[leebca]

Seachem makes a product they call PHOSGUARD. I am using it and it seems to reduce the phosphates. I have no idea how effective or efficient it is at doing this.

Does anyone have any opinion about this product? Positive or Negative?

Thanks!

[zhenya]

Lee,

I think Phosguard is pure alumina (Al2O3) and leaches toxic aluminum back into the water over time.Do a search for this product and see what opinions other people had/have.
Ferric oxide products are much safer, in my opinion. I've used Saliferts's "phosphate killer" with good results in the past and there are other products that are real good at stripping water column of phosphates, like Phosban for example.

[BubbaWPB]

Both aluminum and ferric oxide phosphate binders are effective in lowering phospate levels in the tank. There are concerns about aluminum levels in the water using the aluminum-based products (although I haven't seen any studies that show an ill effect - but there are no studies showing its safety either). Ferric oxide products are messy as they cannot be aggregated into effective pellets - it's nasty colored dust that can cause an unsightly mess.

I alternate products to theoretically minimize the negative attributes of both. So I guess that means I have high aluminum AND brown stuff in my tank .... but the algae is under control!

[leebca]

Gene,

You write:

. . .toxic aluminum. . .

Be forewarned. . . I'm in the aluminum business.

So why do you think it's toxic? Any studies you can point me to?

Thanks.

[Steven Pro]

Randy Holmes-Farley wrote about aluminum and Phosguard here,
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...y2003/chem.htm

[leebca]

I hear than Randy was planning to do some further research on a group of phosphate reducing/removing products. I think Phosguard was a contender.

Thanks for the reference.

[The R/C Man]

Hey Guys!

I understand that using kalkwasser helps to reduce phosphates. Something about it precipitating out allowing the skimmer to remove it from the water column. Any thoughts or constructive words?

I have also read an article pertaining to the use of phosphates. Although the chance is low, removing to much phosphate will cause a deficiate creating a chemical inbalance in the system. So, some phosphates are required for a healthy system.

Boy, I have to start reading things twice so all the details stick my brain for future recall. lol

[Poseidon]

I have only anecdotal evidence from my use of Phosgaurd. When I first started out, the first corals I was advised to try were leathers as they were "hardy". Well, I had very little success with them, but my Hammer coral was doing GREAT! After a few months of struggling with the appearance of my leathers, I came across that article referrenced above, that's when the proverbial light bulb went off! I had been using phosgaurd at the time. I no longer use that product, but I don't keep leathers anymore either so I can't say the corals improved once I stopped using it.... Does that help at all? LOL!

[leebca]

I've read the reference Steven.

I respect Randy and his knowledge, experience, and work, but I have to admit that his writing on Aluminum is about as close to a waste of his talent and time as I've seen so far.

As he points out, the amount of Phosguard to water doesn't represent the aquarium model. The analytical procedure for aluminum is inaccurate. The historical information on the effects of aluminum on marine fishes is practically non-existent.

After filtering seawater samples, aluminum readings go down, suggesting to me (and Randy) that a significant portion of the aluminum isn't actually soluble, but actually suspended particulates. This latter point makes sense, since a characteristic of the Phosguard aluminum compound is to complex with organics and coagulate. It's used in the water treatment plants of many municipalities. It might also explain its negative affects on corals.

We know from Randy's document that using Phosguard puts aluminum into the water. I don't think that that conclusion was a big leap. It's inconclusive if the soluble aluminum from the product has any effect on marine ornamental fishes; how much of that aluminum is in solution or particulate form; and how much dissolved aluminum is of any concern. Sort of back at the original question.

[leebca]

Poseiden

Actually, in this case, anecdotal (even half-completed) might be as good as the 'technical' informaton.

[Papa Doug]

I used it years ago, when it first came out. But with our cheap test kits, who knows what it was actually doing.

I experimented with RowaPhos recently. Thought it may help with some old turf algaes. My friend swears by Julian,s. I believe its Phosban. I always ran my turf scrubber, so never really worried about phospates but thats no more.

I remember I used the Phosguard in a container for my reactor effluent to run through, hopefully removing and phosphates coming from the dissolving reactor media.