Aluminium from Phosphate Remover products

[BigDora]

At the beginners presentation at the July meeting there was some mention in the presentation about phosphate control and phosphate removers. At some point in the past, aquarists discovered that Seachem Phosguard (and some other brands?) leach aluminium into the aquarium. As a result, people were finding that their leather corals were turning brown and dying. I rushed home to check what I was using, and it happens to be Seachem Phosguard (which did an awesome job removing the phosphates). I took it out right away. Now I am wondering, how do I get the aluminium out of the aquarium? Will water changes and running carbon do the job? Is there any way to test for it? Is it now embedded in the sand and rocks? I was using it off and on for about 2 months (probably more on than off). Has anyone encountered this?

Thanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It will disappear on its own. Especially if you do not have an apparent problem with any corals, I would not worry about it, aside from using something else, either now or when you run out of Phosguard.

In the past, and in my tests, impacted corals willl spontaneously recover over a few days to a week or so when the Phosguard is removed.

 

[alpha0r]

What about ROWphos?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That one and all binders that are colored from orange to black are iron based (GFO, or granular ferric oxide) and are preferable, IMO, to aluminum based binders (which are white).

I discuss these issues here:

Aluminum and aluminum-based phosphate binders
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2003/chem.htm

Iron Oxide Hydroxide (GFO) Phosphate Binders
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.htm

 

[BigDora]

Thank you. Those articles are great.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome and thanks.