PhosGuard

[Mostly Rock]

I've been using PhosGuard for a long time now. No problems, it's been great. My Phosphates peak @ .01 about once a month or two, then I change out my PhosGuard and the phosphates are undetectable for another month or so. My big problem is the cost. PhosGuard costs me about 85 bucks a bucket. Is there a less expensive solution? Any suggestions?
-Mike

[CarmieJo]

How about GFO from Bulk Reef Supply?

[AZDesertRat]

I like the GFO from BRS too. Aluminum products release contaminants when it reaches exhaustion while ferric or iron based products bind it so it does not get released.

[Mostly Rock]

OK, so is this just as easy to use? Should I use granular or pellet (I hope pellet, cause granular is out of stock) and how much should I get? how long does it last?

[CarmieJo]

It is pretty much a direct replacement for phosban. Are you using it it in a reactork?

[AZDesertRat]

I like the pellets myself, it does not clump up like the granular.

[Mostly Rock]

Yeah, I made a reactor out of an acrylic tube and a flange, I have a line branching off of my return pump (the one that returns water to the DT) that feeds into the bottom of the "reactor" and I have a fine mesh bag full of PhosGuard in there that forces the water to go through the PhosGuard before returning back to the "sump" (yeah, it's still technically a wet dry, I pull out 8 bio balls a week and I still haven't seen a dent in the bio ball population... But my nitrates are barely detectable these days so I am doing something right.)

[CarmieJo]

You could probably bump up the number of bioballs you are removing each time just so you reclaim the real estate in the sump.