| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
love2skiutah 
Guest
Joined: May 25 2012
Location: Centerville
Status: Offline
Points: 1229
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: Need some opinions on Phosphate
Posted: March 21 2013 at 10:15pm |
As some of you know, I'm in the middle of a 400 gallon mixed reef build. Currently, I have a 120 and right now I use phosban in a bag and just place it in my sump. It's worked fine, but I don't have much of a bio load either. Of course with this new build, I have been doing lots of research on phosphate reactors. The gentleman who is helping me build the tank, told me that I would be much better off doing the bags again and placing them in a spot he specifically designed for the bags to sit in the sump. He said that I will get more water flow over the bags, than if I run a phosphate reactor. He told me that 90% of the water that runs through my sump will cross over the bags. Theoretically in my mind, I guess it makes sense, but I would love some opinions on this. He could easily be trying to sell me a reactor and he's not. He's pushing me into this idea, so I kind of feel like he knows what he is talking about, but I still feel very hesitant on this one.
Edited by love2skiutah - March 21 2013 at 10:21pm
|
 |
kody72
Guest
Joined: October 05 2009
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1466
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 21 2013 at 10:25pm |
|
id go with the reactor when you have the phosphate in check you can dial it back and your set. over time the other method will clog up and possible flood that chamber or even the sump and become less efficient and more of a head ache then its worth imo
|
|
|
|
love2skiutah
Guest
Joined: May 25 2012
Location: Centerville
Status: Offline
Points: 1229
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 21 2013 at 10:33pm |
 kody72 wrote:
id go with the reactor when you have the phosphate in check you can dial it back and your set. over time the other method will clog up and possible flood that chamber or even the sump and become less efficient and more of a head ache then its worth imo |
hmm... That makes sense.
|
|
laynframe
Guest
Joined: May 17 2009
Location: north ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1062
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 6:59am |
|
Reactor. Put a 200 gph pump on it and that forces your total volume through it every 2 to 3 hours. I think a reactor Is better because your pushing the water through the media and I think your media with remove more phosphates do to better contact time with your media. Just throwing a bag in a high flow area just doesn't cut it for me.
|
|
The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!!
|
|
Ann_A
Guest
Joined: August 18 2011
Location: Kaysville, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 2767
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 7:27am |
|
I also believe phosphate media is best run in a reactor. I'd run GFO (other media works too) in a reactor with about 200gph flow through it. As laynframe said, this was you can dial in the flow to what is best for the media and adjust as necessary as time passes.
I also agree that putting the bags in the sump is a risky move because of flooding. If 90% of the water is flowing through there and that chamber is clogged, then a lot of water has no where to go except out of the sump. It just seems like a mix for disaster to me if you're not very careful.
|
|
|
|
JohnnyHeavens
Guest
Joined: January 02 2013
Location: Riverton
Status: Offline
Points: 733
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 8:04am |
I'd love to see the sump design incorporating the GFO as part of the plan. It sounds great if you don't have the room/cash for a reactor. I'm not sure how real the "90%" part is but if you were getting even most of your water to run through GFO all the time then I'll bet that's just as good as a reactor treating only 200-400gph. As to the flood, I'm sure it can be done without causing an overflow (we do it with filter socks don't we?) but my understanding is that there is generally much better media exposure in a reactor as it will gently tumbles/rotates the media when setup correctly. I've only recently brought my GFO and Carbon reactors online. Before I was using a couple long mesh socks laying inline of my water flow on top of foam blocks. When I'd replace the media there was always some at the center that seemed "cleaner" and from looking at it I assume it wasn't fully spent when I tossed it out. The cost of GFO isn't a deal breaker but if it's in the system then I'd like it to be doing it's job.
