Thinking of getting one. Is it a waste of money or will it be a good addition? I've been using PhosBan that's in a bag & I just placed it in my AC mech filter. That's all that's in there, no carbon or foam. so I was wondering if getting a reactor will help my tank.

TIA
John

a reactor will definately help. water will flow throught the media instead of just around it. if im not mistaken one is called passive filtration and the other is active filtration. could be wrong about the names but i definately think its worth it. i have two chambers. 1 for my rowaphos media and the other for carbon.

Is it necessary to have a phosphate reactor? Isn't it better to keep the bio-load low enough so that phosphates aren't a problem?

DJGonzo69 - would you have it on 24/7 or just when you have problem times?

Mahalo Mike.. So what pump/ powerhead do you use for your reactor. I read that it only requires about 90gph. From your use you have not experienced any leaks from the chamber? Do you use it as a hang on unit?
Do you fill the chamber full of the phosphate absorbing material?

TIA
John

Christi- Hi. I'm thinking of using it more as a added layer of filtration/protection from phosphates. I've had great success from just using Phosban in a bag, so I wanted a better way of using Phosban for my tanks. I guess I will have it on 24/7 if I do get it.
-John

personally i think they are a good investment.
i do agree with christi, that there are other ways to prevent/reduce PO4 (phosphate), but, they are helpful for getting things under control.
and when you are not having PO4 issues, you can always use them as a carbon filter.. :)

i forget what type of pump it is but the flow is pretty slow. i think it was the rio 900 or 600 or something... sorry and the comment rob made is true, when you done with the phosphate problem, use the reactor to run carbon.

i have the kent reactor and no leaks were a problem

Ever thought of making a PVC, Pre-filter/Pre-pump chamber for your return pump? A small length of PVC, drilled endcap to match the intake of your pump, a bag of any kind of media (Carbon, phosphate or nitrate sponge) and viola.. the water is forced through the media as it is pulled into the return pump....

D

Dave,
Do you think this will work???
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/gonzobatteries/PhosphateReactor.jpg

Yeah...looks like a typical "reactor" to me. But what I was getting at was more like this... in a sump system...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/pipepre.jpg

Where an open ended pipe, fitted to the intake of a pump, would force water through a media bag with media, and become more "Active" than "Passive".

D

Ahhh I see. You are making the water being sucked in to the open ended pipe more channeled to hit the media bag. The only thing is I don't have a sump. Good idea though.
Thx.

Dave - are there any problems with too fast of flow through carbon? Does it break it up at all?

Not in my system, but I only use carbon and that rig from time to time and not permanently... also, though I'm using a Mag7, I have it torqued down to about 2/3 the power because it is a seahorse tank....low flow needed.

D

(i know this tread is a couple of months old but i figure someone will read it)i bought the phosban reactor cause i had problems with nitrates.i filled it with nitrate sponge about 3 months ago and now my water quality is perfect ,and might i add that i tried everything to get rid of the nitrates and nothing seemed to work than the reactor.just figured i give a heads up to people interested in buying one it not only is good for phosphates but can be used for alot of other things .my friends uses his for a fluidized bed filter and had excellent results.

I am going to order a reactor more for carbon to help keep the water clarity up.
I think I am going to run chemi pure in it. I was wondering what the general consensus was so thanks for all the advise.

i love the term "reactor" .
anything can be a reactor as long as water flows through the media u have in it!
carbon, nitrate removers, phosphate removers in your case chemi pure( which blubber assures its an enzime only) i dont see why not. just remember they are used as a polish, cause if they are correctly used nothing gets past the matrix within. its indecriminant of removing & trapping the good stuff as well

I am going to order a reactor more for carbon to help keep the water clarity up.
I think I am going to run chemi pure in it. I was wondering what the general consensus was so thanks for all the advise.
i like chemi-pure. good product. but most people do not run carbon full time anymore. i do though...... on some of my tanks. i take it out of the bag when placing in reactor.

whats the difference between full time & quick polish in regards to u running both ways blubber. do u notice any major differences?

whats the difference between full time & quick polish in regards to u running both ways blubber. do u notice any major differences?
well, the ones with chemi-pure full time does seem to maintain a little lower NO3 level. but the most noticeable difference is that there is less of a "fishy" smell, and the water look less yellow and does sparkle more. also, there may be a little less fluctuation in ammonia when i occasionally overclean when i'm bored.

wow, thats a big overclean to notice an ammonia spike soon after....lol
u take spring cleaning to a new level

wow, thats a big overclean to notice an ammonia spike soon after....lol
u take spring cleaning to a new level
well, stuff happens when i wait for a reply to post in the middle of the night! lol :cool:

Does anyone run Phosban or anything similar?

well, stuff happens when i wait for a reply to post in the middle of the night! lol :cool:

yeah, i bet, also at this time of day though i can retrive my pager blubber, its a filter thing the server at work.

Does anyone run Phosban or anything similar?

yeah, i run PO4 removing media through a canister filter when needed! thats my reactor chamber...lol

Does anyone run Phosban or anything similar?

i run rowaphos.

Does anyone run Phosban or anything similar?
i use Power-Phos from KENT.

I run Rowaphos. In a deltec reactor full time. I change it every month and a half.
I also run RowaCarbon in a reactor also.

how much do you use shawn? i also run mine 24/7 in my 75 and i change it 2x a month. is that too soon? i have little to no phosphate reading using salifert.

