Hi Brett,
I will try to explain this as best I can. :-) I think your two concerns are; is it safe for fishes in a display tank and it logically doesn't make sense that the reaction only happens in the filter socks.
First, Foz Down is perfectly safe for fish, clams and even very sensitive acros... A. echinata etc. I add Foz Down daily to my 800 gallon system... even when I had 70 x 4.5" - 6" ultra grade Tahiti Maxima clams I didn't hesitate. I completely trust the product.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by lastlight
if you drip this into a sock there's a fraction of a second before that water passes through the sock.
|
I think it all depends on whether the sock is above water level or in the water. I did a little math and if the sock has 8" of water in it the flow rate would have to be over 3600gph before the Foz Down would exit the sock before it had time to react.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by lastlight
if it can actually work on contact in the sock and i'm understanding this right... you've reacted with a very tiny portion of your displays water and can't possibly have taken much p04 out unless you were doing a lot of drips throughout the day.
|
This makes sense and I suspect that un reacted Foz Down exits the filter sock and then reacts with the first phosphate it comes in contact with. This would generally be in the sump. Any reacted Foz Down that made it into the display tank would be removed by the filter socks on subsequent passes.
It is always best practice to keep your aquarium conditions as stable as possible. Some possible ideas for Foz Down addition would be:
1. through the ATO systems water reservoir. Then it would be added slowly throughout the day. If it was added into a filter sock the sock would catch it. It might be an idea to have a small pump that pumps sump water into a filter sock. The ATO water with the Foz Down would be dripped into the sock.
2. inject the Foz Down into the skimmer pump inlet and have a filter sock on the skimmer outlet to catch any flocs that don't get skimmed out.
3. a small powerhead that pumps water into a filter sock. Diluted Foz Down is dripped into the filter sock by a dosing pump several times throughout the day.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by lastlight
Can you explain the reaction mechanism a bit better please Tim?
|
Whenever the Foz Down comes in contact with phosphate it binds(flocculates) with it instantly. This flocculant can be filtered out via filter socks or left to settle out in the sump. This is a personal choice in how you maintain your aquarium.
Normally the flocculated phosphate is not visible unless a lot of Foz Down has been added quickly and there are elevated levels of phosphate in the water. Then it looks very similar to adding sodium bicarb solution to tank water where there is a little bit of clouding until it is mixed into the water. Foz Down has the same type of clouding except it does not dissipate as fast. If you get this clouding you have put in too much at once.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by lastlight
I'm interested in this if it's cheaper to use than gfo.
|
That is why I produced the Foz Down. I used to use 3.5lbs of High Capacity GFO a month and it was getting expensive. If you like lots of fish Foz Down is the cheapest and easiest way to remove the phosphate. Then of course you would need a lot of Ultra Maximas from Tahiti to use up the nitrate. :-)
Cheers,
Tim