best phosphate removal media - Page 2

mavgi · 05/28/2007, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by klam114
Every 3 weeks, so soon? Actually, I had a typo, I change it every 60 days, so approximately 9 weeks. So, am I too long? Good thing the media doesn't leech back into the water like carbon does.

i test a lot of type of Phosphat the best one that keep perform good for me till now it's the : PHOSaR HC i don't have coral in my tank and i use it with 2 reactor the reason i do it it's because i feed to heavy and the PO4 in my tank can spike quickly to high level , if i am lazy and don't change it in time i see immediately cyano on my live rock . at the begin i use 1 reactor and even if i put more media it was hard to control on the PO4 in my system and then i decide to use 2 reactor just at this way i was able to control on it . but you can see from this picture how the live rock look in my tank :

klam114 · 05/29/2007, 10:56 AM

Thanks for the explanation Mavgi.

sjm817 · 05/29/2007, 11:16 AM

What are you guys using for PO4 testing? I have Salifert, but dont really like it. The test vial is always clear indicating 0 PO4, but if there was a little, I'm not sure it would show up on that color scale. I hear the Hach is a good test.

Ralph ATL · 05/29/2007, 11:36 AM

Hack or Merk (deltec rowa)

mavgi · 05/29/2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
What are you guys using for PO4 testing? I have Salifert, but dont really like it. The test vial is always clear indicating 0 PO4, but if there was a little, I'm not sure it would show up on that color scale. I hear the Hach is a good test.

i test PO4 with elos, slifert , instant ocean

hach Model PO-19 also good test kit :

http://www.hach.com/hc/search.produc...ENUUT09Qg==%7C

Hanna Phosphate Photometers also good :

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+114131

carlso63 · 05/29/2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dhnguyen
Try this.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...Np=1&N=0&Nty=1

Worked for me - just as well as Phosban or RowaPhos at about 40% less...

I change it once every 90 days; 0ppm phosphate the whole time.

I think people with high PO4 issues either overfeed or need to use RO / DI water; in my case my incoming tap was 20ppm PO4 before RO / DI but 0.25 after... the PO4 remover doesn't have to 'work' very hard to remove that small amount of PO4 (and anything arising from feeding the tank)...

If you have to change out your PO4 removal media every 2 or 3 weeks then something is wrong re: water quality or big time overfeeding...

bergzy · 05/29/2007, 06:25 PM

i have tried phosphate sponge, rowaphos, phosban...and they all did some phosphate reduction but never to the low levels that i wanted.

even zeo didnt get my phosphates as low as i wanted.

so, what is incredible to truly reduce phosphates?

this stuff works amazingly well! caution...it really, really works and will remove phosphates very very quickly!!! dont remove your phosphates too fast.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps/ps_Vie...r~vendor~.html

pjf · 05/29/2007, 06:26 PM

I have both the Elos and the Salifert phosphate test kits. The Elos is much easier to read and has more color swatches. The tall Elos test tube gives it another advantage in color contrast.

I may try the pricier Hach PO-19 and D-D Merck kits in the future. Has anyone tried both and can tell us which is better?

DarG · 05/29/2007, 06:36 PM

Quote:

If you have to change out your PO4 removal media every 2 or 3 weeks then something is wrong re: water quality or big time overfeeding...

Not a matter of have to. I use less than 1/2 the amount recommended on the label and change it more frequently. So far, knock on wood, it's preventative only in my tank.

mavgi · 05/29/2007, 06:39 PM

carlso63

i don't have any problem with my RO/DI water quality perfect in my sytem (i also test PO4 before i mix salt and after) the true is after i mix the salt (TMP reef , RC ) i find PO4 ... i do feed as you said big time... but i find that in this way my fish grow quick very healthy and full color. i do have also in my small tank for now 17 fish (add one this sunday) 2 mandarine and 5 shrimps , at the begin when i have 4-5 fish in this tank i did change my media every 6 week but today i need to do it more often .

sjm817 · 05/29/2007, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mavgi
carlso63

i don't have any problem with my RO/DI water quality perfect in my sytem (i also test PO4 before i mix salt and after) the true is after i mix the salt (TMP reef , RC ) i find PO4 ... i do feed as you said big time... but i find that in this way my fish grow quick very healthy and full color. i do have also in my small tank for now 17 fish (add one this sunday) 2 mandarine and 5 shrimps , at the begin when i have 4-5 fish in this tank i did change my media every 6 week but today i need to do it more often .

