when to change carbon and phosban?

Alex 220gal · 01/11/2010, 07:56 PM

my new tank been running for 8weeks now.
How often do I need to change?

DC_40gallon · 01/11/2010, 08:10 PM

Carbon I would change once a month.

You need to test for phosphates to know when to expire phosban. That is why I like and recommend phosguard. Phosguard is a white bead and doesn't pulvarize easily like phosban. It will darken the more used up it becomes. When phosguard is brown, it's time to change.

Alex 220gal · 01/11/2010, 08:12 PM

wow one month for carbon?

DC_40gallon · 01/11/2010, 08:13 PM

Yeap, definitely change it within 6 weeks.

Alex 220gal · 01/11/2010, 08:19 PM

ok great, does phoseguard work the same?

waxy · 01/11/2010, 08:37 PM

Phosban, it will depend on how granular it is.

The smaller they are, the sooner you'll have to change them.

I change mine every 2 months, the TLF Brand.

I'm switching over to BRS Pellets once this batch is dead.

Last thing you want is the Phosban breaking up and spreading all over your tank.
It makes everything in your tank orange...

afernandez · 01/11/2010, 09:04 PM

4 to 6 weeks- recommended. You can alllways swich it every month or every 5 weeks give and take .. IME/IMO

jdthomas24 · 01/11/2010, 09:08 PM

maybe i can add on with this one..... who uses what? i hear soem use a mix of phosban and carbo nin one reactor while others keep them seperate. Who uses what brand of phosphate remover. I found a link to buy it by the pound and seems to be pretty good deal. So for everyone who reads this maybe i found us a great way to get it cheap.
here is the link
look toward the bottom and you van get barbon and phosban by the pound...
do you guys think that is a good deal? im not sure

http://cgi.ebay.com/Two-Little-Fishi...item3efb9177e6

sedor · 01/11/2010, 09:13 PM

I would run each media in its own reactor. They can technically be run together but they aren't meant to. Carbon needs a higher flow in order to be effective and GFO needs a slow rumble to give plenty of reaction time, but not slow enough to let the media clump up. If your not going to carbon dose, or run a fuge GFO is a must! Carbon is just beneficial all the way around. I used to run a carbonless system and now that i've added it I don't know what I was thinking. It does so much for a $50 investment.

DC_40gallon · 01/11/2010, 09:29 PM

You can run phosguard and carbon together in the same reactor. Sea
chem even sells it calle sea gel I believe.

If you run any granule phosphate media with anything else you won't get the flow to exit the reactor unless you crank it up which will pulvarize the phosphate granules.

That's why I've fell in love with phosguard. My reactor is on full blast and the beads barely move.

Alex 220gal · 01/12/2010, 11:37 AM

I have to seperate reactors so I guess I am good
so change carbon 4-6 weeks
Phosphate ever 2 months

DC_40gallon · 01/12/2010, 11:44 AM

Well the phosphate media needs changed when it expires. The only way to know this is to run phoshate tests. When it starts to rise from zero, then it is time to change the media.

2 months isnt a good rule of thumb because you might have very low phosphates in which case your media will last a long time, or you could have very high phosphates and your media will expire within a week or two on the first few batches.

01/11/2010, 07:56 PM	#1
Alex 220gal Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 34	when to change carbon and phosban? my new tank been running for 8weeks now. How often do I need to change?

01/11/2010, 09:04 PM	#7
afernandez Never Quit!! Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: new york city! Posts: 1,505	4 to 6 weeks- recommended. You can alllways swich it every month or every 5 weeks give and take .. IME/IMO __________________ Arlin- Take your time and do it right. Current Tank Info: 120g Apex controller, (2) mp40w Es ,(3) Mp10W Es, Alfa vertex 170, 8 bulb ATI Dimable Sunpower,REEFOCTOPUS-BB-10000, Tunze Ato . 21G MINI-Reef, 250w MH, Mp10Wes

01/11/2010, 09:13 PM	#9
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	I would run each media in its own reactor. They can technically be run together but they aren't meant to. Carbon needs a higher flow in order to be effective and GFO needs a slow rumble to give plenty of reaction time, but not slow enough to let the media clump up. If your not going to carbon dose, or run a fuge GFO is a must! Carbon is just beneficial all the way around. I used to run a carbonless system and now that i've added it I don't know what I was thinking. It does so much for a $50 investment. __________________ Ryan

01/11/2010, 08:10 PM	#2
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Carbon I would change once a month. You need to test for phosphates to know when to expire phosban. That is why I like and recommend phosguard. Phosguard is a white bead and doesn't pulvarize easily like phosban. It will darken the more used up it becomes. When phosguard is brown, it's time to change.

01/11/2010, 08:12 PM	#3
Alex 220gal Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 34	wow one month for carbon?

01/11/2010, 08:13 PM	#4
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Yeap, definitely change it within 6 weeks.

01/11/2010, 08:19 PM	#5
Alex 220gal Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 34	ok great, does phoseguard work the same?

01/11/2010, 08:37 PM	#6
waxy Moved On Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Jan Sose, CA Posts: 972	Phosban, it will depend on how granular it is. The smaller they are, the sooner you'll have to change them. I change mine every 2 months, the TLF Brand. I'm switching over to BRS Pellets once this batch is dead. Last thing you want is the Phosban breaking up and spreading all over your tank. It makes everything in your tank orange...

01/11/2010, 09:08 PM	#8
jdthomas24 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Rockwall, Texas Posts: 852	maybe i can add on with this one..... who uses what? i hear soem use a mix of phosban and carbo nin one reactor while others keep them seperate. Who uses what brand of phosphate remover. I found a link to buy it by the pound and seems to be pretty good deal. So for everyone who reads this maybe i found us a great way to get it cheap. here is the link look toward the bottom and you van get barbon and phosban by the pound... do you guys think that is a good deal? im not sure http://cgi.ebay.com/Two-Little-Fishi...item3efb9177e6

01/11/2010, 09:29 PM	#10
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	You can run phosguard and carbon together in the same reactor. Sea chem even sells it calle sea gel I believe. If you run any granule phosphate media with anything else you won't get the flow to exit the reactor unless you crank it up which will pulvarize the phosphate granules. That's why I've fell in love with phosguard. My reactor is on full blast and the beads barely move.

01/12/2010, 11:37 AM	#11
Alex 220gal Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 34	I have to seperate reactors so I guess I am good so change carbon 4-6 weeks Phosphate ever 2 months

01/12/2010, 11:44 AM	#12
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Well the phosphate media needs changed when it expires. The only way to know this is to run phoshate tests. When it starts to rise from zero, then it is time to change the media. 2 months isnt a good rule of thumb because you might have very low phosphates in which case your media will last a long time, or you could have very high phosphates and your media will expire within a week or two on the first few batches.