Phosphate Reactors.

[Pescador]

Reactors for phosphate removal are fluidized reactors, just like fluidized bed sand filters.

Fluidisation will greatly increase the life and effectiveness of phosphate media (eg. Rowaphos) as it allows a larger surface area for reaction with the water and prevents channels from forming through the media.
They also work great for carbon.
Water is fed in to the reactor with a small pump or fed off return pump and adjusted so the media is suspended but not so much that it is returning to the aquarium.
They are unlike most calcium reactors where the media isn't moving in the chamber and water percolates up through it.
When the output water no longer measures lower in phosphate than the tank water it's time to replace the media.

[danny zubot]

I have been thinking of removing my sandbed, and upgrading,

[OCDP]

Originally Posted by OCDP

and I've come to the final conclusion that it's just not happening, or at least not anytime soon.

[atcguy]

I have used a reactor now for about a year. Very good investment. the flow through the chamber is very slow. Thats the key!!! I have never had any algae other than the typical film on the glass every couple days nothing my MagFloat cant simply wipe away. My sandbed is clean and Never seen HA in my tank. They are cheap to buy and media lasts 3 months if the flow is set right. Meaning a 22 dollar container will last you 6 months and the reactors are only around 50 bucks, Sound worth it to you? Buy one. OA has em!!

[Palster]

I just installed one on a 90 gallon tank and was able to bring my Phosphates down from about 1 ppm to about 0.03 ppm in less than a week (I didn't test the water every day). You can actually see the Hair Algae dying off on the live rock now. Overall I am very pleased with the results however I have read that they can have adverse effects on some corals. Now if I can only get my Nitrate levels down a little bit more.

[danny zubot]

I have read that they can have adverse effects on some corals.

I don't have the information to back this up anymore but I heard a reason for this a couple of years ago.

Some PO4 media use various elelments as a base which aren't good for marine aquariums. I read that some use a Mg base which can throw your other levels off, while others use various heavy metals that would only be suitable for freash water use. Sorry I can't back up this claim at this time, just offering a plausable explaination.

[Palster]

Originally Posted by danny zubot

I don't have the information to back this up anymore but I heard a reason for this a couple of years ago.

If you click on the link that Christy has posted above in this thread there is some good information on some of the side effects of using a Phosphate binding media. For me the benefits have far outweighed the risks.

[reeferaddict]

Originally Posted by Palster

I just installed one on a 90 gallon tank and was able to bring my Phosphates down from about 1 ppm to about 0.03 ppm in less than a week (I didn't test the water every day). You can actually see the Hair Algae dying off on the live rock now. Overall I am very pleased with the results however I have read that they can have adverse effects on some corals. Now if I can only get my Nitrate levels down a little bit more.

I have run both Rhowaphos and Phosban through my reactor and had better results with the Phosban... just my own experience... but it DOES completely eliminate phosphates... as for nitrates, water changes were leaving me hungry until I got my Biodenitrator which keeps my heavily stocked and fed system's nitrates at ZERO while cutting my water changes down by 75%...

[OCDP]

Cool, thanks for the input everyone.

I am definitely going to look into this further. Thanks for the link Christy, sorry I never thought to check that out... all that hard work in making a reference library and what not.. so thanks again.

What I am hoping to see , with continued water changes and sandbed cleaning, while running a reactor, is to eliminate the bits of unwanted algae. Lots of it is macro algae, which is good.. but others is bits of hair algae growing within the macro, so it doesn't look so nice.

Based on some readings though, the reactor does seem to be quite effective in removing unwanted algae.

I'll keep the thread updated and what not.. but keep posting if you have input and what not.

Thanks again to all.

[MDG3]

[quote=Pescador;217296]Reactors for phosphate removal are fluidized reactors, just like fluidized bed sand filters.


I was wondering if it's possible to use an old fluidized bed sand filter for a DIY phosphate reactor? Any body tried it or know how to make one or if it will even work?