CaribSea Phos Buster Pro

dirk_brijs

Member
Bought me a bottle of this product and getting ready to use it.
The label write to add the solution into a high flow area but does not state into any form of filtration?
As I believe it is Lanthanum based(is it?) and read about guys treating their Lanthanum Chloride into a filter sock? would it be advisable to add my PhosBuster Pro in the same way?
Anyone any experience with this product and can get me some more tips and tricks about it?
Would maybe like to start treatment tomorrow?
Thanks
 

mr. limpid

Active Member
Have you test your water for Phosphates? What are your levels? Are you running a protein skimmer on your tank?
I just ran a search on this product on Carib-Sea's website and this is what I found:
Phos-Buster? Pro?s
unique patent pending formula
removes dissolved phosphates in minutes instead of
days. Safe for all reef tanks, saltwater, and
freshwater aquariums of all sorts. Each 8 oz. bottle
removes at least 1.5 ppm in up to 250 gallons of
water! No more fiddling with filter bags, or special
reactors; just dose it and forget about your phosphate
problem. Phos-Buster? Pro
may be used regularly
as part of a preventative maintenance program.
Product #: 08508 (8 oz.).

I wonder what they mean by "removes dissolved phosphates?" That statement is probably misleading. What they probably mean is that it binds dissolved phosphates, allowing them to be removed by skimming or other means. Skimming would be best. It is likely that any phosphate that is bound by this product but not removed by skimming within 24 hours or so would be set free again by bacterial action. Also, if you have phosphate that is bound to your rock and sediments, it will be set free as the phosphate level in the tank is reduced by the action of these phosphate binders and skimming. So you would have to keep at it for a period of time, depending on the extent of your phosphate problem.
I doubt that the product would be harmful to anything but I really have no idea what's in it. I'm just assuming that it works like similar phosphate binders.
Another approach is to use one of the phosphate sponge products. If you choose a phosphate sponge product, be sure to choose one that is iron oxide based and NOT aluminum oxide based. The aluminum oxide (alumina) products actually release small amounts of aluminum into saltwater over time and aluminum is toxic to invertebrates, especially leathers, at rather low levels. All you have to do with these products is put some in a mesh bag and place it in your sump just as you would with carbon. This would be my preferred method for dealing with phosphate.
 

acrylic51

Active Member
Phosphate sponges aren't really as effective as we think.....Dirk I thought I saw you lurking on the other forum, and I think you read the same thread on the Lanthanum Chloride that I mention in another thread.....That is a definite way to lower your Phosphates quickly. I think I also remember reading something about the product your questioning, but not entirely sure. I'd advise to reread the thread over on the other forum for precise clarification, but would probably be beneficial to run a sock, but you need to read the thread....
Any material just placed in a bag and water allowed to run over nearly isn't as effective as you think. To gain maximum efficiency out of the product use it in a reactor or canister....Your wasting your money to a degree with the bag method.....
 

dirk_brijs

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/390023/caribsea-phos-buster-pro#post_3451075
Phosphate sponges aren't really as effective as we think.....Dirk I thought I saw you lurking on the other forum, and I think you read the same thread on the Lanthanum Chloride that I mention in another thread.....That is a definite way to lower your Phosphates quickly. I think I also remember reading something about the product your questioning, but not entirely sure. I'd advise to reread the thread over on the other forum for precise clarification, but would probably be beneficial to run a sock, but you need to read the thread....
Any material just placed in a bag and water allowed to run over nearly isn't as effective as you think. To gain maximum efficiency out of the product use it in a reactor or canister....Your wasting your money to a degree with the bag method.....
The Phos buster is a liquid so cant be run in a reactor.
Idea would be to shock lower my Phosphates which are now sitting at 0.57
so the idea would be to bring them down and then maintain with RowaPhos and BioPellets I will have running in reactors.
I did read through the thread of the Lanthanum thus my question about the PhosBuster as I thought to have read somewhere that the main ingredient is Lathanum in this product.
 

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by dirk_brijs http:///t/390023/caribsea-phos-buster-pro#post_3451130
The Phos buster is a liquid so cant be run in a reactor.
Idea would be to shock lower my Phosphates which are now sitting at 0.57
so the idea would be to bring them down and then maintain with RowaPhos and BioPellets I will have running in reactors.
I did read through the thread of the Lanthanum thus my question about the PhosBuster as I thought to have read somewhere that the main ingredient is Lathanum in this product.
I was referring to the Phosphate sponge that was recommended.........Rowaphos would be a better choice than the BioPellets. Again I thought I did read about the PhosBuster as well, but I thought there might have been a conclusion that this product would be a better choice.......

SeaKlear Phosphate Remover.......
 

dirk_brijs

Member
Ok used the product and dosed it right into my drain which runs into a 200Mcr filtersock and goes straight into the skimmer chamber.
Anyway I can tell you this product does work wonders.
I have 440Gl total water volume so had to dose the entire bottle in my system.
I cam from a Phosphate level of 0.59ppm to 0.1ppm in about 15hours. (will test again after 24hours and 72 hours as the bottle says best result after 72 hours.
Anyway didnt seem to have faced any ill effects as none of my corals (very mixed with lots of softies, many clams and a few SPS) Maybe just one Zoa colony which closed and took a bit longer to open back up this morning.
Couldnt see my water get any issues with getting cloudy at all though didnt stay up all night next to my tank so could have gone a bit cloudy over night.
Dosed the bottle at night just before all lights would have come off.
Anyway will keep you guys updated.
 
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