Treating Dry Rock for Phosphates - Page 2

bertoni · 02/27/2017, 11:03 PM

Okay, that should be reasonable, although a 1 micron mesh is very fine. I'd be careful about it clogging very quickly. If you're watching the process, it should be safe enough.

reefgeezer · 02/28/2017, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

Okay, that should be reasonable, although a 1 micron mesh is very fine. I'd be careful about it clogging very quickly. If you're watching the process, it should be safe enough.

I will be keeping an eye on it at first. I also have some 10 micron filters if the finer one clogs too fast. Thanks.

bertoni · 02/28/2017, 02:38 PM

You're welcome. Good luck!

reefgeezer · 03/08/2017, 12:11 PM

I started dosing LC (SeaKlear) last night. I am dosing 20 ml of LC diluted in 3.75 liters of RO/DI water through a 10 micron filter sock at a rate of 1 liter per day. I have ~250 gph of tank water running through the filter sock also. The filter sock exhausts into my skimmer bay.

I believe this is a slow application that will allow me to test daily and stop the application before levels reach absolutely 0. Remember, this is in my display tank and I wish to err on the very safe side. Someone please give me a shout out if I'm making a mistake. Thanks.

bertoni · 03/08/2017, 05:01 PM

That seems reasonable to me.

reefgeezer · 03/08/2017, 08:01 PM

It's been roughly 24 hours so about 1 liter of solution (5 ml of LC) has been dosed. The Hanna ULR Checker says the phosphate is now about .4 ppm. The initial reading was in excess of .6 ppm, I think closer to 1 ppm, so the drop seems quite substantial.

I don't see any difference in the skimmer and the water looks clear.

reefgeezer · 03/08/2017, 09:13 PM

Wow... a 4" X 8" 10m filter sock clogged in 24 hours. I only have a few. Does anyone have a method for unclogging these things? Thanks.

bertoni · 03/08/2017, 11:20 PM

Washing them should clean them. I'd try a bit of vinegar and some agitation. The vinegar might dissolve the flakes, although I need to check the pH required.

reefgeezer · 03/09/2017, 06:47 PM

.23 ppm tonight after another 5ml of LC. The water is still clear and skimmer running normally. Also, at least so far, the filter sock hasn't clogged.

reefgeezer · 03/10/2017, 05:55 PM

.17 ppm today. I was hoping it would be lower. I imagine some leaching is still occurring and is contributing to the slow down.

bertoni · 03/10/2017, 06:15 PM

I agree that leaching is very likely at this point, and I wouldn't worry too much about how long it takes to drop the level. You've made a lot of progress, but as the level drops, the progress should be slower as the leaching rate drops.

reefgeezer · 03/13/2017, 08:51 PM

OK... the tank reached .03 ppm. Yeah! I've turned off the LC dosing to see if the phosphate rises. I'm guessing it will.

reefgeezer · 03/15/2017, 05:34 PM

Back up to .12 ppm after no LC for 48 hours. LC back on.

bertoni · 03/15/2017, 07:02 PM

That's what I would expect. It could take some number of weeks to remove all the phosphate from the live rock. You're making perfectly good progress.

reefgeezer · 03/16/2017, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

That's what I would expect. It could take some number of weeks to remove all the phosphate from the live rock. You're making perfectly good progress.

Thanks Jonathan. I expected the phos level to rise but it's still disappointing. I'm anxious to start populating the new tank. It's hard to be patient, but I don't want to start a tank with a phosphate issue.

My problem now is having enough filter socks and cleaning them once they clog. I'm soaking in vinegar now & will wash in bleach next. Hopefully that will work.

bertoni · 03/16/2017, 05:28 PM

You're welcome. Good luck!

reefgeezer · 03/27/2017, 01:02 PM

Progress... After 1 week of running without any LC the phosphate has only risen to .14 ppm.

So to summarize...

Started in excess of 1 ppm - Did a 100% water change

Phosphates in excess of .6 ppm after 48 hours

Phosphates to .03 ppm after dosing 2 gallons of dilute LC

Today .14 ppm after no LC for 1 week

bertoni · 03/27/2017, 01:16 PM

That looks like good progress! What is your target level for phosphate?

reefgeezer · 03/27/2017, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

That looks like good progress! What is your target level for phosphate?

I'm going to try to maintain .03 to .06 ppm. Once the phosphate leaching has mostly stopped, I'm not planning on using anything but GFO for the task. AND... I don't want to spend a fortune, so it may be a while before I switch from LC to GFO.

bertoni · 03/27/2017, 09:37 PM

Okay, that seems reasonable to me.

reefgeezer · 03/29/2017, 07:11 AM

Phosphates were driven to roughly zero with just 2 liters of dilute LC (20 cc LC). That's less than half of what it too in the last round. I'm hoping that means the rocks are beginning to become depleted of bound phosphates.