Both reactors are full to the top. I was told by Dan at deltec to change when Phosphates are just starting to be detected. I have 3 reactors inline 1st Rowephos 2nd Kent Nitrate Sponge 3rd RowaCarbon.

wow, maybe i can up my dosage slowly, ive heard when using too much rowaphos it can dramaticly bring down your ph for a little while.

I monitor PH daily with a probe and I havn't seen any problems.

I just got my Phos-reactor & phosban today. Will be setting it up tonight.
Is it good to rinse the phosban in r/o water first , so that the initial cycle of the reactor will not brown my water?

Thx,
john

The directions say you dont have to , but it will brown the water. The brown water isn't going to harm the tank. I did find it hard to rinse in the reactor.

The directions say you dont have to , but it will brown the water. The brown water isn't going to harm the tank. I did find it hard to rinse in the reactor.
actually, i tried to rinse it once and gave up because it never seemed to get any better. the brown in the tank does clear up. carbon will speed up the clearing process too.

It's up & running & it's working like a charm...pics to come.
-John

It's up & running & it's working like a charm...pics to come.
-John
DJ, what reactor you end up buying?

FW I got the Two little fishes one. Here are the pics...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/gonzobatteries/Phosreactor1.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/gonzobatteries/Phosreactor2.jpg

I run Phosguard by Seachem and Purigen in my HOB. I am thinking of the reactor route though. What kind of pump are you all using? Also flow.

Thanks

I run Phosguard by Seachem and Purigen in my HOB. I am thinking of the reactor route though. What kind of pump are you all using? Also flow.

Thanks
i don't know the flowrate requirement for the one that DJ is using, but i think the the one from Kent calls for flow of 75-150 gph. my kent uses a Rio 90

I have a small PH that puts out 100GPH. It works great with the Phos reactor.

DJGonzo69, i just ordered that same reactor. by reading your threads i am assuming you are happy with it? and did you have to do anything specail to it to get it to work well? just wondering i should have mine this weekend and i am looking forward to having something esle hanging near my tank :) lol

Wes,
You just need I think a 1/4in tubing for the input & output valves.
I also added a L-fitting so that the tubing don't have to bend. It helps
adjust where you want the tubes to come down in your tank. That's about it. did you get Phos-ban or Rowa-Phos as the media? Have fun!

-john

i'm not really looking forward to installing this thing lol ( looking forward to using it ) but when i placed the tank i set it away from the wall enuff for the clearance for the skimmer which is like 3 inches well i read this 150 has a footprint of 4 1/5 inches. in which case i will have to hang it in the closet behind my tank and run as short as possible lines to the tank lol and for the media i havnt ordered any yet. i was going to ask you, the media they "suggest" does that work off of so much per gallon? thanks for the info im really looking forward to getting this thing.

Wes,
You just need I think a 1/4in tubing for the input & output valves.
I also added a L-fitting so that the tubing don't have to bend. It helps
adjust where you want the tubes to come down in your tank. That's about it. did you get Phos-ban or Rowa-Phos as the media? Have fun!

-john
DJ, i have never use that reactor, but the last time i looked at one.......i thought i was 1/2 inch. can you confirm the diameter required for tubing and valves?

i am pretty sure its 1/2 i overlooked it earlier. the one i ordered states 1/2 anyways.

I just checked the tubing & it is 1/2inch tubing.

Wes,
so did you get your phos reactor? How is it?

no i havnt received mine yet. it should be here on monday but well see the place that i ordered from takes awhile to get stuff. he is in between supliers right now :) southeast ohio its hard to find good salt stock.. :) i cant want though :)

Hey i finally went a picked up my reacter lol

i soaked down the phosban before turning it on. now will it make my water cloudy brown? its not on right now because i want to make sure the cloudy water wont kill anything. i dont think it will but i want to make sure. John did yours do that too?

I have used PhosBan, PowerPhos, and RowaPhos in my Kent Marine reactor. It wasn't until I switched to RowaPhos that my phospate level dropped to unmeasurable. Of course RowaPhos is by far the most expensive!

I lightly rinse the media under RO/DI water using a very fine net I have. Even so, the output water will be brown for a bit. I was always getting some very small particles of media coming out of the output side (even with low flow), so I use the same fine net to catch them for the first few minutes of operation. I tried attaching a media bag to the output tube, but found that they fill with air and tend to clog quickly, which increased the back pressure on the reactor. This slowed down the flow and eventually caused small leaks. I removed the bag, and the flow returned and the leaks stopped. Live and learn!

The brown went away faster than it came. i am using phosban right now alittle more than recommended so well see how that works..

also i heard a roomer here localy that you can add more then one diferent type of media to the reacter and kill a few birds with one stone. has anyone every tried this or is it even worth it?

I wouldn't. One of the things you need to be careful of is the media you are using in the reactor staying intact. Too much flow, or media of different sizes and density, could cause some of the media to get crushed or grinded into something which can flow out of the reactor and into the tank. I know there is a warning on the label for Phosban cautioning against too high of a flow rate for this reason. The last thing you want to do is grind up the media that has absorbed you phosphate and put it back in the tank, IMO.

Wes,
When I turned on the flow it will cloud your water even after rinsing the media. It will not harm any stock. The brown water cleared up I think with in a few hours.

yea after i let it run i stop worriing about it. but it probably cleared up within 20 minutes..

i do like it alot. i havnt ran it enuff to test the diference. but it added a place for me to dose kalk. :)