Phosphate Reactor Placement

[fluidimagery]

With all this recent talk about phosphate meters etc I got into thinking about my current setup and how effectively I'm using my phosban reactors.

I'm running a phosban reactor with 150g of phosban in my 130g system. I have an MJ900 T'd off feeding both the phosban reactor with phosban and another phosban reactor with ESV carbon. I think the flow I have going through them is fine. However I have both of the reactors in my return section of my sump but the MJ900 is on the opposite side of the intake for my external return pump.

I'm wondering how effective the reactors are since the feed isn't in direct line of new water and may be recycling some of the same water...

I may have answered my own question but am wondering if it makes much of a difference.

The only concern I have about moving the pump closer to the intake are the pods. I've noticed quite a few pods that whind up inside of the reactors walking around on the different media and I could only imagine it being worse when it's closer to the intake. I have a pair of mandarins in the display and although they're on frozen foods, I'm sure they'd love a good supply of pods.

Thanks

 

[fritz]

I like to have mine grab some post skimmer water before the return pump. I keep mine daisy chained, one MJ 900 feeds the carbon reactor and the outlet is the input of my phosban reactor.

 

[fluidimagery]

interesting idea with the daisy chaining them. I hadn't thought of that.

I think I'll move the pump next to the intake to try to optimize the efficiency.

 

[fritz]

Yeah give it a shot. I draw in post skimmer and exit by the return pump.