FAQ

When used in lake restoration, Zeofixer® is usually added to a water body as a slurry. Zeofixer® is mixed with in-situ lake water and sprayed over the water’s surface.

As Zeofixer® sinks, it strips phosphate from the water column. Once settled on the sediment, Zeofixer® continues to bind phosphate released from the sediment until the lanthanum binding sites are saturated, at which point no further binding will take place.

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The best time to apply Zeofixer® is between late Autumn and early Spring. This is because most of the available phosphate is not bound in biomass such as algae or aquatic plants during these periods but mainly in the sediment.  

An application of Zeofixer® strips the water column of phosphate and then ‘caps’ the bed sediments, which targets much of the phosphate in the system.

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Every water body is unique, and a water body-specific Zeofixer® dose would need to be calculated for each potential treatment. Typically, 1 – 2 tonnes/hectare of Zeofixer® are applied, but this can vary considerably for individual waterbodies as the dosage is based on how much phosphate is in the water column, bound in the sediments, and any external sources of phosphorus still entering the waterbody.

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As the cost varies considerably from waterbody to waterbody, it is necessary to have a certain amount of information available to create an estimated cost.

If you are interested in applying Zeofixer® to your waterbody, please get in touch with us; we would be happy to provide an estimated quote.

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Every lake is different, and a range of information about the lake needs to be collected when considering a Zeofixer® treatment. For instance, it is essential to determine the sources of excess nutrients to your water body, i.e., are the nutrients coming mainly from internal sources (e.g., phosphorus release from sediments) or external sources (e.g., from diffuse or point sources in the catchment)? This is critical to know as continued high external loads could impact the effectiveness of a Zeofixer® application.

Water quality data is vital to understand each water body’s unique story. Long-term water quality monitoring data is rare for many water bodies. Still, regular monitoring helps us know what management options may be best if nutrient pollution have become a problem. Water quality monitoring data is also vital to help us understand if Zeofixer® is a suitable product to control nutrient pollution in a water body. Many aspects need to be considered before an application.

In addition to water quality sampling, sediment sampling is often needed to estimate how much phosphorus is potentially releasable under normal lake conditions. This information, along with other nutrient calculations, is used to make an informed dose calculation for a Zeofixer® application.

Please get in touch with us if you are considering Zeofixer® to treat your water body or need further information.

We can advise and create a pre-treatment assessment, estimated dose calculations, and costings for your water body.

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Zeofixer® will continue to bind phosphorus until all lanthanum binding sites are saturated. Although the bond formed by lanthanum and phosphate is permanent and will not be broken under naturally occurring conditions in water bodies, the effects of a Zeofixer® application will depend on if any high external nutrient loads are entering the water body.

If high loads enter a water body following a Zeofixer® application, repeated, usually smaller Zeofixer® doses may need to be applied.

Sometimes the presence of benthic-feeding fish in high densities can impact a Zeofixer® application through continued sediment disturbance and potentially releasing phosphorus deeper than the Zeofixer® layer. Increased biomass of water birds at a water body can also impact Zeofixer® efficiency through continued high nutrient concentrations after an application.

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