PhosBan Cloudiness

[Hedonist]

Yikes! I hooked up a PhosBan reactor in my 30g and the water is a murky orange tea color!???!?!?
Anyone else experince this? The directions said not to rinse it but YUK! :eek1:

I remember when I used the PhosGuard.. I was supposed to rinse it but did not, had a white cloudiness then... I think I will do a small water change today or tomorrow

Thoughts or suggestions....?

Denise

[Fishtale7]

It's normal, just put a filterbag or filterpad on your return line. No need to worry, it will not ruin anything.

[wahshk]

Cloudiness will go over night. Watch out for you PH drop.

[Hedonist]

Shall I be concerned with the welfare of my shrimp, fish and softies?

TIA
Denise

[Fishtale7]

Nah, everything will be good. In the future, fill a gallon container and let the water flow thru the reactor into the sink, and then put it in the sump. This will let the very fine particles go down the drain instead of into your system. Over a LONG period of time the settlement from the rowaphos can't be good for reef. Just my opinion.

[Hedonist]

I am hoping I did not use too much...the directions said basically 1 g/1gal water...... does it get so murky you cannot see thru the tank? There is about 1" visiblity :hmm1:

denise

[Fishtale7]

If you can see the Rowaphos "tumbling" in the reactor, then you did not use too much. Did you put any filter pads in yet? That will definately help with the clarity.

[Highlander]

I agree, so long as the medium is still in the reactor you should be ok. It's a good idea to flush the first couple of gallons from a freshly loaded reactor to waste to avoid this problem.

[Hedonist]

I can see how flushing would be helpful! I have added a pad to the out flow so hopefully things should be clearing up pretty soon!

Thanks
Denise

[Highlander]

Check the output in a glass of water. It should be clear by now if you are not pushing too much flow through the reactor.
If so, not sure what a pad on the output will do to clear up the water. If not, you need to back off the flow.
Running some carbon might be more effective to clear the water IMO.

[Fishtale7]

When I mentioned putting a filter pad in, I meant on the end of the drain from the tank to the sump. I did not mean on the reactor. Sorry for not being clear on that.

[Hedonist]

I understood ya Chris! I put the pad where my outflow (from my tank aka overflow box ;) ) is... my choice of words is sometimes not accurate :rolleye1:

I am curious to see it this morn when I go into work.. I will put the outflo into a cup and check that out if things have not improved... the reactor aslo has a carcon chaber in it.... I might rinse that out ...

Thanks!
Denise

[Hedonist]

This morning things do not look much better.... I have done a small change and turned off the reactor...We have visitors coming Wed at work,, the tank will not be inpressive like this:eek2: I am not too encouraed this will happen...... I will do a bigger change tonight if I can get in here......

I am wondering if even the first few gallons would be enough to prevent this.. the felt pad I put under my overflow box hose needs to be rinsed about every 15 min....

This is frustrating and rather sXXXs!

Denise

[Fishtale7]

How much did you put in the reactor?

[Hedonist]

As per the directions, I put 1g/gal or in my case I put 40g in my 30g with a sump of about 10g... however I do have a 5" sand bed so in hindsight, I maybe should have used 30g.....anyway, this morning a fellow addict, I mean reefer, offered his DE filter.. this helped tremendously, however we quickly spent the media :( After 15 min or so of running, I had a visiblitly of about 2 " in my tank.... I went to the local hardware store and purchased DE for pool filters ( I understand this is the same as aquarium stuff?) Tomorrow I will have about an hour to play with it.......Anyway, my fellow addict said he flushed his media profusely before he set it up in his system... which by the way is not what the directions say?!?!??!?!

I also have a phosban reactor, this one I used yesterday is a Merlin, and the PhosBan Reactor has a sponge fitting.. is that the key?!?!??!?!?!?!???!?! I think I may try fitting a pc of sponge in my reactor to see if this helps...

I really hope this crap clears out before the tour goes through the lab Wed evening.. I will never hear the end of it:worried2: :worried2:

Thanks
denise

[Fishtale7]

No key whaen it comes to Rowaphos, just flush the media before you put it on your system.

[Hedonist]

Definately will try that when it comes time to change media!!!! How much do you use...????

BTW.. I have an addiction as well as a fever :lol: :lol:
Thanks for the assistance!

[jpg]

You should have used the phos reactor...thats what its made for.In the instructions it says to run a few gallons threw the media into a bucket to get out all the fine particles.

[spotfin]

The Merlin filter may have too much flow going throught it since they are made for sand media. The phosban reactor should have less than 80 gal/hour I think.
Jason

[Hedonist]

I understand the Merlin can also use different media.. I think Jason hit the nail on the head.. Iam using for of abou 120 gph cause I was following insturcions for the sand media DUUHHHHHHHHH!

I know the phosban reactor uses less... I have to order another low flow pump....

Denise

[jpg]

The rest of the phos reactor instructions say to run the pump at full strength ( 70gph for upto 150g and 90g for 150-200g of phosban) the micro jet 400 is a perfect pump it does just over 90 gph and is ajustable but with say a 2 foot lenght of tube and the pump running open you dont get 90GPH. The instructions also state to ajust the flow rate with the ball valve on the reactor to just make the top layer of phosban tumble in the reactor.

[Hedonist]

Just an update.. the tank is just about back to normal... a bit of orange sediment in the sump I will suck out and eventullay test ... I added carbon last night and it helped alot.....

Before I added the reactor, I hung a bag of Pban in my skimmer outflow.... I tested the water 48 hrs after I added it.. the level was down to 0.019 mg/L compared to the 0.34 mg/L in Nov.....not sure what the levels were immediately prior to adding the Pban but they are definately lower!

Denise