What fun is this hobby if you dont get to overstock your tank?

For those who have used both Saliftert and others, have any of you got a 0 reading with Salifert and had a positive reading with another brand? I dont know if I should spend the $ and try another brand out to double check what I get with the Salifert.

DarG · 05/29/2007, 07:05 PM

I have 3 Phosphate kits. Salifert, Seachem and something else. Never had a phosphate reading with any of them. Had hair algae from hell on my neglected tank before I swapped tanks several months ago, but still had zero indication of phosphate from any of the tests. My understanding is that, one ... they dont test for all types of phosphate, only inorganic and not organic or only organic and not inorganic ... whatever.
And two, your nuisance algae may be utilizing the phosphate as soon as it is available so the test kits won't show it.

My response ... what good are the test kits. By the time they measure any phosphate you are probably screwed anyway

So, run phosphate removal media, do your maintainence regularly, replace your lamps as you should, use pure water for top off, water changes and supplements, drip kalk, grow macroalgae (which isn't feasible for all of us), and hope for the best. Oh, and saying a prayer cant hurt.

sjm817 · 05/29/2007, 07:16 PM

The thing is, I do use RO/DI, topoff with Limewater, have a 30G fuge with a lot of macro. I agree that testing for PO4 is very difficult. I guess the school of thought is to just run the GFO proactively in case there is any to remove.

pjf · 05/29/2007, 08:01 PM

Here are two posts where other tests indicated phosphates when the Salifert kit did not:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...na#post9999814 (Hanna colorimeter)
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...7#post10030278 (Elos test kit)

sjm817 · 05/29/2007, 08:42 PM

Thanks for the links. Maybe I'll give the Elos a shot.

Fishbulb2 · 05/29/2007, 09:33 PM

I also use Salifert and have never tested any phosphate despite some bubble algae. I don't bother testing for PO4 anymore. I just use phosban, water changes, and my fuge. I don't trust the test kit and just assume I have phosphates.

sjm817 · 05/29/2007, 09:37 PM

BA is not an indication of a water problem. BA is a real PITA. It is a low nutrient, low light algae. It will grow no matter how good your water parameters are.

Fishbulb2 · 05/29/2007, 09:45 PM

Yup, it truly is a PITA. Unfortunately, I never bothered to take care of it when it first started so now I have a ton. All I need to do is find a way to market it and then I'll be rich! In all seriousness though, it gets completely clear when I change out the phosban. I don't know why, but lower PO4 really makes it mad.
FB

sjm817 · 05/29/2007, 09:49 PM

When you put in fresh GFO, it will lower your ph and Alk for awhile. Maybe that has something to do with it? I had a BA problem in my old 90G (problem...more like a plague) I could never get rid of it.

Fishbulb2 · 05/29/2007, 09:58 PM

Well that doesn't cheer me up. Did you just tear down the tank? I will be moving this tank in about a year. I plan to just scrape off all of the BA then and blast the rocks with saltwater to get rid of the spores. At least it grows very slowly. A lot of mine also gets covered with coralline and dies off that way. I do think the alk and pH could be having the phosban induced death.

sjm817 · 05/29/2007, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishbulb2
Well that doesn't cheer me up. Did you just tear down the tank? I will be moving this tank in about a year. I plan to just scrape off all of the BA then and blast the rocks with saltwater to get rid of the spores. At least it grows very slowly. A lot of mine also gets covered with coralline and dies off that way. I do think the alk and pH could be having the phosban induced death.