Edited by JohnnyHeavens - March 22 2013 at 8:05am
|
|
@Home
300g System 150g-Cube Reef+60g Frag+WaterChange
150g Tall FOWLR RIP
@Work RSM 130D w/LEDs
txt anytime @ eightO1-seven5five-eighteen99
Scuba! PADI Pro DM/AI/TecDeep
NSS/CDS-Full Cave Diver
|
|
love2skiutah
Guest
Joined: May 25 2012
Location: Centerville
Status: Offline
Points: 1229
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 8:25am |
JohnnyHeavens wrote:
I'd love to see the sump design incorporating the GFO as part of the plan. It sounds great if you don't have the room/cash for a reactor. I'm not sure how real the "90%" part is but if you were getting even most of your water to run through GFO all the time then I'll bet that's just as good as a reactor treating only 200-400gph. As to the flood, I'm sure it can be done without causing an overflow (we do it with filter socks don't we?) but my understanding is that there is generally much better media exposure in a reactor as it will gently tumbles/rotates the media when setup correctly. I've only recently brought my GFO and Carbon reactors online. Before I was using a couple long mesh socks laying inline of my water flow on top of foam blocks. When I'd replace the media there was always some at the center that seemed "cleaner" and from looking at it I assume it wasn't fully spent when I tossed it out. The cost of GFO isn't a deal breaker but if it's in the system then I'd like it to be doing it's job.
|
Thinking about it, it makes more sense in my mind to force the media to tumble. The cost of the reactors is nothing compared to what I'm spending on this build, so to me it's about the most effective way. Thanks for the response.
|
|
Aquatic Evolution
Pet Store
Joined: July 07 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1332
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 2:59pm |
|
Read the second to latest Coral magazine, "Old tank Syndrome' article. Then decide... GFO is not the best option IMO. I've preached this for years, so it is nice to see it in print finally. Do use reactor, but don't tumble it. It will grind away.. Not all reactors are created equal though
Free online to read it
|
|
|
|
Aquatic Evolution
Pet Store
Joined: July 07 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1332
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 3:12pm |
|
Breeding Arts Issue Volume 10 #1
|
|
|
|
Bryce
Guest
Joined: May 25 2012
Location: Lehi
Status: Offline
Points: 1113
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 3:12pm |
|
seems like they want $10 to read old issues
|
|
65g Reef
|
|
Aquatic Evolution
Pet Store
Joined: July 07 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1332
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 3:17pm |
|
|
|
|
|
Bryce
Guest
Joined: May 25 2012
Location: Lehi
Status: Offline
Points: 1113
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 3:18pm |
That issue has an article on phosphate build "old tank syndrome" up but after talking to you at the shop I think you were referring to the article in the Giant clam issue on "phosphate binders" on page 114 http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/reef_to_rainforest.aspx?eid=c146e526-7395-4a3d-acb1-20467af8d642
Edited by Bryce - March 23 2013 at 6:32pm
|
|
65g Reef
|
|
Bryce
Guest
Joined: May 25 2012
Location: Lehi
Status: Offline
Points: 1113
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 3:18pm |
haha im slow 
|
|
65g Reef
|
|
Aquatic Evolution
Pet Store
Joined: July 07 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1332
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 22 2013 at 3:21pm |
Admitting it is the first step to getting over it.
|
|
|
|
laynframe
Guest
Joined: May 17 2009
Location: north ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1062
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 24 2013 at 8:05pm |
|
Ive actually talked with tyler at elite about building a sump with built in reactors for different things, but he has to build for a mass market and a sump with built in reactors is a tiny market. He did build a sump with a built in calcium reactor that was way cool.
|
|
The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!!
|
|
JohnnyHeavens
Guest
Joined: January 02 2013
Location: Riverton
Status: Offline
Points: 733
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 26 2013 at 9:14am |
|
Both articles are good reads.
|
|
@Home
300g System 150g-Cube Reef+60g Frag+WaterChange
150g Tall FOWLR RIP
@Work RSM 130D w/LEDs
txt anytime @ eightO1-seven5five-eighteen99
Scuba! PADI Pro DM/AI/TecDeep
NSS/CDS-Full Cave Diver
|
|
