phosban and reactor effluent

[Justjoe]

Here's a (blurry) picture of my Schuran Multifilter 100 (holds around 2litres of media total) that I use for phosphate remover and carbon.

Would there be any advantage to running a phosphate reactor with carbon prior to the GFO? Would that possibly make the GFO last longer?

If not, would it be better to run the GFO before the carbon which would possibly increase the lifespan of the of carbon?

I don't combine the two in one reactor since I don't know which has a longer life span, etc.
Joe

 

[simonh]

Joe,

I'm not sure if the carbon would have any effect on lifespan of the phosphate remover or vice-versa.

I did originally mix the 2 together but then decided this made it impossible to replace one before the other. So, I put the carbon at the top of the filter as I can open the top and pour that out and replace it around once a month or so, whereas I normally use the phosphate remover for a good few months. Two Schuran reactors would be getting a little excessive even for me

 

[Justjoe]

no, it's an iron based (ferric oxide) exchange resin

Habib/Randy,
With the use of GFO's, we talk about what it is removing (PO4, As, etc) but if its an exchange resin, what is it exchanging into the tank? Or is the PO4 simply bound by the GFO?
Thanks,
Joe

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Depending on the nature of the surface site that it is binding to, you might not release anything (that is, the site is an exposed iron ion) or you might exchange hydroxide (assuming the site is an iron ion that hs an attached hydroxide ion that is displaced. You might even displace two or three hydroxide ions.

On balance, I'd export more displacement of hydroxide than not, so I'd expect a tiny boost to alkalinity.

Habib certainly has more detailed information on this topic. Habib?

 

[Typhon]

Justjoe.. Have you had any issue with Ca depositing in the Phosphate reactor since you are running your Ca Reactor's effluents thru it?? Have you had any issue with the phosphate remover media clumping up??

 

[Typhon]

Can anyone answer my question??

TIA..

 

[Justjoe]

Can anyone answer my question??

TIA..

I had sent a reply but I guess it didn't get posted?
The question was:

"Justjoe.. Have you had any issue with Ca depositing in the Phosphate reactor since you are running your Ca Reactor's effluents thru it?? Have you had any issue with the phosphate remover media clumping up??"

Not at all, it seems to work better at the lower pH of the reactor effluent and doesn't clump at all.
The only times it clumps up with me is when its not reverse flow or too slow a reverse flow and it will form a brick when using the tank water.
Joe

 

[Typhon]

Joe.. thanks for the info..

I am thinking about running the effluent from my Ca reactor into my Phosphate reactor to remove the phosphate from the Ca reactor's media (ARMS).

 

[Justjoe]

Joe.. thanks for the info..

I am thinking about running the effluent from my Ca reactor into my Phosphate reactor to remove the phosphate from the Ca reactor's media (ARMS).

You'll be very glad you did, it won't be long until the reactor folks catch on and start selling a PO4 media vessel for their reactors.
It will also grab your tank PO4's as well, the reactor effluent will actually be lower then the tank levels even with the addition of the reactor media PO4.
Joe

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=2744029#post2744029 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justjoe
You'll be very glad you did, it won't be long until the reactor folks catch on and start selling a PO4 media vessel for their reactors.
It will also grab your tank PO4's as well, the reactor effluent will actually be lower then the tank levels even with the addition of the reactor media PO4.
Joe

this is an old thread, but it's where my search has taken me.
Unfortunately, I don't think many reactor folks have caught onto this yet.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=1232161#post1232161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drtango
I'm using a coralife "chemical reactor", available at pet warehouse, pet solutions etc, 29.95, hooked to an old maxijet with a small valve--perfect fluidization for the media.

this might be the most inexpensive solution for "nomal size" (ie:home) aquariums. How fast is the drip rate on your chemical reactor effluent, drtango?