It was INCREDIBLY frustrating for me. The tank was really nice except for the BA. I had a huge colony of green Zoas and a large colony of Reds. When I set up the new 180, I sold off all of the LR and Zoas. I didn't want to risk introducing the BA into the new tank.

mavgi · 05/30/2007, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
Thanks for the links. Maybe I'll give the Elos a shot.

the are better then the salifert.

today i try new salifert calcium test kit , i empty 1 ml and the color still pink checked that with instant ocean 450ppm. for me no more salifert . ppl complain about their alk test kit but i think they have problem with all the type of the test kit $30 drain to the toilet.

sjm817 · 05/30/2007, 10:21 PM

I have always had good luck with the Salifert ca and alk kits. The D&D Deltec PO4 test is supposed to be good, but man is it expensive!

mavgi · 05/30/2007, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
I have always had good luck with the Salifert ca and alk kits. The D&D Deltec PO4 test is supposed to be good, but man is it expensive!

the elos it's about $30 and it's easy to use to , also in europe they more popular then salifert.
also the alk test kit easy to use and accurate to (i don't know how much accurate and i don't think that any one can said it's 100% accurate but i am sure they are better then the salifert)

i have in the past good reading with salifert to but i think they are not accurate as they use to be before , my luck is that i keep always other test to compare if i don't see big different it's ok but 800PPM it's not normal....

pjf · 05/30/2007, 10:55 PM

The D&D Merck Phosphate test kit is good for 100 tests and is available for $64 at www.premiumaquatics.com The sticker shock is the $44 needed for the refill kit.

The Hach PO-19 Phosphate kit is also good for 100 tests. It costs $73 but I believe that the replacement reagents are only $25.

I'll wait until my Elos reagents run out before making a purchase. Does anyone know which is better between the Hach and the D&D Merck?

05/29/2007, 11:16 AM	#28
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	What are you guys using for PO4 testing? I have Salifert, but dont really like it. The test vial is always clear indicating 0 PO4, but if there was a little, I'm not sure it would show up on that color scale. I hear the Hach is a good test. __________________ - Scott

05/29/2007, 11:36 AM	#29
Ralph ATL Formerly mysterybox Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Flowery Branch, GA (North ATL) Posts: 1,842	Hack or Merk (deltec rowa) __________________ Ralph Scheriff

05/29/2007, 06:25 PM	#32
bergzy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OC CA USA Posts: 5,299	i have tried phosphate sponge, rowaphos, phosban...and they all did some phosphate reduction but never to the low levels that i wanted. even zeo didnt get my phosphates as low as i wanted. so, what is incredible to truly reduce phosphates? this stuff works amazingly well! caution...it really, really works and will remove phosphates very very quickly!!! dont remove your phosphates too fast. http://www.marinedepot.com/ps/ps_Vie...r~vendor~.html __________________ The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it. H.L. Mencken Ben. Current Tank Info: 180g sps, 90g cube clam biotope.

05/29/2007, 06:26 PM	#33
pjf Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,954	Elos I have both the Elos and the Salifert phosphate test kits. The Elos is much easier to read and has more color swatches. The tall Elos test tube gives it another advantage in color contrast. I may try the pricier Hach PO-19 and D-D Merck kits in the future. Has anyone tried both and can tell us which is better?

05/29/2007, 07:16 PM	#38
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	The thing is, I do use RO/DI, topoff with Limewater, have a 30G fuge with a lot of macro. I agree that testing for PO4 is very difficult. I guess the school of thought is to just run the GFO proactively in case there is any to remove. __________________ - Scott

05/29/2007, 10:56 AM	#27
klam114 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 685	Thanks for the explanation Mavgi.

05/29/2007, 06:39 PM	#35
mavgi Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: queens n.y Posts: 2,209	carlso63 i don't have any problem with my RO/DI water quality perfect in my sytem (i also test PO4 before i mix salt and after) the true is after i mix the salt (TMP reef , RC ) i find PO4 ... i do feed as you said big time... but i find that in this way my fish grow quick very healthy and full color. i do have also in my small tank for now 17 fish (add one this sunday) 2 mandarine and 5 shrimps , at the begin when i have 4-5 fish in this tank i did change my media every 6 week but today i need to do it more often .

