Phosphate Removal

[Steelerfan101]

Hi I was wondering what the best phosphate removing stuff is? What is the best materials used to remove phosphate? And what do I put it in? I already bought a biopellet reactor to remove nitrates and I dont have room or money for another reactor for phosphates. So what could I put in a media bag that would be good?

[LinkinReef]

Purigen is the best thing I like to use in a media bag

[Steelerfan101]

So could i use purigen and phosguard in seperate bags? get nitrates and phosphates to 0?

[johntran216]

Biopellets remove some phosphate too. If you don't have a phosphate problem, you probably don't need all of that, because they will end up costing more than a gfo reactor setup in the long run.

[Steelerfan101]

ok thanks, so just the purigen would be good because it lasts long and it will just add filtration? Because my nitrates are at 30 to 40. But the reactor might lower it soon so ill just wait.

[johntran216]

What size tank and what kind of skimmer do you have? That's pretty high. Some people do well w/ just a skimmer, so you could try upgrading your skimmer and keep things more simple.

[JaYbIrD1969]

Originally Posted by johntran216

Biopellets remove some phosphate too. If you don't have a phosphate problem, you probably don't need all of that, because they will end up costing more than a gfo reactor setup in the long run.

Biopellets are for breeding beneficial bacteria, similar to live rock but not nearly as effective. The problem is, they themselves can become nitrate traps. They do nothing for phosphates.

Originally Posted by johntran216

What size tank and what kind of skimmer do you have? That's pretty high. Some people do well w/ just a skimmer, so you could try upgrading your skimmer and keep things more simple.

A skimmer will do nothing for phosphates. you have to physically remove phosphates. Phos media like GFO will bind the phosphates but if you do not throw it out and replace it with new GFO, the phosphates will eventually release back into the system. Macro algae such as chaetomorpha grown in a sump refugium is an excellent way to remove phosphates. But is the same deal, you must harvest the chaeto to physically remove the phosphates from the system.

[Reefin' Dude]

the siphon and skimmer. everything else (GFO, Algae, ATS, whatever) just goes after the phosphates when they become inorganic. the siphon and the skimmer are the only methods for removing phosphates while they are still organically bound. everything else, is a day late and a dollar short to the phosphate party. remove the detritus, then you are removing the material that when decomposes allows phosphates to become inorganic. go after the source of the problem, do not mask it.

skimmers do remove phosphates, just not in the way that most people think. a skimmer does not remove inorganic phosphates, it removes the phosphates while they are still organically bound within bacterial bodies, algae, or any organic material that is pulled into the skimmate.

G~

[danil]

+1 Any type of filtration help with phosphate. BP reactor will help to remove some of phosphates bounded in bacteria cells through skimming them out but to fight phosphate effectively you need some sort of specialize filter design to observe phosphate. If there is no space for GFO reactor you can mix gfo and carbon together if you use carbon. Other product is PhosFree design for pools. Check forum for this one you need to drip it slowly into the sock. GL!

Originally Posted by Reefin' Dude

the siphon and skimmer. everything else (GFO, Algae, ATS, whatever) just goes after the phosphates when they become inorganic. the siphon and the skimmer are the only methods for removing phosphates while they are still organically bound. everything else, is a day late and a dollar short to the phosphate party. remove the detritus, then you are removing the material that when decomposes allows phosphates to become inorganic. go after the source of the problem, do not mask it.

skimmers do remove phosphates, just not in the way that most people think. a skimmer does not remove inorganic phosphates, it removes the phosphates while they are still organically bound within bacterial bodies, algae, or any organic material that is pulled into the skimmate.

G~

[Painted skin]

If you have sufficient amount of LR and LS and don't have a huge nitrate issue. Then I would swap out the bio pellets and run GFO. If that's not an option for you then you can also look at Chemi Pure.