PhosBan Reactor

[GaryP]

I wasn't referring to a fluidized bed reactor. Mine is a packed bed reactor with no movement of the granules. As Paletta mentioned, the problem with these is channeling. The spaces between granules become blocked by calcium phosphate and as a result the majority of the media doesn't get exposed to water flow. I change the media out regularly to prevent a buildup of calcium that blocks flow. I'm sure the media isn't anywhere near exhausted when I change it out but its easier then chiseling it out.

BTW, I was using Phosguard in this application due to the relative cost compared to Phosban. The disadvantage of regular use of a silicate based product like Phosguard is that you are going to end up with a diatom bloom like I now have. I rationalized this as being better then a hair algae bloom, but I'm at the point now that I need to make a change. I think there may be a lower cost Iron based product similar to Phosban coming out on the market soon.

[gjuarez]

Does anybody have any experince with rowaphos or phoszorb? How would you rate those against phosban?

[robert81]

Jsut bought my reactor from Aquatic Warehouse.Going to use phosban for now.

[rocketeer]

Here's an interesting article concerning phosban and rowaphos

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...004/review.htm

Jack

[gjuarez]

Cool article man. Phosguard is an aluminum oxide based while phosban and rowaphos are iron oxide based. According to hte article, its better to go the iron oxide based route.

[watered_down]

on a similar topic... phos eliminator pads... can i put one in a canister filter? if so is it possible to cut it down without adverse side effects? im not really familiar with these... oh and what about coralline algae does this slow down their growth, ive never heard it mentioned during discussions of phos removal will it prohibit its growth? too many questions

Paletta talked about this. He said that you never want your phosphate to be zero, but that is hardly possible unless you over use phosphate absorber. Phosphate is constantly being added to the tank in the form of food. Most foods contain around 1% phosphate. No scrubber is 100% efficient.

Before someone jumps up and says that they never get anything but o ppm on their phosphate tests, remember that only test for one form of phosphate (ortho). The majority of the phosphate exists as organo-phosphate (meta). Ortho phosphate is quickly used up in a tank and you may never see it in a test. If you do get a positive result, then chances are you have a really bad algae problem. The green stuff growing all over the place is a better test then any kits you can use in my opinion. There is a test kit for meta phosphate, but it may be a little over the technical capabilites of the average hobbyist.

thanks gary!

[seamonkey2]

gravity feed works great, I also put the chiller and refugium in gravity feed, all with ball valve, to regulate the flow, and eliminated 3 pumps.

only problem, is if it looses suction, you have siphon again, but small price to pay, for pump free( no electricity) items

Jose

[Ram_Puppy]

figured you guys might want some first hand feeback on this. Keep in mind, I have been TOTALLY abusing my tank. Back in january of last year, one of my pumps went bad and overheated my tank, a crash ensued, hair algae exploded, and life in the 30 gallon hex sucked for its inhabitants.

so until the cube would come on line I put a 110 gallon tank up that was going to be for my wifes goldfish. that tank has been ignored, abused, and generally treated in the most rotten fashion by me, severe evaporation, heavy feeding, few water changes, and general apathy on my part. (to much time spent at work, not enough time at home to take care of it, and a lack of will to invest in a tank that is only 'temporary'. I am flat out convinced the only reason ANYTHING in that tank has lived is because I decided to let the aiptasia that I was fighting (they got a foothold when the tank crashed) just take the tank over... there are litterally THOUSANDS of them in the tank, and they do a great job at filtering the water.

(If your wondering why I am doing this, 1) apathy 2) Larry is going to trade me for some bhergia! so I gotta make it worth his while! )

anyhow, when i put the 110 up, I installed a TLF phosban reactor on it and hooked a Mag4 up to it but had to ratchet it WAY back on flow. flow through a phosban reactor should be so slow the top of it media just barely percolates, like pebbles dancing when a train comes by, tumbling is bad, as mentioned before it grinds the stuf up into dust.

Now, we know that I wasn't changing water and I was being a bad daddy, but over the next month the hair algae slowly droppe dback and went away, until finally, it was almost all gone. I totally attribute this to the low phosphates in the water column.

Now, I did not go out of my way to change the phosban when it ran out, and sure enough, 6 months later when it had reached saturation, BAM, hair algae came back with a vengance.

I am only happy to say that this chapter in my life is almost done. I am moving all the furniture out of the way for the new tank to go in tomorrow, and plumbing will begin this week.

[pilot_bell777]

So Gary....any special way you built yours?????