Carbon & Phosban question

[rfdoc]

Recently I've seen a lot of posts of people promoting TLF Phosban reactors to run carbon and phosban in their tanks. At the same time I've seen several posts of people saying canister filters are not good for reef tanks. Can someone tell me what the difference is between running carbon and phoszorb in a canister filter versus running them in phosban reactors, is there really a difference? If canister filters are nitrate factories wouldn't these reactors be in the same boat? Would it be worth my while to get rid of my canister filter and move to reactors instead?

[Fun $ Pit]

If you switch to reactors, you just might be happy you did. I found with my last system the cannister filter needed cleaned almost weekly or it turned into a messy nitrate factory. I still have my canister filter for now, but it runs carbon only at this time and no other media.

Now as far as a phos reactor - get one. Cheap and is specifcly designed for the task. It is designed for loose media and proper flow rate if paired with correct pump. I really don't think a canister filter will really work in this application.

My 2 pennies worth based on my experiences.

[Avi]

Some of the phosphate mediums...like Rowaphos, for example...are designed to work best and most effectively in a "fluidized" environment, which you wouldn't be able to achieve as easily in a canister as in a reactor. It's vastly more beneficial and productive to use a reactor for the specific purpose of addressing phosphates. Other mediums like carbon are pretty much equally employed in a reactor or a canister. Cleaning them before the medium that they contain becomes depleted of its chemical filtration capacity and possibly begin to generate nitrates is important in either case.