Phosphate Reactor?

[SnowManSnow]

HOw many of you guys use a phophate reactor to remove phosphates from your system?

Is it somthing that you're glad you picked up... or is it just somthing that is hyped in the industry?

They don't appear to be very expensive, and it looks like one could be made DIY fairlyl simply and quickly.

Thoughts?
Suggestions?

B

 

[AlrightCool]

I have the same question i too was at the LFS looking at one they really arent that expensive ...does it really help?

 

[AlrightCool]

I have the same question i too was at the LFS looking at one they really arent that expensive ...does it really help?

 

[Anonymous]

I really do think they help a lot. Marcus was having a hair algae problem in his reef despite new bulbs, new ro/di, bigger skimmer, better flow, ect. Just couldn't get rid of it until he started running phosban. The algae is totally gone, the result of a comprehensive algae attack plan that included the phosban (I don't want to say it is an algae cure or anything).

So I bought one and like it very much, there isn't anything special there, just an easy way to run media on your tank. They are inexpensive and easy to use. I put carbon and phosban in mine, didn't realize that my water was a bit dingy until I saw it had become crystal clear soon after hooking up the "reactor".

 

[LA-Lawman]

i use a reactor. a rather large one. i had a spflow built by reefmania.net, the thing works great.

i have a 180g tank..so i use alot of media.

 

[SnowManSnow]

im facing the same sort of thing. stinking hair algae.. I've been upping water changes for the last month, replaced RODI, and all that sort of thing. Maybe I'll try to pick one up.

Isn't it basically just a tube that feeds from the bottom and forces water through the sponge?

B

 

[Snowboarda42]

if it is, it'd be way easy to make a DIY model...

 

[bleedingthought]

i have a 180g tank..so i use alot of media.

How much and how often?

 

[Anonymous]

i

Isn't it basically just a tube that feeds from the bottom and forces water through the sponge?

B

Yeah, it is just a tube that water flows through. A pump sends the water to the bottom of the chamber and it flows up through the media and into the tank. The sponge keeps the phosphate remover from getting into the tank.

They are really just like a simple mini canister filter, something to put chemical media in that will allow water to flow through.

 

[LA-Lawman]

i have a 180g tank..so i use alot of media.

How much and how often?

well,

the idea is to run 1g per gallon of saltwater in your system. so 100g for 100g of saltwater. but you need to take into account the current phosphate reading, current load of fish (if you have more fish then you need more media to maintain a zero reading).

I use about 1500g. but i also dont need to change the media for almost a year. my reactor is really efficient. so i get max use of the media.

it is important to run the media so that the surface is barely in motion. a slight tumbling for lack of other words. if the media is in constant motion then you get alot of bypass. the media crushes and then pollutes the tanks causing all sorts of havoc.

i can run 2400g of media in my reactor (reefmania.net - fmr1) http://www.reefmania.net/fmr1.php

 

[bleedingthought]

i have a 180g tank..so i use alot of media.

How much and how often?

well,

the idea is to run 1g per gallon of saltwater in your system. so 100g for 100g of saltwater. but you need to take into account the current phosphate reading, current load of fish (if you have more fish then you need more media to maintain a zero reading).

I use about 1500g. but i also dont need to change the media for almost a year. my reactor is really efficient. so i get max use of the media.

it is important to run the media so that the surface is barely in motion. a slight tumbling for lack of other words. if the media is in constant motion then you get alot of bypass. the media crushes and then pollutes the tanks causing all sorts of havoc.

i can run 2400g of media in my reactor (reefmania.net - fmr1) http://www.reefmania.net/fmr1.php

Almost a year!?!?! 8O 8O 8O

Do you ever get gunk build-up? Do you ever clean it before changing it out?