05/29/2007, 07:05 PM	#37
DarG Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,515	I have 3 Phosphate kits. Salifert, Seachem and something else. Never had a phosphate reading with any of them. Had hair algae from hell on my neglected tank before I swapped tanks several months ago, but still had zero indication of phosphate from any of the tests. My understanding is that, one ... they dont test for all types of phosphate, only inorganic and not organic or only organic and not inorganic ... whatever. And two, your nuisance algae may be utilizing the phosphate as soon as it is available so the test kits won't show it. My response ... what good are the test kits. By the time they measure any phosphate you are probably screwed anyway So, run phosphate removal media, do your maintainence regularly, replace your lamps as you should, use pure water for top off, water changes and supplements, drip kalk, grow macroalgae (which isn't feasible for all of us), and hope for the best. Oh, and saying a prayer cant hurt.

05/29/2007, 08:01 PM	#39
pjf Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,954	Here are two posts where other tests indicated phosphates when the Salifert kit did not: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...na#post9999814 (Hanna colorimeter) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...7#post10030278 (Elos test kit)

05/29/2007, 08:42 PM	#40
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	Thanks for the links. Maybe I'll give the Elos a shot. __________________ - Scott

05/29/2007, 09:33 PM	#41
Fishbulb2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,807	I also use Salifert and have never tested any phosphate despite some bubble algae. I don't bother testing for PO4 anymore. I just use phosban, water changes, and my fuge. I don't trust the test kit and just assume I have phosphates. __________________ Just getting back in, but trying to do it right! Current Tank Info: 40 gallon tank. SPS, LPS, few softies

05/29/2007, 09:37 PM	#42
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	BA is not an indication of a water problem. BA is a real PITA. It is a low nutrient, low light algae. It will grow no matter how good your water parameters are. __________________ - Scott

05/29/2007, 09:45 PM	#43
Fishbulb2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,807	Yup, it truly is a PITA. Unfortunately, I never bothered to take care of it when it first started so now I have a ton. All I need to do is find a way to market it and then I'll be rich! In all seriousness though, it gets completely clear when I change out the phosban. I don't know why, but lower PO4 really makes it mad. FB __________________ Just getting back in, but trying to do it right! Current Tank Info: 40 gallon tank. SPS, LPS, few softies

05/29/2007, 09:49 PM	#44
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	When you put in fresh GFO, it will lower your ph and Alk for awhile. Maybe that has something to do with it? I had a BA problem in my old 90G (problem...more like a plague) I could never get rid of it. __________________ - Scott

05/29/2007, 09:58 PM	#45
Fishbulb2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,807	Well that doesn't cheer me up. Did you just tear down the tank? I will be moving this tank in about a year. I plan to just scrape off all of the BA then and blast the rocks with saltwater to get rid of the spores. At least it grows very slowly. A lot of mine also gets covered with coralline and dies off that way. I do think the alk and pH could be having the phosban induced death. __________________ Just getting back in, but trying to do it right! Current Tank Info: 40 gallon tank. SPS, LPS, few softies

05/30/2007, 10:21 PM	#48
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I have always had good luck with the Salifert ca and alk kits. The D&D Deltec PO4 test is supposed to be good, but man is it expensive! __________________ - Scott

05/30/2007, 10:55 PM	#50
pjf Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,954	The D&D Merck Phosphate test kit is good for 100 tests and is available for $64 at www.premiumaquatics.com The sticker shock is the $44 needed for the refill kit. The Hach PO-19 Phosphate kit is also good for 100 tests. It costs $73 but I believe that the replacement reagents are only $25. I'll wait until my Elos reagents run out before making a purchase. Does anyone know which is better between the Hach and the D&D Merck?