Do You Run RowaPhos?

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Reactor Selection

Hi Greg...I know your tank is 400+ gallons plus the sump and other water volume. I'm trying to get a sense of relative reactor volume to total system volume. Your reactor is 14" tall so I figure the PM would handle my water volume.

However, I like your scheme of 3 reactors in series... makes it easier to change out media (little at a time vs all at once charging). Is there any other advantage to using separate reactors ?

>I run the two little fishies reactor with generic ferric hydroxide media.<

Ditto. I have three that I run in series. About once every 6 weeks I take the first one off line, clean it, recharge it, and make it the last in the series.

 

[ReeferMedic]

Don, what is your water volume?

About 600 gallons with a whole lot of fish.

 

[ReeferMedic]

chuckee.......is back. still got to keep the post counts too! let me add...so people run rowaphos or equivalent without knowing their phosphate level? or does everyone test for it and how?

Unfortunately, the hair algae tells me what I need to know.

 

[Yaktop]

Is there any other advantage to using separate reactors ?

IMO, a little at a time keeps the amount of change of PO4 more constant rather than totally exhausted amount and rising PO4 and then a full change and a dropping count. less stress on the animals.

Unfortunately, the hair algae tells me what I need to know.

thats a bummer.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Algae

It's a really different story for me. No hair algae, but instead I have (I think this is was it is) cyano on all the rock surfaces and even on the back wall of the tank. It is a really light coating of cyano that I blow off with a small powerhead every other day or so. In addition to the cyano, I have lots of detritus all over the rocks that clouds the water after using the powerhead.

I am currently using 4 x Tunze 6100's plus whatever small flow from the main pump. I have a 50 gallon refugium with chaeto that grows like crazy.
My water parameters are :

PO4 = undetectable using salifert test
Ca = 450,
Alk = 13 dKh,
pH = 8.2,
temp 79 +/- 2 deg,
Mg = 1250

I do around a 20% water change every month (2 x 10 % usually). I also just changed my bulbs (4 x 250 SE MH in Luminarc reflectors) to see if that was the problem but I still see algae. I decreased feeding to every other day and the problem has lessened but is still present. So I figure it might make sense to try the FO to get out the remaining P04 not detected but seemingly still present in my water.

Unfortunately, the hair algae tells me what I need to know.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Multiple Reactors in Series

Yaktop: Good point, smaller variation is a good thing.
Don: Your tanks are awesome! I didn't notice the algae until you showed me last time I was over.

IMO, a little at a time keeps the amount of change of PO4 more constant rather than totally exhausted amount and rising PO4 and then a full change and a dropping count. less stress on the animals.



thats a bummer.

 

[ReeferMedic]

The phosphate test kits $uck imo. The color variations are to subtle. The only real way to get a good reading is with a photometer. I believe the club has one and does water tests at the monthly meetings.

 

[ReeferMedic]

Thanks Chuck, I'm still fighting with it though. Might be the 12" Sohol Tang that eats more than I do.

 

[Dave McReeferson]

The phosphate test kits $uck imo. The color variations are to subtle. The only real way to get a good reading is with a photometer. I believe the club has one and does water tests at the monthly meetings.

I agree, I used the Salifert kit and didn't detect anything, ordered up a Hanna low range meter and found my phosphates to be at .05. Merely rinsing my frozen before feeding has lowered this number to an acceptable # in a fairly short time frame, not sure I will put my reactor back on line, we will see what continued monitoring dictates...

Anything over .03 is likely to contribute to accelerated algae growth FWIW.

 

[starrfish]

Hey Chuck - welcome back - I missed you, you bas*&*&d!!!!!

I run generic GFO. I used to run it in one of the large Lifeguard fluidized bed filters, but it got to be a real PIA to change out the media through that small hole at the top. Also, the pump died one time and I didn't realize it for a few weeks and my phosphates climbed really high. The final straw was when the media clumped inside the reactor so I turned up the flow pretty high and the granules got ground up and clouded my tank so I took it off-line. For the past few months I've been putting the GFO in a media bag right under the drain. So far so good. I have my water tested professionally and the phosphates came back at .03 last month. I have about 500-600g and I run 4-5 cups of the GFO in the media bag. I'm changing it out monthly. I like the idea of running it in the smaller reactors in a series like Greg, but it's another pump (or more) to deal with.

Hope to see you soon!!

Daire

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Hi Daire!

I missed you too! Especially laughing together

I have a few questions about running the GFO in a media bag. What kind of filter bag and where are they available? Do you get any of the media leaking through the media bag? I would like to run GFO like this if it is easier to do so and still effective.

Hey Chuck - welcome back - I missed you, you bas*&*&d!!!!!

I run generic GFO. I used to run it in one of the large Lifeguard fluidized bed filters, but it got to be a real PIA to change out the media through that small hole at the top. Also, the pump died one time and I didn't realize it for a few weeks and my phosphates climbed really high. The final straw was when the media clumped inside the reactor so I turned up the flow pretty high and the granules got ground up and clouded my tank so I took it off-line. For the past few months I've been putting the GFO in a media bag right under the drain. So far so good. I have my water tested professionally and the phosphates came back at .03 last month. I have about 500-600g and I run 4-5 cups of the GFO in the media bag. I'm changing it out monthly. I like the idea of running it in the smaller reactors in a series like Greg, but it's another pump (or more) to deal with.

Hope to see you soon!!

