Biocube 29 and Phosban 150

[dakotaducks]

Planning on hooking up a Phosban 150 to my Biocube 29, I would rather not alter the hood (canopy) except for two holes to run the 1/2 tubing. If I was to run the reactor inside my tank stand would there be enough pressure for the return to make it back to the tank? I would like to draw of the first chamber and the return T'd off of the third chamber maxijet pump. I'm hoping this would act as a venturi effect helping it back up to the tank.

 

[jwaka11]

are you having problem with phosphate? ive had very good luck w/ chemipure filter bag. I created a media rack using eggcrates in my middle chamber to hold the filter bag for my bc29

 

[dakotaducks]

I have a SR3 protein skimmer in the middle chamber which has been a saving grace for me. I run purigen and phos zorb bags in chamber three which sit on each side of the pump. There seems to be enough current to allow the water to pass through the bags. I do a 6 gallon water change every Saturday with R/O water. The lights are on for 09 to 10 hours a day. Feedings happen once a day usually half a cube of frozen food or less. Currently have a small maroon clown, bi-color blenny and a watchman goby. the clean up crew is ten snails, ten hermit crabs peppermint shrimp and a red pistol shrimp . All my perameters are within spec.
After about four days of doing a water change I start to see an rapid growth of hair algae on the live coral close to the top of the coral. The lighting is stock and have cut back on the amount of time both lights stay on.
I was thinking that the Phosban would help better eliminate the problem of hair algae outbreaks without having to increase my water changes.

 

[jwaka11]

Wow, sounds like you run a pretty tight ship with it. Whats your current reading of your phosphate?

I have stock lights and running tunze 9002 skimmer in chamber 2. Aside from doing monthly 6g water change (water bought from LFS), I do very little it. I also replace my chemipure filter during that time. I guess Ive been lucky in that I havent had any big algae breakouts of any sort.

 

[dakotaducks]

Jim,
Just tested it and its .01 ppm, yesterday was 0 ppm after the water change.
This has only been a problem for about a month, I did a muster of all my tank occupents they are all accounted for, so no decaying corpses.
My wife just told when she rinses the filter cartridge she runs it under the faucet and puts it back in. She does this afternoon and the collection cup. Could this be a problem I'm sure water is being retained in the filter material. I usually rinse it in R/O water when I do a water change.

 

[dakotaducks]

is pulsating xenia in your tank mine has shrunk when I added the Phos zorb bag.

 

[dakotaducks]

your tank looks good. I wish I could cut back on water changes.

 

[jwaka11]

Thanks for the compliment. Your tank looks good too!

While we try to get our phosphate to zero ppm, your result of .01 isnt that bad. I think the higher end is .1 and above. So I would allow it some time for your system to adjust to the phoszorb bag.

Off topic, do you ever consider moving your heater to chamber 1? There's plenty of room once you remove the false floor.

 

[dakotaducks]

I have, i need to replace the heater with something more reliable.

 

[daveb]

running the filter under tap water may certainly be adding to your problem. i would definately try and use RO if possible.

also in your last pic, what is that stoney white looking rock? that rock looks as if it may be the wrong type of rock for your aquarium. if it is, it could also be leaching things into your water, causing these problems.

lastly, have you thought about trying the n/p biopellets in the phosphate reactor instead?

 

[jayman10134]

you could do a phosphate test on your tap water and that will tell you if its rinsing out your filter with tap water. i doubt it is the cause of it though. i only use a 2 stage filter and my tanks are fine with no algae. how old are your lights?

 

[dakotaducks]

Just replaced them a little over a month ago. I did a water change today and hooked up the Phoban 150 to the back of the tank. I removed chamber one grating and placed my heater in it. when I looked down the chamber with a flashlight I was amazed at what i saw. I now know where all the uneaten food goes, I emptied all three chambers and siphoned each one out. I had a bucket full of waste by the time i finished.
To do this I blocked off the two inlets to chamber one not loosing much water in the process. I have things living in the chambers that I've never seen before.
If all goes well with the Phosban I'm going to hook up another reactor and run carbon in series with the Phosban. As of know I'm drawing off of chamber one and discharging into chamber two (middle) sending it through my skimmer.
Do you run any type for filter material in any of your chambers?