Afraid to add phosphate remover!!

[dadstank]

i got kent phosphate remover yesterday, ceramic based, as with anything that goes into the tank i am afraid it will harm my little friends... so inevitably i have some questions,

-when is the best time to add it, before lights go on, while the lights are on, or just after the lights go off?

-can you add to much?

-can you add to little?

-what signs should i look for to know if something has gone wrong?

-what do you do when something goes wrong?

-what could go wrong?

-am i just paranoid?

 

[Anonymous]

I don't have a clue as I've never used the stuff, but NO you are NOT paranoid to worry about what's going into the water of your tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Yah I'm a little paranoid about "remover" products that are chemically based. Now if its just something akin to charcoal where it absorbs whatever and then you remove it (phosban is another similar product) then I wouldn't worry terribly much, but may have wanted to do your homework before buying it?? I have a little bottle of that stuff I think its called Chemi-clean, supposed to help with cyano bacteria (I'm guessing it binds with phosphates) but I'll be hard pressed before I use that stuff.

 

[Ben1]

Phosban is a binding agent which I believe is iron based, granular ferric oxide. This is a much better product IME then the aluminum based products, I think the Kent marine product is aluminum based.

In any case if you are concerned about it start with a small amount and work your way up to proper/suggested levels.