Phosban Reactor Media

[izib]

Im getting a phosban reactor to try to help with nutrients (everything checks zero but algea is growing).

Ive heard of people putting carbon and phosban (or anything) in the same chamber, has anyone done this?

I would like to run both types of media, just asking if I can do it in one or if I need to buy two.

 

[dakota9]

I'm not sure this information will help you, but just a few minutes ago, this is what has happened with my tank.

I switched tanks a week ago, doubled the size, added more new substrate to the old and mostly new water, so now I've got a phosphate problem, and the water has a slight milky tinge. (I keep a crystal clear tank, so my standards are pretty high, my tank may not be the prettiest or best stocked, or tank of the month, but the water is always polished, so this bothers me a lot).

I went to petsmart (only store locally) to buy phosban, but they dont carry it so I bought the only product they sold for phosphates which was ClearMax made by Fluval. The box contained 3 filter bags of redish brown media. I threw all three bags in the sump. That was last night.

This morning, nothing had changed, the tank still looked slightly milky and I realized that the filter bags laying passively in the sump wern't really doing a whole lot. So, once again, I drag out the trusty Magnum 350, and placed the bags in the filter cartridge, and hooked it up to the tank.

20 minutes later, the water is noticably clearer, and an hour later, I'm approaching that "liquid glass" look in my tank where it looks like theres not even water in the tank it's so clear. I think leaving the media in the filter bag helped to polish the water as the media is working to remove phosphates.

I've never actually seen a phosphate reactor, so I don'r know how they work, but I'd not hesitate to run two seperate medias in my Magnum, provided they were contained in seperate pouches so they could be reused again.

Rather than buying a reactor, maybe you should consider a Magnum 350 or Magnum HOT, as they are so versatile, you'd get more use out of them. Water Polishing, running various media, they do a better job than any other canister, and last forever. I've used them for 20 years, and only owned 3.

Magnum's are great, If Magnum 350s were a woman, it would be Jeri Ryan (7 of 9) from Star Trek Voyager, they are that good!!!!!

If Magum 350s were a car, it would be a Hummer with the fuel efficientcey of a Honda Pilot.

If Magum 350s were organic, I'd roll it up and smoke it!

 

[roundman]

ROFLMAO Dakota you crack me up. I use an old fluval I had on my freshwater and it will polish the water also. Its nice because I can keep it running and then use it in a qt tank, clean it, and then put it back on my tank to start the bact growth again.

 

[blind1993]

Dakota9;86824 wrote: I'm not sure this information will help you, but just a few minutes ago, this is what has happened with my tank.

I switched tanks a week ago, doubled the size, added more new substrate to the old and mostly new water, so now I've got a phosphate problem, and the water has a slight milky tinge. (I keep a crystal clear tank, so my standards are pretty high, my tank may not be the prettiest or best stocked, or tank of the month, but the water is always polished, so this bothers me a lot).

I went to petsmart (only store locally) to buy phosban, but they dont carry it so I bought the only product they sold for phosphates which was ClearMax made by Fluval. The box contained 3 filter bags of redish brown media. I threw all three bags in the sump. That was last night.

This morning, nothing had changed, the tank still looked slightly milky and I realized that the filter bags laying passively in the sump wern't really doing a whole lot. So, once again, I drag out the trusty Magnum 350, and placed the bags in the filter cartridge, and hooked it up to the tank.

20 minutes later, the water is noticably clearer, and an hour later, I'm approaching that "liquid glass" look in my tank where it looks like theres not even water in the tank it's so clear. I think leaving the media in the filter bag helped to polish the water as the media is working to remove phosphates.

I've never actually seen a phosphate reactor, so I don'r know how they work, but I'd not hesitate to run two seperate medias in my Magnum, provided they were contained in seperate pouches so they could be reused again.

Rather than buying a reactor, maybe you should consider a Magnum 350 or Magnum HOT, as they are so versatile, you'd get more use out of them. Water Polishing, running various media, they do a better job than any other canister, and last forever. I've used them for 20 years, and only owned 3.

Magnum's are great, If Magnum 350s were a woman, it would be Jeri Ryan (7 of 9) from Star Trek Voyager, they are that good!!!!!

If Magum 350s were a car, it would be a Hummer with the fuel efficientcey of a Honda Pilot.

If Magum 350s were organic, I'd roll it up and smoke it!

magnums are very usefull to have. looks like i know what i will be getting once my carbon runs out and i dont have anything to use in my magnum. so far my magnum is 11 years old and still working amazingly.

 

[izib]

Are you all referring to a magnum canister filter? Never thought of that but its about the same price and sounds like a better idea.

 

[blind1993]

yea. i think both us have a 350. trust me get it. you can even run a protein skimmer on the return of it. that is what i did. filter/uv(not useing since i am getting a reef)/skimmer.

 

[dakota9]

Blind, explain to me how you are running a skimmer in-line with the magnum 350? Better yet, pictures lil dude, I REALLY want to understand this!

 

[blind1993]

ok well i will pm you some pics a little later, right now i am getting ready to go to sals party.if you are comming it is a little drive to my house.

anyways i connected the out put to the skimmer input and tightened it.( the skimmer needs to have its own venturi.

i tried puting a venturi in the intake of the magnum it worked but it was sooooo loud so i didnt.

 

[izib]

Also, what type of phospahete remover and carbon does everyone use and how long do you leave it in?

 

[dakota9]

On another active thread, we are posting about a simarlar subject. Just yesterday, I purchased ClearMax by Fluval, I'm running it in my magnum right now, and it's visibly cleared the water in an hour. It's for phosphates, but wont know if its cleared up the problem until some of this diatom goes away.

 

[blind1993]

well the one dakota told you. and i use some seachem carbon and leave it for 3 months or so. or you can get a lower brand name and do every month.

 

[izib]

Will it leach them back into the water if not removed? I have kent phosephate sponge but it says it releases it back into the water when full. I was looking at the seachem phosphate remover, it doesnt leach them back. Id like to be able to run the reactor with half carbon and have phosphate remover and change it monthly.

 

[dakota9]

PM DannyBradley, according to him, the Seachem stuff will leach phosphates back in the water. He had recommended and iron oxide based media, as apparently they dont allow the phosphates to leach back out, or atleast not as quickly as the Seachem media, but do check with him (he's very helpful) as I'm not up to speed 100% on this topic. The Fluval media ClearMax, I'm guessing is infact iron oxide based, as I'm also a rock/mineral collector, and the ClearMax is the exact same color as my iron oxide specimen.

Hope this helps

 

[skriz]

I'm planning on order the PO4 media from http://www.twopartsolution.com">www.twopartsolution.com</a>. Prices can't be beat! Their carbon is good stuff too. I'm hoping this will be our next PB, it will give us 30% off!

As far as the way the reactor works, it just allows water to pass through the media at a low rate (I think 140 gph max). You can run the granuals in a sock passively in a sump, but it is not as effective as using a reactor. I would think the magnum would be pretty good too, although it may have a little too much flow to provide the best efficiency of the media?

 

[dakota9]

I would think that left running long enough, all the water would eventually pass through it several times, creating the same effect as the slower flow reactor. Also, The magnum 350 turns 350 gph MAX, you add media, and allow it to get dirty, and I'd guess that figure deminishes rapidly. I know when I went a few weeks with the same diatom filter in the canister, that all the clogged crud caused it to little more than trickle.

 

[blind1993]

or you could tee the magnum of with a box that contains the media and that will go in the sump. just a thought.

 

[izib]

Any thoughts on this?

 

[dakota9]

It looks </em>just like the Fluval ClearMax I purchased at petsmart for the same price or less.