When you fill up your Phosban Reactor...

melev

melev

Well-known member
I was wondering how you guys rinse the media. Tonight, I had to pull out both Phosban Reactors from my sump, empty, rinse, refill and then run water through them to remove the fines.

Well, since I'd just cleand the powerhead to the two reactors less than 2 weeks ago, I didn't feel like pulling it out of the sump. The new TLF Phosban Reactors have those nice rubber elbow boots that pop right off the nipple, so I just tugged them off and took the reactor to clean it out and refill it. The pump just kept running, pushing water out and into the sump again.

Once the reactor was refilled (Pura Phoslock), I reconnected the rubber boot and the reactor filled up with blood red water. I just added more tubing to the output, and placed a bucket next to the sump for it to reactor to drain into. After a few gallons had passed through, the reactor was clear again. I removed the excess tubing and pointed the output back into the sump for normal operations.

Do any of you do anything similar, or do you pull out the entire setup and run it in a different container/tank/bucket to get the Rowaphos/Phosban/Silphos/GFO rinsed out thoroughly? This just seemed like a simpler method tonight.
 
That's basically what I do. I have the old style, so I do need to pull it out to refill it. But then I just hook it back up and redirect the output hose into a bucket next to the sump until it runs clear. Then fill up the sump with new SW. Basically a little 5 gal water change.
 
same here....I do it the exact same way and use a filter sock on the end when it's back into the sump.
 
Since my tank is in my living room I generally don't like hoses running from my sump out into the room. So I take the reactor(the newer model) and pump out and let it run for a day or so in a tub of WC water.

Phil
 
Thanks guys. In the past, I'd unhook the whole thing, refill and then hang it on a bucket filled with 4g of RO/DI water and let the pump suck that in and pour it through the media, and the output would pour into a separate bucket. This seemed easier, and like you said, it was a small water change at the same time.
 
It pulls out phosphate from the water. Some of us have too many fish or feed too much, and this adds to PO4 in the water. Since this is the SPS forum, I imagine you have SPS corals. They grow in pristine water that is PO4-free.

PO4 is fuel for algae growth too. Ideally, we all want to maintain 0 phosphate.
 
I would run Phosban more if it wasnt such a pain to replace. I've got the older style reactor with the 5,000 Nylon Screws!!. Broke 4 of the screws, now I have 4, 996 and 4 Stainless screws.
Seriously, I hate it, but the stuff really works. So I will be getting one of the newer reactors.
Anyway, when I do it, I rinsed the media in the sink using RO water. Worked pretty easy, I've heard how others do it with tank water from a water change. Good idea, but not as eay for my situation.
 
I'm running a phosban reactor with phosban. I'm curious how much phosban you all use. I use one of the 150 gallon containers. Is there a way to run less? That stuff is mega $$$.
 
Basically, you run as much as you need. Nice answer, right? ;) I read a thread in this forum where some are using 3 teaspoons worth, which is like taking an aspirin, crushing it under your heel and licking up a couple of specks of dust for a headache - in my humble opinion. When I have a headache, I need maximum strength. :D

So I usually put in 12 heaping teaspoons per reactor for a 330g system. That equals about 1.5" to 2" of media per reactor. You need to use enough to treat your system, but using less is always wiser than overdosing. RHF has an article about Granular Ferric Oxide that discusses coral bleaching, and recommends increasing the dosage slowly.

For a long time, I only used one reactor and PO4 refused to come down because there was too much water volume and not nearly enough media. Once I got a second one, I was better able to wage war on the stuff.

The newer version of those reactors are really great. 1/4-twist and the lid is off. The rubber boots at the nipples are much nicer than having tubing going straight up and then down in to the sump.
 
I borrowed a reactor from a fellow reefer. I then ordered one for myself. I like the newer version MUCH better.

Ok, so I'm probably overdosing my tank. How do I know this for sure? As I said I use one full container in the reactor. I actually have about 240 gallons of water in my system. So maybe I need to try the 6 heaping teaspoons next time. That would sure save a lot on the Phosban!
 
There is no way you are overdosing your tank with one container that treats 150g if you have 240g of water. You pretty much don't have enough.

I've been using Pura Phoslock for the past couple of months because I can buy it locally with a club discount. The first container said it would treat up to 900g. Sure, if there no phosphates. Try using that on a tank full of phosphate, and you'll quickly realize it barely treats 300g for a month. Last night I just polished off a larger container that promised to treat 2500g. :rolleyes: I think I got 6 reactors worth of media out of it, over a 6 week period.

The good news is that once you've got them down, it won't take much media to keep them down and that media will last longer. How do you know when it is exhausted? Test the PO4 of the tank, and then test the effluent of the reactor and see if it is less than the tank, or equal to the tank. It should come out zero when it is working and if your flow is slow enough.
 
DrBDC, I actually ordered from them a few weeks ago. I realized after my order arrived that I forgot to add that to my order. Glad to hear it's still on sale. I may jump on that. I think I still have 1 or 2 containes left.
 
melev, you are using 12 heaping teaspoons of the Phoslock. How much actual phosban did you use? WE measured it out and 12 spoons would be about 1/2 of what we are using right now.
 
Phosban is different consistency, but I still used about the same amount. I still think you aren't going to see results (or at least slower results) using so little product for so much water.

You can use 1" worth, changing it each week. That would be safe, not bleach the corals, and gradually bring it down. It'll take months. What is your current PO4 reading?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6232935#post6232935 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Phosban is different consistency, but I still used about the same amount. I still think you aren't going to see results (or at least slower results) using so little product for so much water.

You can use 1" worth, changing it each week. That would be safe, not bleach the corals, and gradually bring it down. It'll take months. What is your current PO4 reading?
Click to expand...

I just tested everything. I use Salifert test kits.
PO4 between 0.1-0.25
CA 400
KH 9.9
Nitrates around 15
 
melev, I'm fine usig more product to see the results. I thought maybe I was over doing it adding one full container.
 
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