Phosban reactor advice

McBeck

McBeck

Premium Member
I am considering the addition of a Phosban reactor. I've never used one before and thought I would see if you guys like them and if they are easy to introduce.

I've read that you should start slow when adding one to a system, and that the flow needs to be kept low but not so low as to allow the media to harden.

Does anyone have the Idiot's Guide to Installing and Running a Phosban Reactor? :)

For those with reactors, do you run Phosban 24/7, or do you run it occasionally? Do you mix carbon w/ the phosban? Is phosban your preferred media brand? Any tips for success? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood? :D
 
It's pretty easy. Just hook a maxijet 400 up to it. Get it running where the top kind of rolls around. Don't go too low or it will solidify. Too fast and some say it will break apart and let small particles through the sponges. Also run tank water through it until the red stops coming out the outlet tube from the iron dust. I saw no reaction from starting it and I started with the whole jar but that's on 235 gallons total system volume. My phosphates were 2+ as well when I started. I run 24/7. Don't mix carbon with it because unless you have high phosphates and use the available surface boding sites up, it will last much longer than carbon which should be changed 1X a week or so depending on who you ask. The phosban can go for 2-3 months. I probably go 2 weeks on the carbon most of the time. I use anothe phosban for carbon as well but with a mj750 (I think that's what it is). The carbon can have a higher flow which is why I run it on another powerhead vs. just plumbing them in serial. I like the phoban or any GFO (Granular Ferric Oxide) and would never touch an aluminum based one or even let it in my house! :lol:
 
Thanks for the info! Did you put any additional filter floss into your reactor to prevent the media from entering the tank? I've read a few posts where people say the phosban will escape through the provided sponge.
 
I've had no problems and I keep it rolling pretty good. I do turn the output around and let all the red color stop flowing first though. I'll guess I run about 2 gallons of tank water through it. Maybe less.
 
I'm running a reactor on my 100. I use 2 of the 150 gram bottles of Phosban at a time, and my PO4 measures .03 with a Deltec test kit. It's taken some time, but my algae problems have definitely improved with its use.

Very easy to set up and use. . .DrBDC covered all the bases.

:D
 
I went through 4 or 5 phosban can's. I never could get it down under 1 on my Red Sea test kit. I was getting upset. I was limiting feeding etc. I bought a Salifert test and it was .03. Don't get me started on Red Sea test kits now. But I did start very high and I was using less phosban than I should but not by much. Now I'm showing 0, maybe a little more but not up to the .03 for sure. Finally I can go longer without changing the phosban. Enen showing 0 on the Salifert it still shows between .1 and .5 on the red sea. I think I trust (or want to) the Salifert more because it didn't make any sense. Even fresh ro/di shows it that high on the Red Sea.
 
test the output of the reactor only not the tank water


output should be 0 if it is higher than that time to change the phosban

also i use a mini jet 404 on phosban reactor

and use a maxi-jet 1200 on deltec reactor
 
The Red Sea test kit is not always accurate. The Phosban reactor works great, is easy to use, and change the media every two weeks. You won't be disappointed. By the way, Marine Solutions has a test kit that is great. I don't know the manufacturer, but the test kit comes with little silver pouches that the testing chemical comes in.
 
Thanks for the tip! I have to confess I'm a Salifert snob. I know it's a little more expensive, but I trust their accuracy and it's worth it for me. :)
 
Drbdc,
What is the reason you don't use the aluminum based products? I've heard that the ferric based will leach phosphates back into the system and the aluminum can initially adversely affect some softies. Has this been your experience?
Thanks, Tim
 
Time wise go by the effluent readings. There is a strong possiblility of any fluidized media releasing what it captures when all the available bonding sites are full. Not so much releasing but not absorbing. Now if the media begins to break down then there could be release. Aluminum concentrations are a concern in even most salt mixes and they can rise extremely high with aluminum based phosphate absorbers and that initial release could be a problem with the corals(which may be lessened by a good flow through with tank water straight to the drain). I just avoid the aluminum completely which is one of my major problems with the zeovit system. It's def. a debatable subject. Here is a good article on iron based phosphate absorbers:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.php
 
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