Phosphate control

[Matt]

There are a lot of products...
I have a phosban reactor, and have been using up the last of some Kent Phosphate Sponge, but it needs to be changed out too often (2 days max).

Polyp Laps Opti-Phos
RowaPhos
Phosban
generic GFO

Anyone have recommendations? How long do you leave it in the reactor? Best price/performance? Where do you find it?

[mark]

Wondering myself.

See Opti-Phos can be regenerated, not sure of the others.

[michika]

I've used the Kent Phosphate sponge, Rowaphos, generic GFO, and Phosban. I found when using the full recommended dosage I had bleaching and a bit of color loss in my SPS. To be honest I never saw any different between Rowaphos, the generic GFO and Phosban when I was battling hair algae. When I started using the phosphate sponge, I had to change it more frequently, but I found it didn't clog up my reactor as quickly and was easier to get better flow through the reactor. In the future I would go back to a GFO product for phosphate control, however I would start at a smaller dosage and work my way up to avoid shocking my system again.

I switched out the GFO on average every week and a half, or when I saw the return of the GHA. Sometimes I would push it to two weeks just because it was such a PITA the clean out of my reactor.

Best price was the Kent Phosphate sponge when you look at the volume to price ratio. However best bang for your buck was rowaphos. I would still in the end use a GFO product as I think its more effective then anything else I've tried.

[untamed]

Interesting poll results. I use Rowaphos in the Phosban reactor. I decided that RowaPhos is too expensive to just throw away at regular intervals, so I decided to invest in the Phosphate low range photometre. I figured the phosphate level would tell me when I needed to replace the Rowaphos.

Since the day I purchased it, I have yet to detect anything but trace amount of phosphate. That could be because the Rowa is working really well..for a really long time...or because phosphate is being absorbed by the tank algae.

I don't know...but I know that I don't have a measurable phosphate problem.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

PHOSaR by Warner Marine. Apparently it's better, according to Randy Holmes-Farley. I think.

Anyway, it's the same price so why the heck not?

[Matt]

I like the idea that opti-phos can be regenerated (in the reactor, even), so I'm thinking of that. I see products around like Caribsea Phos-Buster, which is apparently a liquid. Anyone use that?

Catherine, where did you find the generic GFO?

[michika]

I found it at Big Als in Edmonton once or twice. They seem to constantly have rotating stock on GFO products. I only saw it in September and October, then never again.

I heard, mind you this was 2004, that Phos-Buster was a good product. However, I myself have never used it. I think the price always deterred me from using it. There was also a Marc Weiss product that was suggested to me for GHA, but I'm not sure about it either as I was uncomfortable with the lack of ingredient list.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by michika

I found it at Big Als in Edmonton once or twice. They seem to constantly have rotating stock on GFO products. I only saw it in September and October, then never again.

I heard, mind you this was 2004, that Phos-Buster was a good product. However, I myself have never used it. I think the price always deterred me from using it. There was also a Marc Weiss product that was suggested to me for GHA, but I'm not sure about it either as I was uncomfortable with the lack of ingredient list.

Is that Marc Weiss product "Algae Magic"? I bought that and it was a complete waste of $60. STAY AWAY!

[Tom R]

I am using ZEOvit system. It maintains phosphate at zero.

Brad I would be interested in having you test my water with your Phosphate low range photometre some time. I use a Seachem test kit and often wonder about its accuracy.

Tom

[Reefer Rob]

Tried Opti-Phos, it did nothing. Switched to Rowaphos, it worked well, but the particle size varied too much to fluidize well. I'm currently trying the GFO from Two Part Solution.