Water treatment agent for extending water exchange intervals in tank systems

1. A method of improving the water quality of biological maintenance systems for the long term, comprising adding a water treatment composition to the systems, said composition comprising:

a) at least one easily or sparingly soluble Al 3+ , Fe 3+ , TiO 2+ or ZrO 2+ salt of an organic carboxylic acid;

b) at least one water-soluble N-free, biologically decomposable organic compound;

c) at least one soluble alkali metal salt of an organic carboxylic acid and

d) a Ca 2+ or Mg 2+ salt or a mixture of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ salts of an organic carboxylic acid; and

e) trace elements and vitamins.

2. The method according to claim 1 comprising:

a) an a salt selected from the group consisting of an acetate, formate, tartrate, citrate, and a mixture thereof;

b) at least one carboxylic acid, an alcohol, a sugar, or a mixture thereof;

c) an alkali metal salt of citric, acetic, lactic, tartaric, formic or malic acid;

d) a Ca 2+ or Mg 2+ salt or a mixture of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ salts of organic carboxylic acids; and

e) trace elements and vitamins.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein component a) further comprises an organic carboxylic acid.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein component e) are water-soluble vitamins of the B series.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein component a) comprises aluminum citrate, iron citrate or a mixture thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein component b) comprises acetic, citric, tartaric, lactic acid, glycerol, sorbitol, ethanol, a pentose, a hexose, a saccharose, or a mixture thereof.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein component b) is a combination of citric acid, tartaric acid and saccharose.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein component c) is a sodium salt of citric or tartaric acid, or a mixture thereof.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein component d) comprises magnesium citrate or tartrate, or a mixture thereof.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising calcium citrate or tartrate, or a mixture thereof.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the trace elements are selected from the group consisting of iron, boric acid, bromide, iodide, lithium, tin, manganese, zinc, nickel, copper, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, and a mixture thereof.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vitamins are selected from the group consisting of vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, nicotinic acid amide, panthenol, biotin and a mixture thereof.

13. A water treatment composition for the long term improvement of the water quality of biological maintenance systems, comprising the following, based on the concentration in the maintenance system:

a) 0.5–50 mg of at least one easily or sparingly soluble Al 3+ , Fe 3+ , TiO 2+ or ZrO 2+ salt of an organic carboxylic acid;

b) 0.5–100 mg of one or more organic compounds selected from citric acid, saccharose, tartaric acid, and a mixture thereof;

c) 0.018–1.8 mmol of an alkali metal salt;

d) 0.0018–0.36 mmol of magnesium salt of an organic carboxylic acid; and

e) 1–100 μg iron;

0.5–50 μg boric acid;

0.1–100 μg bromide;

0.01–100 μg iodide;

1–200 ng lithium;

1–200 ng tin;

0.1–100 μg manganese;

0.1–100 μg zinc;

0.01–20 μg nickel;

0.01–20 μg copper;

1–500 ng vanadium;

1–500 ng molybdenum;

0.1–50 ng cobalt;

0.1–100 μg vitamin B1;

0.05–50 μg vitamin B2;

0.01–30 μg vitamin B6;

0.05–50 ng vitamin B12;

0.1–50 μg nicotinic acid amide;

0.1–100 μg panthenol; and

0.01–10 μg biotin.

14. A water treatment composition for the long term improvement of the water quality of biological maintenance systems, comprising the following, based on the concentration in the maintenance system:

a) 0.5–10 mg of at least one easily or sparingly soluble Al 3+ , Fe 3+ , TiO 2+ or ZrO 2+ salt of an organic carboxylic acid;

b) 0.5–50 mg of one or more organic compounds selected from citric acid, saccharose, tartaric acid, and a mixture thereof;

c) 0.036–0.36 mmol of an alkali metal salt;

d) 0.018–0.18 mmol of magnesium salt of an organic carboxylic acid; and

e) 2–20 μg iron;

0.5–10 μg boric acid;

0.1–5 μg bromide;

0.1–10 μg iodide;

5–100 ng lithium;

5–100 ng tin;

0.2–20 μg manganese;

0.1–10 μg zinc;

0.05–5 μg nickel;

0.05–5 μg copper;

5–100 ng vanadium;

5–100 ng molybdenum;

0.5–20 ng cobalt;

0.1–50 μg vitamin B1;

0.05–10 μg vitamin B2;

0.05–10 μg vitamin B6;

0.1–10 ng vitamin B12;

0.1–20 μg nicotinic acid amide;

0.1–10 μg panthenol; and

0.01–1 μg biotin.

15. A water treatment composition for the long-term improvement of the water quality of biological maintenance systems, comprising:

a) at least one easily or sparingly soluble Al 3+ , Fe 3+ , TiO 2+ or ZrO 2+ salt of an organic carboxylic acid;

b) a combination of citric acid, tartaric acid and saccharose;

c) at least one soluble alkali metal salt;

d) magnesium citrate or tartrate, or a mixture thereof, and

e) trace elements and vitamins.

16. A water treatment composition for the long term improvement of the water quality of biological maintenance systems, comprising the following, based on the concentration in the maintenance system:

a) 0.5–50 mg of at least one easily or sparingly soluble Al 3+ , Fe 3+ , TiO 2+ or ZrO 2+ salt of an organic carboxylic acid;

b) 0.5–100 mg of one or more organic compounds selected from citric acid, saccharose, tartaric acid, and a mixture thereof;

c) 0.018–1.8 mmol of an alkali metal salt;

d) 0.0018–0.36 mmol of a calcium or magnesium salt of an organic carboxylic acid, or a mixture thereof; and

e) trace elements and vitamins.

17. A water treatment composition for the long term improvement of the water quality of biological maintenance systems, comprising the following, based on the concentration in the maintenance system:

a) 0.5–50 mg of at least one easily or sparingly soluble Al 3+ , Fe 3+ , TiO 2+ or ZrO 2+ salt of an organic carboxylic acid;

b) 0.5–100 mg of one or more organic compounds selected from citric acid, saccharose, tartaric acid, and a mixture thereof;

c) 0.018–1.8 mmol of an alkali metal salt;

d) 0.0018–0.36 mmol of a magnesium salt of an organic carboxylic acid, or a mixture thereof; and

f) trace elements and vitamins.