I did notice some haze on the glass and slightly cloudy water though. I think maybe I'll slow the dosing rate if I have to dose more LC.

bertoni · 03/29/2017, 05:29 PM

Okay, that still sounds like reasonable progress. I agree that slowing the dosing rate sounds like a good idea.

reefgeezer · 04/01/2017, 11:26 AM

Back up to .14 ppm after 48 hours. I suppose this is the equalibrium level. Would it be reasonable to try GFO to drop hold the level to .06 or so from here?

bertoni · 04/01/2017, 02:43 PM

GFO might be fine to use at this point. The issue will be cost. We don't have any useful way to determine the amount of phosphate in the live rock.

zeusfc · 04/02/2017, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefgeezer

Wow... a 4" X 8" 10m filter sock clogged in 24 hours. I only have a few. Does anyone have a method for unclogging these things? Thanks.

I gave up on filter socks!
I cut the top ring off one, and have used cheap sports socks ever since!
12 pairs costs me 7 euros, and lasts me 24 weeks.
No problems at all from using them; they block in about the same time, and the tank appears just as clear.

Re phosphate removal; I used "phosfree" following a discussion on here, but certainly NOT in the tank; in a curing bucket, and then well rinsed.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

02/27/2017, 11:03 PM	#26
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Okay, that should be reasonable, although a 1 micron mesh is very fine. I'd be careful about it clogging very quickly. If you're watching the process, it should be safe enough. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/28/2017, 02:38 PM	#28
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome. Good luck! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/08/2017, 12:11 PM	#29
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	I started dosing LC (SeaKlear) last night. I am dosing 20 ml of LC diluted in 3.75 liters of RO/DI water through a 10 micron filter sock at a rate of 1 liter per day. I have ~250 gph of tank water running through the filter sock also. The filter sock exhausts into my skimmer bay. I believe this is a slow application that will allow me to test daily and stop the application before levels reach absolutely 0. Remember, this is in my display tank and I wish to err on the very safe side. Someone please give me a shout out if I'm making a mistake. Thanks. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/08/2017, 05:01 PM	#30
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That seems reasonable to me. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/08/2017, 08:01 PM	#31
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	update It's been roughly 24 hours so about 1 liter of solution (5 ml of LC) has been dosed. The Hanna ULR Checker says the phosphate is now about .4 ppm. The initial reading was in excess of .6 ppm, I think closer to 1 ppm, so the drop seems quite substantial. I don't see any difference in the skimmer and the water looks clear. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/08/2017, 09:13 PM	#32
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Wow... a 4" X 8" 10m filter sock clogged in 24 hours. I only have a few. Does anyone have a method for unclogging these things? Thanks. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/08/2017, 11:20 PM	#33
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Washing them should clean them. I'd try a bit of vinegar and some agitation. The vinegar might dissolve the flakes, although I need to check the pH required. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/09/2017, 06:47 PM	#34
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Update .23 ppm tonight after another 5ml of LC. The water is still clear and skimmer running normally. Also, at least so far, the filter sock hasn't clogged. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/10/2017, 05:55 PM	#35
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Update .17 ppm today. I was hoping it would be lower. I imagine some leaching is still occurring and is contributing to the slow down. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/10/2017, 06:15 PM	#36
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that leaching is very likely at this point, and I wouldn't worry too much about how long it takes to drop the level. You've made a lot of progress, but as the level drops, the progress should be slower as the leaching rate drops. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/13/2017, 08:51 PM	#37
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	OK... the tank reached .03 ppm. Yeah! I've turned off the LC dosing to see if the phosphate rises. I'm guessing it will. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/15/2017, 05:34 PM	#38
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Back up to .12 ppm after no LC for 48 hours. LC back on. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/15/2017, 07:02 PM	#39
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That's what I would expect. It could take some number of weeks to remove all the phosphate from the live rock. You're making perfectly good progress. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/16/2017, 05:28 PM	#41
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome. Good luck! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/27/2017, 01:02 PM	#42
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Update Progress... After 1 week of running without any LC the phosphate has only risen to .14 ppm. So to summarize... Started in excess of 1 ppm - Did a 100% water change Phosphates in excess of .6 ppm after 48 hours Phosphates to .03 ppm after dosing 2 gallons of dilute LC Today .14 ppm after no LC for 1 week __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/27/2017, 01:16 PM	#43
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That looks like good progress! What is your target level for phosphate? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/27/2017, 09:37 PM	#45
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Okay, that seems reasonable to me. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/29/2017, 07:11 AM	#46
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Another Update Phosphates were driven to roughly zero with just 2 liters of dilute LC (20 cc LC). That's less than half of what it too in the last round. I'm hoping that means the rocks are beginning to become depleted of bound phosphates. I did notice some haze on the glass and slightly cloudy water though. I think maybe I'll slow the dosing rate if I have to dose more LC. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

03/29/2017, 05:29 PM	#47
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Okay, that still sounds like reasonable progress. I agree that slowing the dosing rate sounds like a good idea. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/01/2017, 11:26 AM	#48
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Question Back up to .14 ppm after 48 hours. I suppose this is the equalibrium level. Would it be reasonable to try GFO to drop hold the level to .06 or so from here? __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

04/01/2017, 02:43 PM	#49
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	GFO might be fine to use at this point. The issue will be cost. We don't have any useful way to determine the amount of phosphate in the live rock. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni