Phosban, carbon and reactors

[rtc_reefer]

I need to get educated on the proper use of PhosBan and reactors. I am currently not using any phosphate removal media and plan to get a reactor 150 for phosban and a 150 for running my carbon. ( I have the SeaChem test kit but do not trust it. Seems to always indicate 0.05) I have cheato in my fuge.....

I would like to know a few things... How much phosban I need ( 1 year supply), how often it needs to be changed, what is the proper size and brand of pump to use for the reactors, where to get it and the reactors. Can I use 1 pump for both???)

How do you best configure the reactors.

Are these the best reactors for my sized tank?

Do I really need this?

Just would like to know your experiences and recommendations prior to my implementation.

Thanks !!!

 

[Liam]

Rick phosban/rhowaphos can be a very contreversial subject.Some including myself have had losses of corals with it,however i am using it again but slightly differently this time.Here is the way i am trying it.
I use two phosban reacors in series,the first contains my carbon this then flows into the second reacter which houses the phosban.I am using 1/3 the dose and am running a very low flow rate(about 20gph).The idea of having the phosban second is that it should remove any phosphates that are leached from the carbon as well as from the system water that flows through the reactor.The phosban directions say that it last 6 months,this IMO is where people run into problems,it is suspected that by 6 months the phosphates can be building enough so that when you refill the phosban you create phospate removal shock in that the rapid depletoion of phosphate causes poor coral health and in some cases death.This is also why it is important to use less than the recommended dose when you are using it for the first time.
As regards to the difference between phosban and rowaphos there are some people who claim the rowaphos is more effective than phosban yet i hav enot seen any of these individuals show any evidence of how they are proving that.I have used both and i choose phosban because it is easier to clean the rowa.Rowa takes a ton of rinsing before it runs clear.It is important to clean these product thoroughly,some have speculated that the problems some have encountered with these products was due to fine particles of the GFO getting into the water column.
In the directions for the phosban reactoer it tells you to set the flow so that the media is fluidized,i would recomend against this due to the fact that the the abrasion of the media can cause those fine particulates to get into the water column.I open my control valve until the media is fluidized and then i just close it slightly until the media just settles.
One last tip,buy your reactors from somewhere that has the later verions that have the screw off tops and not those pesky thumbscrews.
HTH and good luck with it.

 

[pantinor]

I am new to these too. I just got the 2 little fishies phosban reactor with the rowaphos. I added the rowa and some carbon to the reactor and have let it go 24/7 for 2-3 weeks now. I cant say i really see any difference. but I know the rowa really sucks up the phosphate from what I read. As to when to change it, how long it lasts, I want to know also. The rowa packaging said it will never leach the phos back into the water.

about the brown water with rowa when you first put it in, i rinsed it first. Then hooked it to the tank. It put a bit of brown in the sump but was soon clear, nothing bad at all. It also left some of the black particles on the floor of the sump, i wonder if i should to siphon that out now.

The thing is have no phosphate tester kit, so i go just by the behaviour of the corals and the coralline as to whether they are happy or not.

 

[pantinor]

here my setup now attached.

 

[rtc_reefer]

Thanks go out to both of you. I feel much better about using the product. Still have penty of time to research. Just ordered two reactors and a MJ 400 to power them. Will be hooking them up in a series as suggested using only 1/3 the instructed amount.

 

[billm]

can you use these products in a regular hot filter or do you need a reactor

 

[Pat H.]

can you use these products in a regular hot filter or do you need a reactor

Bill, I just set up two Phosban reactors in series as Liam suggested. I noticed the instructions said it can be used in any flow through filter as long as you tightly pack it in a media bag or in between two layers of filter floss(I wouldn't suggest the later). Phosban can get crushed up very easily, even by just rubbing against itself. So you have to keep it from moving around too much.

 

[billm]

I might try it,thanks patrick

 

[delta]

Just remember if you dont run it properly you will add iron to your tank. IMO I don't think the benifits out weight the risk.
You may want to add a poly filter in line where the water returns from the reactor to your tank. There is a good chance you will see it turning red in no time as it absorbs the iron, atleast that was my experience.
Seeing the Rowa display at MACNA they said to rinse it and to run it into a container till it ran clear.