Daire

 

[Aquaman_68]

Hey, Chuck!!! Still hangin there I see...After reading all these posts a little surprised how many people have detectable levels of po4... I know they exist in my tank I'm sure (sps would not flourish without a small amount) but never to a level I can detect.....I tried to use GFO about close to 3 years ago now....(thought I was doing something good) Then my sps started to recede from the base shortly after I did....End of that story....

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Receding

I had the same problem but I think it was due to using too much too quickly.
I really don't want to use GFO but this algae just won't go away using conventional nutrient export methods (heavy skimming, water changes, refugium with chaeto, cutting back on feeding, lowering biomass).

Any suggestions on what the problem could be and how to fix it ?

Hey, Chuck!!! Still hangin there I see...After reading all these posts a little surprised how many people have detectable levels of po4... I know they exist in my tank I'm sure (sps would not flourish without a small amount) but never to a level I can detect.....I tried to use GFO about close to 3 years ago now....(thought I was doing something good) Then my sps started to recede from the base shortly after I did....End of that story....

 

[Aquaman_68]

I had the same problem but I think it was due to using too much too quickly.
I really don't want to use GFO but this algae just won't go away using conventional nutrient export methods (heavy skimming, water changes, refugium with chaeto, cutting back on feeding, lowering biomass).

Any suggestions on what the problem could be and how to fix it ?

1) How old is your sandbed?
2) what are you feeding your tank or fish? (sometimes it isn't how much, rather what it is that could be the problem)
3) How old are your filters in your ro system?
Or do you have a Ro/DI? Cause if you have a DI system...you should have a difficult time growing chaeto. FME...that has been the case & also with others using ro/di...they have trouble growing cheato....

LMK,
B

 

[starrfish]

Chuck - I just use a standard fine mesh media bag (I probably got them at drsfostersmith.com). This past month I purchased a larger sized GFO that is specifically meant for use in media bags. I got it at twopartsolutions.com. So far it's working great - I haven't noticed any of the media leaking into the tank. Brian has a good point with the type of food. I recently had a bad outbreak of cyano. A bunch of people suggested I eliminate the goo I had been feeding my fish and go strictly with rinsed frozen or pellets. I only started doing this a few days ago and I can already see a difference. I also cut way back on the volume.

Bri - you don't have any phosphates because you don't have any fish (2?) in your system! I know Chuck has a lot of of fish - at least he used to.

 

[Aquaman_68]

Chuck - I just use a standard fine mesh media bag (I probably got them at drsfostersmith.com). This past month I purchased a larger sized GFO that is specifically meant for use in media bags. I got it at twopartsolutions.com. So far it's working great - I haven't noticed any of the media leaking into the tank. Brian has a good point with the type of food. I recently had a bad outbreak of cyano. A bunch of people suggested I eliminate the goo I had been feeding my fish and go strictly with rinsed frozen or pellets. I only started doing this a few days ago and I can already see a difference. I also cut way back on the volume.

Bri - you don't have any phosphates because you don't have any fish (2?) in your system! I know Chuck has a lot of of fish - at least he used to.

I have 6 fish Daire...I've had that many for close to 2 years now.....& I've been feeding heavy for close to a year now....But I don't use goo or foods heavy in protein....

2 tangs, pair of true percs, a wrasse,& a coral goby...(which is really not like a fish cause it's so small!!!)

 

[ReeferMedic]

6 fish is a VERY low biload imo. You have at least a couple hundred gallons, correct? I have about 50-60 fish in my 600 gallon system, and one of them is 12" long! They are all well fed. I get comments all the time on how thick/healthy my Sohol Tang looks. I feed 1 whole sheet of nori, plus mysis, capelin roe, brine shrimp, every day with the occasional flake and pellets. I don't even bother with testing for now. It's funny how many times I've said to myself while pulling out clumps of HA, Brian would be a frikkin maniac if he had this in his tank. It's just as much about the fish to me, so I pay the price.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Info

1. Sandbed is the original one set up in 2000. But I don't ascribe to the theory that old sandbeds are bad.

2. I feed home-made food (mysis, scallop, clam, shrimp) . I rinse the food in water and feed a little at a time. Only a very small amount of fod hits the bottom of the tank...LOL.

3. I change the RODI when required - DI when there is a color change - RO every 3 years or so. I have a TDS meter that shows around 1 ppm for dissolved solids.

1) How old is your sandbed?
2) what are you feeding your tank or fish? (sometimes it isn't how much, rather what it is that could be the problem)
3) How old are your filters in your ro system?
Or do you have a Ro/DI? Cause if you have a DI system...you should have a difficult time growing chaeto. FME...that has been the case & also with others using ro/di...they have trouble growing cheato....

LMK,
B

 

[Aquaman_68]

It's funny how many times I've said to myself while pulling out clumps of HA, Brian would be a frikkin maniac if he had this in his tank. It's just as much about the fish to me, so I pay the price.

Dude, Your too funny!!!

1. Sandbed is the original one set up in 2000. But I don't ascribe to the theory that old sandbeds are bad.

I was on the same page as you before june of 2007....(& was battling my own sort of algae problem on the glass) Replaced my sandbed with a mixturer of 25lbs of live sand & 80 lbs of dead sand.....The old sand was mush & pretty much broken down......After I did that it was almost like an instant change!!! Since then I am a believer & will swap out my sandbed every 3 years!!! bar none!!!!

 

[Yaktop]

I think the depth of a sandbed makes a huge difference. one or two inch sandbeds are not going to have the same biological system in it as a 4 or 5 inch sandbed.