noncommercial use). Granted, it doesn't stay bright white and beautiful in the tank. After a few months, the bacteria and coraline algae takes over.

This will be a fun experiment to see if the GFO does anything. I've got a little over a week before I'll be ready to put it all in the tank. Hopefully the phosphates come down.

If my last battle with green hair algae is any indication, this could take a while!

 

[benapilot]

Tested again today. Zero phosphate!! I took the GFI out of the bucket to see what I get tomorrow.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Tested again today. Zero phosphate!! I took the GFI out of the bucket to see what I get tomorrow.

Thanks. I Am SOOO curious!

I wols be chewing my knuckle tryng to decide to tes in the am or next am.

Remember the GFO binding rate in the WC and it may still be on the rock. you may or may not see change and (oh boy) how long till you do.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEE Nerd sound. sorry.

 

[Victoria M]

I realise this is an old thread but it had some good information and pertains to my plan for setting up my tank. I purchased mined rock from a LFS as base rock that I plan to use to creat a few stable secured formations. To prepare the rock I plan to rinse the rock off in tap water, do a muratic acid bath, rinse in tap water and then soak in ro di water. Then check for phosphate.
How long do I soak in the acid? I hope just a few hours. I can use my Brutte container right?
How long I leave it in the ro di depends on the presence of phosphate? If present I will run gfo.

 

[Victoria M]

Just a bump to see if anyone has suggestions to improve my plan.

 

[OnPointCorals Verified Sponsor]

Sorry Victoria I have no info for you as I have never given a muriatic bath before, but I just read through the entire thread and am under suspense to what the turn out was?

Did the phosphates rise again in the bucket? How many times did it take to get a low po4 number?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

A few hours is likely more than enough in the acid. The dissolving rock depletes the acid, so it may stop doing anything when it stops bubbling.

 

[Will Milberger]

Following to see what happens

 

[Victoria M]

Sorry Victoria I have no info for you as I have never given a muriatic bath before, but I just read through the entire thread and am under suspense to what the turn out was?

Did the phosphates rise again in the bucket? How many times did it take to get a low po4 number?

Thank you fo the reply. I have not done this yet. I was waiting to hear from someone about hoe long to keep the rocks in the acid bath. I will update this thread and I will document this process in my rebuild thread.

 

[Victoria M]

A few hours is likely more than enough in the acid. The dissolving rock depletes the acid, so it may stop doing anything when it stops bubbling.

Thank you Randy for taking to time to address my concerns. Appreciate it.

 

[Victoria M]

I will post the process in my rebuild thread and I will post the results here too.

 

[BantyRooster97]

A few hours is likely more than enough in the acid. The dissolving rock depletes the acid, so it may stop doing anything when it stops bubbling.

Randy, how long will a rock in a tank release phosphates? I recently placed a nice large flat piece of rock in my tank and promptly starting placing acros on it..... now my phosphates are rising & LPS are looking rough. I bought some phosguard over the weekend & plan to place it in the tank this week. I want some phosphate but not what my salifert is registering, between .25 & .5. I just bought a hanna checker to test tomorrow, so I should have an exact #. Nitrates are 2.5, if it matters.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It doesn't take long at all (minutes to houres) for readily accessible surface area to come to new equilibrium with the water. Deeper pores may take longer.

 

[BantyRooster97]

So if I leave it, any clue as to how much longer it will be a problem? Weeks, months? Or when will it level out & not raise the PO4?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That depends on how fast and how far you drop it. It is an on/off equilibrium. Once the tank value rises and stops rising at some value (say, 0.4 ppm), then no more is coming off nd the clock is not really ticking for removal.

 

[BantyRooster97]

thx

 

[Apollomax]

I'd love to see something that actually says that rocks are the cause of high phosphate in the tank. As I understand it its food.
Honestly curious.

I have myself have fed nothing at all to my tank just trying to cure my rock. It has gone from 200ppb to 106pob to as low as 22ppb. But now it’s up to 88ppb... no freakin idea why other than rock leaching it out. Even after a bleaching for a week and a half... I’m open to ideas cause I’m really new to this and trying to keep disaster at bay. I’ve got a reactor with gfo.

 

[Victoria M]

I completed the acid bath, tap water rinse, ro di water and bleach for a few days, ro di soak for a couple weeks, and then saltwater soak for many weeks. The first phos reading was 180 ppb, and just recently was 34 ppb. I replaced the gfo and I am letting it continue until I set up the rock.