Post Phosban experiences and pictures here.

[Corpus Callosum]

Hello all,

Not long ago, Joe Yaiullio of Atlantis Aquarium was kind enough to make us aware of the new phosphate sponges available. The new line of sponges are iron-based, while the other previously available phosphate sponges were aluminum-based. The 2 new products available are Rowaphos and Phosban. Salifert is also working on releasing their version of the iron-based version as well. Per request, Les of Fishy Inc. has recently made the Phosban locally available to us, if anyone is interested in trying it out.

If you are running any Phosban or Rowaphos, please post here stating how you are using it in your system, what effect you have noticed, how long you've been running it, how much you have been running, and any changes you've noticed in the media itself. If you have any other information which you think is important post that as well.

I will start things off; I recently purchased a 150 gram container of PhosBan (made by Two Little Fishies, Julian Sprung's company). I have an old Eheim 2017 canister filter which I will be cleaning out and connecting to my system. In the canister filter I will run nothing except carbon and the PhosBan. I will take pictures and keep posting updates as I move along.

- Mike

[Justjoe]

Hello,
If you haven't used carbon in awhile or your carbon is old, be careful of coral bleaching due to increased light penetration. Both products will work very well at removing any yellowing compounds. Even if you think your tank isn't yellow, be wary and watch for the early signs of bleaching, you may need to raise your lights or shade them, etc.
Joe

[JB NY]

I am using Rowaphos. It put 500ml on my 180g tank on 3/7. I have a lifereef sump setup, that has it's own canister filters, basically just an acrylic tube with a sponge on the end to hold media in. Water is pumped from the top to exit out the bottom. So far I have not noticed anything dramatic. I definitely see my cyno problems drying back. It is nowhere near what it was a week ago, but it's still easily visible.

I have noticed the media is becoming harder to pass water through. I have a slow flow going through the canister. The rowaphos only fills a little under half the canister filer, which is clear. When I first started using the rowaphos the water level was only an inch above the top of the media. It a slowly been moving up, meaning the water is having a harder time passing through the filter. The water line is presently about 4 inches above the media.

I am using a dual chamber Ca reactor, kalkwasser, and carbon. I run ozone regularly to clean up the water, so my clarity is pretty good. I have not seen any bleaching effects, but Joe's warning should be headed. Last year I aggressively used carbon and ozone to clean up my water and lots of corals partially bleached.

[Justjoe]

Originally posted by JB NY
I am using Rowaphos. It put 500ml on my 180g tank on 3/7. I have a lifereef sump setup, that has it's own canister filters, basically just an acrylic tube with a sponge on the end to hold media in. Water is pumped from the top to exit out the bottom. So far I have not noticed anything dramatic. I definitely see my cyno problems drying back. It is nowhere near what it was a week ago, but it's still easily visible.

I have noticed the media is becoming harder to pass water through. I have a slow flow going through the canister. The rowaphos only fills a little under half the canister filer, which is clear. When I first started using the rowaphos the water level was only an inch above the top of the media. It a slowly been moving up, meaning the water is having a harder time passing through the filter. The water line is presently about 4 inches above the media.


Joe,
Is the canister filter you mentioned a closed vessel (under pressure flow) or open top? If open top, my guess is it will very soon be overflowing as the water can't get through.
Joe

[JB NY]

Originally posted by Justjoe
Joe,
Is the canister filter you mentioned a closed vessel (under pressure flow) or open top? If open top, my guess is it will very soon be overflowing as the water can't get through.
Joe

It's closed and under pressure.

Here is a pic from their website.
http://www.lifereef.com/lg_filtr.gif

[Stix]

hmmm, that pic makes it seem easy to make my own canister filter. Anyone know where I can get a clear cylinder?

[Justjoe]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JB NY
[B]It's closed and under pressure.]

Found the following one overseas among http://www.reefsuk.com/Newsletters/2001/December2001.htm

http://website.lineone.net/~espsrg/new_page_1.htm

I think the vessel can be found at "Bed, Baths and Beyond" for the DIY
Joe

[Justjoe]

Originally posted by Stix
hmmm, that pic makes it seem easy to make my own canister filter. Anyone know where I can get a clear cylinder?

