Alum Powder use with fish/inverts

[Zoodiver]

"Alum" (aluminum magnsium oxide) is used as a floculant to help bond particulate disolved into solution so it drops out of the water column - use it to clear up dirty ponds, fountains etc....

Does anyone have info on using it with fish/inverts?
I was asked this morning and have no solid knowledge of it.

Reason being we have a display that was offline for several days during major repairs, and have a last minute TV /media event going on and I've been asked to turn chocolate milk into tropical crystal clear water.

 

[3dees]

I use alum in a bucket of water to soak new plants. kills snails and thier eggs. don't know about adding it to the tank. wc's are the best way to clean water.

 

[Dan F]

It seems like introducing all that aluminum to the tank could be harmful, but I can't say anything definitive.

 

[msjinkzd]

It is often used to kill hitchikers on plants so I would this its counterintuitive to add it to a tank with invertebrates. Flocculents in general are pretty rough on invertebrates.

Any chance you guys have a diatomaceous earth filter you cold toss on to clear the water? Or some sort of filter with micron cartridges (not sure how big this display is).

 

[Zoodiver]

Thanks for the input guys. We nixed the idea. Looks like we'll be ok anyway - filming will happen in Feb.

I use alum in a bucket of water to soak new plants. kills snails and thier eggs. don't know about adding it to the tank. wc's are the best way to clean water.

I wish we could do a WC. It's a 250,000 gallon though... and the supply line was being repaired.

 

[msjinkzd]

eep. Yea, that is a big honking tank.

 

[johno27]

Ehhh 250,000 gallons is no big deal we can do a 50% wc tomorrow I will bring a bucket

 

[CLDarnell]

Wow, I began to panic. I had to take two tablespoons of that nasty crap while pledging a fraternity. I can't even imagine what the fish would be thinking if they were swimming in it!

It may be totally harmless, but trust me, a tablespoon of that stuff in your mouth makes you feel like you are shriveling up like a dried out corpse!

 

[Lupin]

Wow, I began to panic. I had to take two tablespoons of that nasty crap while pledging a fraternity. I can't even imagine what the fish would be thinking if they were swimming in it!

It may be totally harmless, but trust me, a tablespoon of that stuff in your mouth makes you feel like you are shriveling up like a dried out corpse!

That's some weird description.

 

[MonsterMinis]

Wrap yourself up with lots and lots of batting! and go for a swim!