DIY Lanthanum Dosing

[David S]

Correction the Phosphorus level was 0.014 mg/l.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Curious that I was considered "deficient" in Phosphorus (0.14 PPM) yet smack dab in the middle of the "optimal" level for Phosphate.

Thanks for the update. It isn't especially inspiring of confidence that the acceptable range for phosphorus and phosphate are identical. Assuming it is just a spread sheet error, you'd think someone would have noticed it and corrected it by now.

 

[jda]

Does your hannah ultra low test out to that level? As I have stated before, I had to wait a few days after dosing LC to use a hannah to get good results. I am wondering if it is just me...

The great thing about ICP is that if you don't like the results, you can send out to a different one and get a whole different set of numbers.

 

[David S]

Does your hannah ultra low test out to that level? As I have stated before, I had to wait a few days after dosing LC to use a hannah to get good results. I am wondering if it is just me...

The great thing about ICP is that if you don't like the results, you can send out to a different one and get a whole different set of numbers.

As a matter of fact, I intend to send another test, in a month or so.
This time to Triton, which I consider the most reliable ICP service.
To me, their only shortcoming - if you could call it that - was they didn't test for Fluoride - which I dose.
However, they will be testing for it, shortly.

 

[areefer01]

Remember that due to binding to rock and sand, and release from that reservoir when you try to lower phosphate, one may see phosphate come back up close to the starting point within a day or two after dosing, and lowering phosphate can be a lengthy process.

I have been making an effort to try and manage my phosphate and see what you described. Bring it down, see it bump 24 hours later.

 

[Nman]

Just taken my phosphate down using L chloride after a lot of thinking about good things I’ve read and bad . I used Randys recipe to the letter for mixing and dosing . There was no ill effect’s to my fish or Anemone and corals with the results I have experienced I have no issue using it and this was in a small volume of water 34L . My phosphate level was 1 and now sat at 0.01

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Just taken my phosphate down using L chloride after a lot of thinking about good things I’ve read and bad . I used Randys recipe to the letter for mixing and dosing . There was no ill effect’s to my fish or Anemone and corals with the results I have experienced I have no issue using it and this was in a small volume of water 34L . My phosphate level was 1 and now sat at 0.01

Glad it worked out . Be sure it doesn't get too low now.

 

[Nman]

Glad it worked out . Be sure it doesn't get too low now.

Yep that’s the only thing with it . It’s that good at removing phosphate if you don’t go slowly you would bottom out . I started half doses at first to gage the drop in phosphate

 

[pixelhustler]

I have been making an effort to try and manage my phosphate and see what you described. Bring it down, see it bump 24 hours later.


View attachment 3138427

It took over a year and a new sandbed to release all the phosphate bound to my live rock.
Which is why I would dilute lanthanum in RODI and use a dosing pump to slowly, evenly dose small amounts. Corals hate that heavy phosphate rebound, and the phosphate drop also comes with a (smaller) alkalinity drop.
I experienced the same with GFO. Thus why I favor lanthanum as it’s much more scalable and easy to control.

 

[Miami Reef]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

Does lanthanum have any reaction with silica? Will it use silica that I dosed instead of phosphate/carbonate to make lanthanum silicate?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

Does lanthanum have any reaction with silica? Will it use silica that I dosed instead of phosphate/carbonate to make lanthanum silicate?

At the low levels of each in a Reefing situation, I do not think that is a concern.