Phosphate Removing Filter Pads - Pura / Acurel - Do they Work?

[that Fish Guy]

Do these Phosphate Removing Filter Pads work?

Pura Filtration Pad
Acurel Phosphate Reducer Pad

http://www.marinedepot.com/PURA_Fil...edia-Magnavore_(PURA)-MN3311-FIFMMEPM-vi.html

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=28057

Have you tried them out?

What are your Thoughts on them Good or Bad?

If you know of a Better Brand of Phosphate Removing Filter Pads please Post which Brand you Recommend and Why.

I have included a Poll.

Please vote on if you use them or not?

 

[doctorwhoreefer]

I use Poly-filter, which does absorb phosphates, but I do not purposely use it for that reason.

 

[that Fish Guy]

I use Poly-filter, which does absorb phosphates, but I do not purposely use it for that reason.

What other reasons do you use the Poly-Filter for?

Do you have a link to where I can buy them?

How do they differ from the two Pads that I listed here?

 

[that Fish Guy]

Anybody else have any thought on these products?

Good or Bad.

 

[jason2459]

Expensive gfo and gac IMO. I would use bulk media like from bulkreefsupply in a reactor, media bag in a sump, or even a canister filter before using those pads full-time.

 

[that Fish Guy]

Expensive gfo and gac IMO. I would use bulk media like from bulkreefsupply in a reactor, media bag in a sump, or even a canister filter before using those pads full-time.

The Reason that I want to use them is that I do not have a Fancy GFO Reactor.

I was using GFO in a Tetra "Hang on the Back" Cascading Freshwater Filter where I mixed it in the Filter Pad with the Carbon.

My Corals seemed to use Color so I stopped.

I was told by one person that the GFO was getting into the Aquarium since it was not contained.

So I hoped to give these Pads a try instead to see if they worked.

 

[jason2459]

Did you rinse the carbon and gfo until you saw no more fines?

 

[that Fish Guy]

Did you rinse the carbon and gfo until you saw no more fines?

As best I could.

You could sit there for hours shaking the Filter Pad under water and some would still come out.

 

[that Fish Guy]

OK, I know that these Filter Pads are not as effective as GFO.

So my last question is are they safer than GFO in a Tetra "Hang on the Back" Freshwater Filter?

Please see the Pics below to see what I am going to be putting the Filter Pads in if I try these Pads if you are unfamiliar with the Filter that I use (Most people do not use it in Saltwater Aquariums but a Zillion People use them in Freshwater).

I stopped using GFO before because someone posted that I was getting GFO into my System which caused my Corals to "Fade" in color.

He stated that I needed GFO in a Reactor which would keep it contained and Not allow it into the Aquarium.

So am I guaranteed that the Filter Pads would cause me no harm?

That is why I posted this Thread.

Otherwise I would continue GFO but stopped because that is the only option I have of using GFO.

 

[jason2459]

GFO is just fine as long as you rinse it fully same with a good quality GAC. I would also guess it was your low quality GAC causing more issues then the GFO.

Those pads AFAIK are just gfo and gac pressed into that polyfiber. So they are just as safe. I would rather get some BRS rox GAC, place into a bag,rinse it out (do not handle GAC roughly ) , and place into that filter. Then also figure out with one of those Hanna phosphate egg shape testers if you really need gfo or not. If your phosphates are high then add some gfo in via the same method. I like the BRS high capacity. Both the rox gac and high capacity gfo have a very small amount of fines to be rinsed.

I would also look at carbon dosing, I like vinager, to help maintain the lower phosphate levels and remove the gfo.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index...ar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium

 

[Rutrag]

I can't really speak 100% to their effectiveness, but I use one in my 40 where I don't have space to install a reactor. I will say they will make a skimmer go nuts for several hours once installed.

 

[exray]

I've used the Pura Filtration Pad in my all-n-one 75gallon and It worked great, however when I didn't have I could the differences. So I'd yes the Pura Filtration Pad works I will use again. U can cut it to fit

 

[doctorwhoreefer]

What other reasons do you use the Poly-Filter for?

Do you have a link to where I can buy them?

How do they differ from the two Pads that I listed here?

http://www.polybiomarine.com/
They're kinda big in Europe, it's like purigen mixed with gac with gfo with cuprisorb/chemipure elite. I haven't done any testing to see phosphate reduction but I would guess it's not as effective with it. It seems to be pretty effective for other things, and then really effective at organics. I feel my first Triton test would have come back with aluminum AND copper in the red if I didn't run this stuff.(it absorbs both) The levels were elevated into the yellow zone, I believe this was the black sand I had. I'll find out within another month probably when I get the other test done after the new sand has been in for awhile. As a side note, I use it in my skimmer output to catch biopellet reactor bacteria and as a semi-mechanical filter for things the skimmer doesn't skim out.

It's not too expensive if you buy in bulk, but it's not super cheap. I feel it's a good all around material though.

This was the cheapest I could find it when I checked a couple months ago. I think I'm set for a year now lol..
http://www.amazon.com/Polybio-Poly-...F8&qid=1419965614&sr=8-6&keywords=poly+filter

 

[jason2459]

I've used those polyfilter pads in emergencies before. I recommend that they at least be kept on hand for those situations.