Flow in a phosban reactor

[rostato]

I just bought a 2 little fishes phosban reactor with a rio 50 pump. After getting it running the phosban does not look like it is getting disturbed enough.

I know you want slow movement, but I don't see any movement really. Should I upgrade to the rio 90?

 

[rostato]

The 50 is rated for 69GPH and the 90 is rated for 85GPH

 

[skriz]

it should be slightly tumbling. If it's not, then you need to upgrade pumps.

 

[rostato]

Oh, well I bought one of the old reactors without the twist top and restrictor off of ebay. It came with some phosban the pump and hose all for about 30 bucks...

Anyway so this is the pump that came with it.

I have about 14 inches of tubing before the reactor and it has to go straight up about 11 of those.

 

[rostato]

Thanks. I will play with it. I do have a maxijet 400 in my nano I could steal if I get a new powerhead for it...

 

[william1]

I just started using 2 phosban reators in line. 1 has carbon the other has phosphate remover. I have noticed a big change in the corals overall color. They seem to be losing color.

 

[rostato]

Well you have to start slow right? I only have a few softies right now so I just started out with the recommended amount for my tank.

 

[ralph atl]

Your pump should be fine. The top layer of the GFO should look like it's about to boil or "perk". You don't want it to tumble too much as it will deteriorate. As long as it is doing that, you are fine. You might have too much in there. You only need 8-12 tablespoons. You adjust the flow by the water valve.

 

[rostato]

The top layer does not move

I have about 3/4 a cup in there.

46 gallon tank 15 ish sump

 

[ralph atl]

WILLIAM1;221408 wrote: I just started using 2 phosban reators in line. 1 has carbon the other has phosphate remover. I have noticed a big change in the corals overall color. They seem to be losing color.

I hope you have acclimated your stonys to your GFO first! They need to acclimate real slowly to the lower level of phosphates or they will all bleach/rtn. It takes about a good 2 months. put like 2-4 tablespoons only. (it will be well saturated so change it every 2 weeks or so).

 

[rostato]

no stonies yet, just a few softies. I am trying to get the tank all and stable before getting any stonies or putting in my nems

The tank is only 3 months past the cycle now

 

[ralph atl]

rostato;221430 wrote: The top layer does not move

I have about 3/4 a cup in there.

46 gallon tank 15 ish sump

you are supposed to adjust the ball valve to regulate flow. So if u don't have one or it's wide open, get new small pump.

 

[william1]

mysterybox;221431 wrote: I hope you have acclimated your stonys to your GFO first! They need to acclimate real slowly to the lower level of phosphates or they will all bleach/rtn. It takes about a good 2 months. put like 2-4 tablespoons only. (it will be well saturated so change it every 2 weeks or so).

I started with 50ml about 3 tablespoons or so. I have noticed in a couple SPS bleaching and had a few STN problems right before I started using it.

 

[rostato]

Yeah I don't have one so I guess I will get a new pump. I may pull the maxijet 400 out of my nano and see what happens after class today

 

[oz]

I have a pretty large carpet anemone that is dying behind my rock wall. It is raising my nitrates and my phosphates.

I am doing regular water changes and plan to take that part of the wall down tomorrow to remove any of the carpet that is still there.

i have the older phosban reactor with Seachem granules in it. flow enters on one side and goes out the other.

my questions

1. Is this style functional or should I just get a TLF reactor and use that? I have a MJ600 for flow.
2. How much media should be put in the chamber? After a while, the flow going through the media is minimal.

155g tank, 40G sump and 40G fuge

 

[rostato]

The one you have should work. The amount of media you use depends on what corals you have, size of tank, whether your corals have been acclimated to the low phosphates, ect, ect. I am no expert by any means, so thats all I have to offer you. The Seachem bottle says add 1 cup per 75-100 gallons. But again, you need to consider the above...

I cut the inlet tubing down about 6 inches and I seem to be getting better flow now. I get a little bit of disturbance to the top of the media on one side of the reactor and the other side of the media is completely tumbling (not excessively though). I don't really understand why only one side of the reactor would tumble and the other not, maybe I just need to replace the little filter sponges???

Does that seem about right?

 

[rostato]

Correct. I will buy some new sponges. Thanks everyone for all the help and guidance!!!