Phosphate reactor vs pouch in overflow

[midnightmadman]

Is there an enormous advantage to running a reactor with phosphate remover vs just putting it in a pouch in a decent flow area?

[mcgyvr]

A reactor will be more efficient but you can get by without one..

[midnightmadman]

let me ask, say on a scale 100% being a reactor removing it VS. having it in a pouch running though an overflow or something how would you rate the %

[Zatoichi]

A phosphate reactor causes that media to Tumble by forcing water up from the bottom while putting a sack in the Overflow basically relies on the water to push through a satchel to make contact with all of the media surfaces also depending on how high flow your overflow is it might beat the media up and cause it to turn to dust

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[TheReeferer]

My experience has been that using a media bag cause the GFO turn into a solid chunk suggesting that water is not flowing through the media.

The reactor somewhat suspends it so water flows through it better but if not adjusted right, it can cause the GFO to condense into chunks as well.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by TA-Designs

let me ask, say on a scale 100% being a reactor removing it VS. having it in a pouch running though an overflow or something how would you rate the %

Not sure I've seen any published test or definite results one could quote..

[Sk8r]

I've tried both. The reactor worked. The other didn't remotely work. But you do need to change the media monthly until clear results.

[bertoni]

The reactor will be more efficient, but the media will work to some extend if water is forced through it. If it's just a bag sitting in a high flow area, I doubt it'll get much water flow, in reality. Putting it into a a filter that forces water through it should be fine, if you have a small filter available.

[neiltus]

get a reactor, you will spend more money on gfo than you will on a reactor especially if your doing a bag in the sump (which did nothing for me)

[midnightmadman]

Originally Posted by neiltus

get a reactor, you will spend more money on gfo than you will on a reactor especially if your doing a bag in the sump (which did nothing for me)

Thanks
I got a little fishy 150 reactor
Only thing now is the media
I have Kent phosphate sponge
I've been researching and it works well but I think needs to be removed in about only 2 days ???

[midnightmadman]

https://www.kentmarine.com/products/...hos-sponge.htm

[GimpyFin]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

I've tried both. The reactor worked. The other didn't remotely work. But you do need to change the media monthly until clear results.

This has pretty much been my experience too with bags. I've placed bags in the filter sock, between sump chambers where water flows through, and neither worked well. I've tried both gfo and aluminum oxide (phosphate sponge) this way. (Phosphate sponge needs to be changed quite frequently too or it can leach phosphate back into the tank, which is where the 1-2 day change interval comes from.) Putting in a small reactor w/ gfo, though, worked quite well for me.

[midnightmadman]

Thanks. So I think I'm going to pull it out tomorrow, which will be two days.. then use the second half of the container for another 2 days. After that I will switch to the GFO..

Is there any serious risk of it leeching back into the tank before two days? If so I will do it today (1 day)

[Potatohead]

It will only leach back if the tank has a lower phosphate level than the media

[midnightmadman]

hmm. that's a tough one to call. My API phosphate test kit isn't the greatest, but its saying they are pretty low in the tank from what I can tell. Maybe between .3ppm - .1ppm somewhere

[bertoni]

As stated, GFO won't leach phosphate back into the water column unless some other method is used to drop the level even lower than the GFO did. For example, dosing lanthanum chloride into your tank might be able to do that.

[midnightmadman]

Originally Posted by bertoni

As stated, GFO won't leach phosphate back into the water column unless some other method is used to drop the level even lower than the GFO did. For example, dosing lanthanum chloride into your tank might be able to do that.

thanks. and the Kent Phosphate Sponge (white cracked) works the same, or it will either way once its exhausted? Is that correct?

[bertoni]

The other media likewise will leach back under certain circumstances. I think the Kent Phosphate Sponge should be safe enough, although they don't list the material. I'd stick with GFO, since some phosphate absorbers (those based on aluminum compounds) sometimes cause problems for certain corals.

[azsoccerpop]

midnightmadman would you mind posting your results on this thread? I am running Phosban in a media bag inside of my filter sock and was looking at a TLF 150 with GFO as an alternative. right now my PO4 is at .1 using NYOS test still dealing with various forms of algaes and already went from diatoms to green hair to cyano. Thanks

[midnightmadman]

Originally Posted by azsoccerpop

midnightmadman would you mind posting your results on this thread? I am running Phosban in a media bag inside of my filter sock and was looking at a TLF 150 with GFO as an alternative. right now my PO4 is at .1 using NYOS test still dealing with various forms of algaes and already went from diatoms to green hair to cyano. Thanks

My test kit isn't the greatest, but looks like they went from about +.3 to pretty much 0 in 3 days. But like I said its an API phosphate test kit and very hard to read for sure.

[david.faik]

I hung GFO in sacks in my refugium, a small tunze blows some water over the sacks. My phosphates were high and I reduced by 0.2, then once the drop tailed off (about five days) I replenished the sacks.

I didn't like the sacks in my overflow as the netting collected a lot of detritus. Also it's easier for me to access the sump than the overflow area. Making my routine chores as easy as possible is important to me.

Have to rinse the sacks in the sump every two weeks. Plan on swapping out the media every month and cleaning the filter sacks. I'll adjust the quantity of GFO to last just over a month once I have figured it.

Had no clumping problems.


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[ReeferNtraining]

Originally Posted by midnightmadman

My test kit isn't the greatest, but looks like they went from about +.3 to pretty much 0 in 3 days. But like I said its an API phosphate test kit and very hard to read for sure.

I too use the API test kit. That kit is ridiculously bad. Please explain how you determined you had .3 while using that test kit? That chart goes from 0 to .25 to .5.

I was skeptical of the test kit and tested my tank water against straight distilled water. I could not tell a difference in either test tube. It looks less than .25 but both were definitely not yellow like the 0 result shows on the card.

[midnightmadman]

Originally Posted by ReeferNtraining

I too use the API test kit. That kit is ridiculously bad. Please explain how you determined you had .3 while using that test kit? That chart goes from 0 to .25 to .5.

I was skeptical of the test kit and tested my tank water against straight distilled water. I could not tell a difference in either test tube. It looks less than .25 but both were definitely not yellow like the 0 result shows on the card.

I used The Force
But really, I actually doubled up the amount of test water and drops in a small clear measuring cup. It seemed to help see the color a little more.

[crawlerman]

I was using API and it was showing slightly lighter than .25. I bought the Hannah Phosphorous checker and maxed it out at .6. I put phosguard in a media bag while waiting for gfo and a reactor from BRS. Phosphates remained above .6 until my second round of GFO in the reactor (1.5 cups each time for 200g volume). I would not count on API tests for anything other than cycling.

[midnightmadman]

Originally Posted by crawlerman

I was using API and it was showing slightly lighter than .25. I bought the Hannah Phosphorous checker and maxed it out at .6. I put phosguard in a media bag while waiting for gfo and a reactor from BRS. Phosphates remained above .6 until my second round of GFO in the reactor (1.5 cups each time for 200g volume). I would not count on API tests for anything other than cycling.

I'm going to look for another test kit. I just don't want to spend so much $ on one LOL
Anyone have a used kit that's better then API?