Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Phoslock

Has anyone used this? Review?

http://www.phoslock.com.au/faqs-usa.php#2

What are you trying to achieve ?

Any other forum info on this? Sounds like a good product if it actually works.. It locks up and removes phosforus from the water column.. Which I think is one of the main contributors too FA??

I could not get that link to open but here is what wikipedia has to say about it. Some form of Bentonite:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoslock

It does have bentonite in it.. Here's a link with a little info no real details though..


http://www.sepro.com/phoslock/

Here's the link: http://www.sepro.com/phoslock/Default.aspx

I bought some Phoslock quite a while back but I haven't used it yet. There's quite a few studies on it, look in the left hand menu for case studies.

And this:
"Phoslock is an environmentally compatible and effective solution in a wide range of water chemistries in ponds, lakes and reservoirs. Phoslock programs require no buffer to protect water quality and aquatic life during and after application."

Here's some more info..

http://www.sepro.com/documents/Phoslock/TechInfo/Phoslock%20Technical%20Bulletin.pdf

I'm interested but I'd like to hear some thoughts from Bill Cody, Rainman, ewest, even Bob lusk to see what the pros think of the concept as a whole..

Yep, that's the link. There is a lot of information if you look at the left hand menu.

I bought the Phoslock because I don't want to put alum in my pond. I have dogs that stir up the bottom and drink the water so I was concerned about alum.

"All forms of alum can cause irritation of the skin and mucous membranes. Breathing alum can cause lung damage. Aluminum also may attack lung tissue. Because it's a salt, eating massive amounts of alum can make you sick. Usually ingesting alum will make you vomit, but if you could keep it down, the alum could upset the ionic equilibrium in your bloodstream, just like overdosing on any other electrolyte. However, the primary concern with alum is longterm exposure to low levels of the chemical. Aluminum, from your diet or healthcare product, can cause degeneration of nervous system tissue. It is possible exposure to aluminum could lead to an increased risk of certain cancers, brain plaques or Alzheimer's Disease."

Loretta:

Read this:

http://www.phosclear.com/downloads/NALMS%20Position%20Paper.pdf

Yes, that's one groups position but not mine. You can find a study to back up any position if you like. I feel more comfortable using Phoslock based on my research.

The EPA is referenced in the article and they also allow fluoride in drinking water which has an "adequate margin of safety". I use bottled water for drinking and cooking and prefer to not drink water with chlorine or fluoride on a long term basis. To each their own, I don't believe my concerns are irrational.

Loretta,
I am currently in the process of using Phoslock to reduce phosphorus levels in my 1 3/4 ac. pond. My water was tested and revealed a level of 214 mg/L. That's 20 times what is considered normal. I've applied 1/2 of the recommended amount of Phoslock. Yesterday, I sent another sample for testing to see what effect it had on free reactive phosphorus and total phosphorus. The product is not cheap so I am curious about it's effectiveness. I have re-routed my incoming water so no additional runoff enters the pond between applications. The source of the phosphorus load is an agricultural field.

Loretta...that quote sounds like it is from some of the fear mongers out there. Alum (AlSO4) is a GCS chemical, generally considered safe. Toxicity in a pond can only occur if the pH drops to 5.4 or below to allow the aluminum to become soluable. Alum has/had been used as an anti-perspirant for decades as well as being used in virtually every public water supply until more effective polymers were created to clarify and remove solids.

The "claims" made in your fear quote are what could happen in a concentrated setting, and not because of the aluminum, but because it is a mildly corrosive acid only. In a pond, heavily diluted, it is VERY safe.

Loretta - the cautionary statement is for ingesting or eating lots of powdered alum when it is airborne. Eating it applied to eating massive amounts. Similar warnings apply to bentonite that evidently is used in Phos-loc. The same warning applies to taking too many vitamins and a lot of other products. Aspirin and other good for you products can be problems if taken in massive amounts. If you drink 3-5 gallons of water per day it can kill you. When alum is dissolved in water the hazards are minimized when used correctly.

This is from the MSDS for bentonite:
Appearance: cream to gray brown powder.
Warning! Causes eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation. May cause cancer based on animal
studies. Hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). The toxicological properties of this material have
not been fully investigated.
Target Organs: Respiratory system, eyes, skin.
Potential Health Effects
Eye: Causes eye irritation. May cause chemical conjunctivitis.
Skin: Causes skin irritation.
Ingestion: Ingestion of large amounts may cause gastrointestinal irritation. The toxicological properties
of this substance have not been fully investigated.
Inhalation: Causes respiratory tract irritation. The toxicological properties of this substance have not
been fully investigated. When inhaled as a dust or fume, may cause benign pneumoconiosis. Can
produce delayed pulmonary edema.
Chronic: May cause cancer according to animal studies. Effects may be delayed. Chronic inhalation may
cause lung changes, chest pain, breath shortness, and bronichitis.

I think Loretta really just wanted to know if anyone had any experience with Phoslock. :-)

I agree.. I'd like too know the same

Ask me again later on this year. I just might have used it in a clients pond by then.

Thank you.

Not using Alum is my choice. I also prefer to not drink out of aluminum cans even though it's considered safe. It's my choice, if you prefer to drink out of a can it's your choice, I wouldn't try to convince you otherwise.

Bentonite is an FDA approved food additive and "very little if any is absorbed after oral administration". Chronically inhaling bentonite is another matter and could carry a risk but that's not my intent.

Phoslock is a lanthanum modified bentonite. Lanthanum carbonate is an oral drug (Fosrenol) that is used in patients with end stage renal disease because it binds phosphates. Ingestion of lanthanum has been widely studied and the FDA approved human dose is up to 3000 mg/day, a long way from a 50-80 ppm application rate in a body of water.

After an application of 1/2 of the recommended dosage of phoslock,the last water sample indicated Free Reactive Phosphorus of 13.0ml/L Down from 23.60ml/L. Total Phosphorus was 81.6ml/L. Down from 214ml/L. I'm taking one more water sample to verify the results before making the final application.

I'd like to hear actual results on pond overall quality after using.. Particularly FA growth rates..

Verdehoy thanks for posting your 1/2 application results, I somehow missed your post the first time around. Do you have an update?

I haven't used my Phoslock yet but I will be applying it in the next week or two. How did you get it added to your pond? Any advice would be helpful. Do you run an aerator and if so when did you turn it on, during application or after? My pond is small 1/4 SA, 13' deep at full pool and I aerate.

TIA

Found these more recent videos on youtube:

http://youtu.be/nWO7DwCGwf4 (length 2:27)
http://youtu.be/dn86YR3pu2w (length 3:44)
http://youtu.be/8VbIwdlJ26I (for aquariums! length 2:34)
http://youtu.be/zje5vrTfmWk (site study, length 15:18)

Loretta, let me know how it goes. I just picked up slightly more than 700# for a client of mine.

If the recommended application thickness is what is shown on the first video in the core sample I would have to add major tonnage to my almost 4 acre pond.. I like the concept and it seems promising..