Phosban stressing corals?

[Scouter Steve]

I just added two phosban reactors to my 300 gallon system. Tonight I notice my meat brain coral all retracted not looking good. Is this a reaction to the new phosphate removing media. I am using Drs F+S store brand. All other corals look OK, they include LPS SPS and leathers.

[AQTCJAK]

did the tank get a white cloud after adding it

[Scouter Steve]

No, different stuff. This is the iron based Media and I rinsed it well.

PS it is a scolymia coral that is stressing

[AQTCJAK]

This is from the Hagen master Test Kit on Iron

First, Toxic, non-chelated (free) iron needs to be distiguished from the less dangerous chelated form of iron. Non-chelated iron iron can be toxic at levels of 0.3 mg/L and above. Second, iron plant supplements need to be monitored to ensure safe levels. In salt water, ensure that the level of iron does not reach a detectable reading. Natural ocean water contains an average of 0.001 mg/L

So it is possible you might have iron levels above that that

[Woodstock]

Is this what you used? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13963&Ntt=phosphate%20medi a&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty =1

Looks like a good product. I use iron based phosphate removal media too. Although I have read that you should slowly begin using it because it can 'shock' some corals. It may also reduce alkalinity; check your alkalinity and PH.

[Scouter Steve]

Yes Woodstock that is what I am using. Ph seems to be goog. I will check all parameters today. Hindsight says to me I should have started one reactor and then the other a few days later. I did only put 8-9 tbls per reactor though.

[BoomerD]

It's been a few years since I read anything on this, but IIRC, there were tons of threads on RC about similar things...people experiencing RTN and such with stoney corals after starting to run Phosban and RowaPhos.
I don't remember what (if any) diagnoses were, or if was actually the products themselves that caused it, (and I hate to send anyone over there) but that'd be a place to start researching.

[Woodstock]

I've PM'd Boomer. Hopefully he can chime in and give us some info.

[Scouter Steve]

So far this morning my scolymia looks more normal. no lights yet but we will see. Gotta work a bit this AM so I will check the numbers this afternoon.

[Dentoid]

My scoly does that from time to time without me making any changes. I have never experienced any change in my corals when adding or changing the phosphate removal media. I've used both RowaPhos and Phosban.

The instructions on the Phosban insert does say that it can be dangerous to the tank inhabitants, if it is agitated too briskly sending it into the main tank. The first time I used it I didn't rinse it and a big brown plume went into my tank. It cleared in about an hour and nothing was affected.

[Boomer]

I will wait for you next post. The only issues I see are 3 maybe i.e., dust, alk or removing the PO4 to fast.

[Scouter Steve]

Update: My Scoly seems to be back where it was before the Phosban. I been a bit busy so haven't tested Alk but there was no dust storm on start up, I flushed about 5 gallons through the reactors at start up. Gotta do a water change today anyhow.

[flricordia]

I use the same product from Fostersmith in a 240gl I maintain and have been going on 2 months and haven't seen any stress to the corals because of it. I have noticed a reduction in the hair algea from the owner's overfeeding problem. Today I was able to manuely remove just about the last of the hair algea. 2 months ago it was beginning to choke out some zoanthid colonies and a few of the smaller LPS.
I use the pads in my nano and have since its startup Aug06 and have never had any diatom or hair algea problems, not once.