Aquatic Eco Systems has clear pvc pipe which can be glued into standard pvc fittings, that would be the easiest way to go. I think their catalogue also has clear acrylic tubing and they specify what diameter acrylic will fit standard pvc fittings as well.

[Stix]

Great thanx joe!

[Justjoe]

Originally posted by Stix
hmmm, that pic makes it seem easy to make my own canister filter. Anyone know where I can get a clear cylinder?

Greg Schiemer just sent me the following site:http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=4533

It is a refillable DI cartridge that fits into standard canisters. I have them on my SpectraPure RO/DI unit as well. That would be quick and simple to just put the GFO media in there.
Joe

[Justjoe]

Originally posted by Stix
hmmm, that pic makes it seem easy to make my own canister filter. Anyone know where I can get a clear cylinder?

Also, a possible nice idea on using the following Coralife reactor as a reverse flow unit for GFO's:

http://www.esuweb.com/new_site/ccc_maintenance_4.php
I've never used one, so I can't comment on the product.

New Thread on RC as well to watch:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1136591#post1136591
Joe

[Corpus Callosum]

Can't remember what it was but a while ago I bought a small filter from Les for a friends 5 gallon tank. It is always inside the tank yet it hangs on the trim/back. It had a pump on the bottom pumping water in it smoothly, and at the top it overflowed back into the tank. I know it sounds like I'm describing a hang on back filter, but this was internal (all parts are in tank) and it was like a small narrow column. Would work nice for some phosban/filter floss in it. Was cheap too.

[pyro383]

you could probably use a seaclone skimmer and just put a smaller pump on it.

[JB NY]

OK checked the rowaphos canister today. One solid mass. No water was going through at all. Took it out of the sump. Opened it up. yep I had to use a spoon to break the rowaphos apart to get it out of the canister. I had the rowaphos between two filter sponges.

So I took it all out and refilled the canister with the rest of my rowaphos using filter floss as well as the sponges, I'll see if that makes any difference.

I looks as if the rowaphos helped, as my cyno had been dying down a lot since I started using it. After this round, I'll try the TLF brand to see if that makes any difference.

Hey does anyone know if the Marc Weiss product Phosphate Magnet is the same stuff as the rowaphos and TLF? It looks to be.

[Justjoe]

Originally posted by JB NY
OK checked the rowaphos canister today. One solid mass. No water was going through at all. Took it out of the sump. Opened it up. yep I had to use a spoon to break the rowaphos apart to get it out of the canister. I had the rowaphos between two filter sponges.
Hey does anyone know if the Marc Weiss product Phosphate Magnet is the same stuff as the rowaphos and TLF? It looks to be.

Joe,
How long was it in use for? Keep track of the time frame of the TLF as well. Average pH and dKh of your tank since using the Rowaphos?
I've heard the Phosphate Magnet was a very fine powder, very expensive/unit weight and I bet it may cement up even faster with its small grain size. I would stay far away from it.
Salifert has some product coming out as well, they are all most likely a GFO of some kind.
I have been using some TLF product on effluent from my Ca reactors in a reverse flow manner and no cementing to date. The lower pH is certainly helping as well as the reverse flow. It is actually a great application for GFO's, it eliminates any concerns over how much phosphate is coming out of reactor media. You'll probably see someone market a small container which will attach to reactor effluent packed with GFO. I have a larger reverse flow under construction right now which will use another batch of TLF product and we'll so how that does over time. If using any of these products in reverse flow, I would advise to have bucket handy and allow the initial effluent to purge into the bucket, there is a great deal of dust coming off when in reverse flow. The water can be used after letting the dust settle overnight. Thanks for the update.
Joe

[danielevan]

Hey all --

Is there a reason why you couldn't mix rowaphos with some other material (say, charcoal) to prevent it from clumping? And you'd kill two birds with one stone!