About La35

Over time, the nutrient loading in the water column encourages increased algal growth. This cyclical process not only increases nutrient loads within the water but also creates a eutrophic environment. The natural supply of nutrients carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus to the animal habitats is a prerequisite for algal growth. Of the three nutrients, most managed water habitat systems contain excessive concentrations of dissolved phosphates. This condition is referred to as eutrophication, a process that occurs when production and consumption of organic matter in a water system no longer cancel each other out, allowing algae to thrive at the expense of other organisms and water clarity.

Traditional algal control approaches (ozonation, chlorination) present constant maintenance challenges in seawater marine mammal displays. Such chemical treatments for minimizing algal growth depend on the use of oxidant levels (and commensurate ORE and ORP levels) in the water. This excessive use of oxidants has a negative impact on animal health, surface paint and life support infrastructure. Diver scrubbing and draining are expensive, disruptive and can present additional hazards.

Controlling algae is a matter of limiting nutrients. Dissolved phosphate in marine aquariums is of tremendous importance because it is a limiting nutrient for algal growth. In natural seawater, the amount of dissolved phosphate present is typically quite low (usually less than 0.1 ppm). In many marine mammal water systems however, the phosphate concentration can be significantly higher (up to several ppm).

La35 is a solution of fine, non-toxic, highly insoluble, mineral particles, which is poured or injected into the pool skimmer(s). The active ingredient, lanthanum chloride, works by binding to phosphate ions present in the water. Lanthanum is highly selective towards phosphate ions. The resultant lanthanum phosphate is picked up by the filter media as extremely fine particles, which are easily backwashed.