ROWAphos

[::pete::]

I grabbed some yesterday and was going to give it a try as so many have had good results.
I dont have a canister filter to place it in and was going to add it to the flow in the sump/fuge. The directions say this can be done, but it also says on line 5. Do not place into water without surrounding it with filter media i.e. sponge.
This "sponge" is not referring to the filter bag ... correct?
Whats the best way without the canister?
Thanks

[StephenA]

I'd use a filter bag

[matt]

Pete;

I'm using this stuff in a canister that I made; very simple and cheap. I suppose you could just put it in the bag, but i don't know how you'd get flow through the stuff unless you tied the bag onto your sump drain, and then I'd be afraid of too much flow blasting the stuff around.

[::pete::]

Pete;

I'm using this stuff in a canister that I madeAny plans :D ;)

[::pete::]

Would an Eheim ecco canister work for this purpose?

[captexas]

Pete - The company that makes the ROWAphos makes/sells a small canister for their product. You should be able to find a pic of it on one of the sites selling it. It's nothing too fancy and it looks fairly easy to make. Especially as you have built a skimmer and things out of acrylic already.

[::pete::]

Chris
I figured as much, but I am not 100% sure on how it operates. I understand the water has to flow through the media and such and I dont have any extra acrylic tube laying around not to mention that size. I ordered one for 34.00 and will be able to duplicate them for less after I receive it. :D

Want one ... :-D

[matt]

The one I made is a foot of 4" extruded tube, 3 pieces of 1/4" extruded 6"X6" for bottom, top flange, and lid, 2 pieces 1/4" extruded 3"X6" for "legs". The legs are just 2 pieces glued vertically on the edge of the bottom to keep the tube off the ground, and let you put a PVC fitting into the bottom while keeping the tube upright. 2 PVC 1/2" female fitting adapters; female thread by spigot fit. These go into the bottom and lid. 8 nylon screws/wingnuts, 6" square piece of 1/8" neoprene, small piece off "eggcrate" to hold filter media.

1.Use a PVC female slip coupler as a template to rout holes in the bottom and lid. The PVC female fitting spigot fit adapters will fit perfect into those holes.
2. Mark out where you want the screw holes to go in the lid and flange, drill.
3. Prep tube, solvent weld bottom and top flange. Drill pilot in top flange, flush trim out the interior. When dry, solvent weld "legs"
4. Using weldon 40, glue the PVC female fitting adapters in the lid and bottom. This gives you 1/2" female threads at the top and bottom of the tube for in/out.
5. Cut out interior circle to match tube on neoprene, mark and punch out screw holes.
6. Trim eggcrate to fit in tube, drop in to keep media off the bottom. Assemble with neoprene between lid and flange.

It's so easy to make this that I did it during the meeting while yakking away. I can't remember who won it in the raffle, but he might be able to send you a picture. What you're trying to build is a tube with a lid and fittings for a pump, that's it. Really simple. Mine holds 2 full pounds of carbon; right now I have 500ml of rowaphos in the bottom and a pound of carbon on top of it. It's been running a few weeks; initially it really seemed to improve my water quality, lately it's looking like a change is due.

That rowaphos stuff is fiercely expensive! I could see easily going through 500 ml a month for a while. That's close to $40... ouch.

[StephenA]

I can't remember who won it in the raffle

I did and it is running great!

I converted it to an effluent chamber for my CA Reactor.

[Richard]

I had a customer from Florida who told me folks down there were using small fluidized bed filters and just tossing the biomedia and replacing it with rowaphos or phosban. He said it worked much more efficiently this way...seemed to make sense since the media remains suspended.

I thnk it was the Red Sea one he was using
http://www.aquadirect.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=341&cat=102

[::pete::]

Matt
Now you post :-D . That one looks nice. :D

Richard
The picture in the link is small, but it looks like the phosban reactor ... ?

[StephenA]

I don't get credit for posting the pics? :-o

[::pete::]

StephenA
WoW ... nice pics !!! :-D Lucky too. :D

[Yano]

haha