Effluent with Phosphate reading 2.0

[melev]

I need to test it again to see what it is currently.

When I replaced the media and washed out the reactor, the PO4 was 0. After a week or so, it was .1 but the tank was higher. Makes sense, right? Water from the tank is pushed into the reactor at a very slow rate, and exits at the same lack of speed. So as the tank situation resolves itself, the reactor may still show PO4.

On Dec 31st, 2005, the tank finally had 0 phosphates. I may never test again, so I don't ruin that perfect record. :lol:

The effluent is currently flowing into my infamous red beer cup, filled with more ARM to degass any excess CO2 before it can enter the tank.

 

[Lunchbucket]

well i hope you tank stays at 0.0ppm. it is a great feeling when you test and test and test and it still is at zero

Lunchbucket

 

[Gudwyn]

In my system, I've decided to run the C02 reactor effluent thru phosban before letting it into my tank. But I was concerned about the low pH.

So I've rigged up the following system. The TEE (red arrow) is between the carbon reactor and the phosban reactor. The hose going up allows C02 effluent (green arrow) to drip down and mix into the water stream before going into the reactor. And the air inlet on the effluent hose (blue arrow) kills the siphon so I don't get air sucked down the TEE into the reactor.

Don't know if it matters, but I figured it was relevant to this discussion. Water level in the vertical pipe is right at the top of the TEE. It is pretty stable but will change as a vary the flow thru the reactor.

 

[JerseyReef]

Marc,

Curious if you ever tested your tank after you reached your goal? Do you believe it was the media all along or the media was impacted by your elevated tank PO4 levels?

 

[melev]

Mike, since the thread has been revived, I'll test it and see what numbers I get.

I have a feeling the reason it was so high is because my tank was so high (3.0), and the effluent drip rate was so slow since it was truly dripping. Basically the reactor was full of 'old' tank water since it would take forever to refill with lower PO4-laded water. Plus the media may have absorbed some since it was so high for so long.

Last test was .25 in the reef, about 10 days ago. The calcium reactor media is brown all the way around, like algae or diatoms. I do have lighting from the refugium and the phytoplankton station, so it could be growing in there from the daily dose of lighting. The top of the media is white though, so I think it is only right at the periphery between the media and the acrylic wall.

 

[JerseyReef]

Marc - Looking forward to seeing the results

 

[melev]

Okay, here's tonight's readings:

Tank - .5
Effluent - 1.0
Phosban Reactor - .03

So it appears my media is yet again outputting phosphate, which explains why I see the brown algae inside the chamber.

I guess I can soak my other container's worth in RO water for a week, and then swap it out. It seems the effluent needs to be run over some type of phosphate absorber if I want to keep the tank's PO4 level down.

 

[Lunchbucket]

why not use the schuran stuff. that is supposed to be lower in PO4. i've never had a problem w/ mine

Lunchbucket

 

[melev]

Mainly because I don't have it.

 

[JerseyReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7180012#post7180012 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Okay, here's tonight's readings:

Tank - .5
Effluent - 1.0
Phosban Reactor - .03

So it appears my media is yet again outputting phosphate, which explains why I see the brown algae inside the chamber.

Marc - why couldn't it be the other way around? I believe your media isn't causing the phosphate, just a trap for it from your tank.

When I had my Ca reactor up and running, I pulled the water from the last segment of my sump, after the water has had a chance to go through the skimmer and the macro algae section. Maybe the tank water that is entering the the Ca reactor is loaded with phosphate and detritus from the tank. I'm not familiar with your setup, so I don't know where your pulling the water from.

You could do a few things here

Place a media sponge on the inlet of the Ca reactor pump to catch and detritus entering the reactor.

If the flow out of your phosban reactor is high enough, plumb it to the Ca reactor instead. This should lower in PO4 coming into the reactor. However, you'll need a through cleaning of the Ca reactor to remove any built up detritus. I've never done this, it's just an suggestion.

Pull the tank water from the last section of your sump (after the skimmer and macro algae sections). This area should relatively "cleaner"

 

[arconom]

Marc I can tell you one thing, I can only wish to one day have a Reef like yours. It seems to me Phosphate is not hindering any growth or colors in your tank.

 

[Lunchbucket]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7180591#post7180591 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Mainly because I don't have it.

order it up

Lunchbucket

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7181231#post7181231 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JerseyReef
Marc - why couldn't it be the other way around? I believe your media isn't causing the phosphate, just a trap for it from your tank.

When I had my Ca reactor up and running, I pulled the water from the last segment of my sump, after the water has had a chance to go through the skimmer and the macro algae section. Maybe the tank water that is entering the the Ca reactor is loaded with phosphate and detritus from the tank. I'm not familiar with your setup, so I don't know where your pulling the water from.

You could do a few things here

Place a media sponge on the inlet of the Ca reactor pump to catch and detritus entering the reactor.

If the flow out of your phosban reactor is high enough, plumb it to the Ca reactor instead. This should lower in PO4 coming into the reactor. However, you'll need a through cleaning of the Ca reactor to remove any built up detritus. I've never done this, it's just an suggestion.

Pull the tank water from the last section of your sump (after the skimmer and macro algae sections). This area should relatively "cleaner"

I am pulling water from the return section of the sump, after the skimmer and refugium. I still see detritus in the return section, which gathers in spots here and there. Maybe putting a mesh sock around the intake of that pump would do the job.

That's funny that you mentioned it, but I was thinking the same thing about using Phosban effluent as Calcium Reactor input. I don't know if I can pull it off, but I like the idea.

 

[JerseyReef]

Marc - Since I don't have a phosban reactor. I don't know the answer to this question I'm about to ask.

Is the pH lower coming out of the Phosban reactor?

 

[melev]

I doubt it. I'd have to check though.

 

[JerseyReef]

Marc - Any update on my previous question?

 

[melev]

I'll check right now!

Tank pH - 8.14
Phosban Reactor pH - 7.73

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Curious. How long has that reactor been set up?

 

[JerseyReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7293321#post7293321 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I'll check right now!

Tank pH - 8.14
Phosban Reactor pH - 7.73

I wonder why the pH is lower coming out of the phosban reactor?

Randy - Can the media used to lower phosphate, lower the pH as well?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IME with some brands, it does not. But I have not tested Phosban specifically yet. However, if there is precipitation of CaCO3 inside the reactor, that would lower pH. Also, I presume the flow is quite slow in melev's reactor, or the pH could never drop that much. I use a Magnum to run GFO, and the flow is quite high (few gallons per minute), and in that case, I cannot believe there is a detectable pH drop.