Phosphate Media Reviews

[NanoReefWanabe]

i just bought PURA Complete...not sure it is going to work yet..i only put about 1/2cup in the filter bag, and tied the bag right in front of the drain....

i am pretty sure it is a GFO based product that also contains carbon...kinda killing two birds with one stone...here's hoping it doesnt crash my tank

[Mavrk]

Originally posted by jdieck
Since the time of my tests Warner has come out with a new media PHOsR HC that although not pelletized is claimed to adsorb three times more than regular PHOsR and to be less prone to break apart and with higher density so higher flow could be used in the reactor.

I have been using PhosPure by Drs F&S. I don't think it is as affective as others. Would you recommend trying the PHOSar HC, or just try the regular PHOSar?

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by NanoReefWanabe
i just bought PURA Complete...not sure it is going to work yet..i only put about 1/2cup in the filter bag, and tied the bag right in front of the drain....

i am pretty sure it is a GFO based product that also contains carbon...kinda killing two birds with one stone...here's hoping it doesnt crash my tank

NanoReefWanabe---MOPS.ca has a special on the reactors and the phosban----it won't cost month to have him ship you them since he is based in Ont

IMO the mixed phosban/carbon is a waste. Carbon should be changed every 2-3 weeks. The phosban can go 3 months and it is way more expensive.
Running in in bags is less effective also then a reactor ,or cannister filter-----the water can go around the bag--in the reactors it is forced through the entire medium. With the case of carbon is total surface area for adsorption that is important.

[NanoReefWanabe]

thank you for that....

the way it is in my sump the water is forced to go through the bag...there is no way around it short of overflowing my sump...

once this stuff is gone i will changing it out for a better product...thankyou for that site...i was unaware of it...

i planned to change the media every month anyway...i would think that even if the carbon get plugged up the phos remover should still work, NO?

[jdieck]

Originally posted by Mavrk
I have been using PhosPure by Drs F&S. I don't think it is as affective as others. Would you recommend trying the PHOSar HC, or just try the regular PHOSar?

PhosPure shall work pretty much like Phosban.
I have not tested the HC but I like the pellet, easy to clean and better flow uniformity with less clumping.

[Mavrk]

Originally posted by jdieck
PhosPure shall work pretty much like Phosban.
I have not tested the HC but I like the pellet, easy to clean and better flow uniformity with less clumping.

Thanks. Yeah, I found the PhosPure to be about the same as Phosban (which a friend of mine is using). I figured it was not worth the extra money for Phosban. Like the OP, I have been trying to find information about the different kinds. Most of what I read was that they were all the same (with the exception of Rowaphos which seemed almost too powerful), but no one really tested it the way you did. Thank you for the information. I will try out PHOSar in my next media change (I just did a change, so it will be a couple months... or maybe just one).

[jdieck]

Glad to be of service.

[tanya72806]

how do you know its time to change out your media ? I just change mine monthly

[sjm817]

I just got some of the Dr F&S PhosPure. Seems like similar stuff as Phosban (GFO), but at a much better price.

[Billybeau1]

Let us know how you like it.

[jdieck]

Originally posted by tanya72806
how do you know its time to change out your media ? I just change mine monthly

Usually by measuring the phosphates in the reactor effluent. If same as the inlet or if start rising media is exhausted.

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by jdieck
Usually by measuring the phosphates in the reactor effluent. If same as the inlet or if start rising media is exhausted.

thanks jkieck---good method--plus next change I'll try the other media also
Similar question with running the carbon in the phosban reactor--------I usually change it every two or three weeks--or when the flow rate coming out of the reactor is drastically reduced-----
is this a fair test also--or is there one a little more scientific?

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by NanoReefWanabe
thank you for that....

the way it is in my sump the water is forced to go through the bag...there is no way around it short of overflowing my sump...

once this stuff is gone i will changing it out for a better product...thankyou for that site...i was unaware of it...

i planned to change the media every month anyway...i would think that even if the carbon get plugged up the phos remover should still work, NO?

Murphy's law-----if you create a situation for possible overflowing then is gonna happen
M*** has had the reactor plus the phosban special for the whole year right now----check it out.

[jdieck]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
thanks jdieck---good method--plus next change I'll try the other media also
Similar question with running the carbon in the phosban reactor--------I usually change it every two or three weeks--or when the flow rate coming out of the reactor is drastically reduced-----
is this a fair test also--or is there one a little more scientific?

There is no effective method in the hobby I know for measuring when carbon is exhausted.
There is a Salifert kit that is supposed to test if carbon still has some absorption where some of the carbon grains are dumped into a vial that has a colored solution, if the color fades or goes away then it was adsorbed by the carbon and it still has life left.

Having said that I was never successful and never got a reading nor a change in the color out of that kit. Not even with new carbon so what I do I replace it every two weeks to a month and mostly to prevent it from becoming a nitrification filter.

[reef / aholic]

What about Fauna Marin UltraPhos-0.04!!!

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by jdieck
There is no effective method in the hobby I know for measuring when carbon is exhausted.
There is a Salifert kit that is supposed to test if carbon still has some absorption where some of the carbon grains are dumped into a vial that has a colored solution, if the color fades or goes away then it was adsorbed by the carbon and it still has life left.

Having said that I was never successful and never got a reading nor a change in the color out of that kit. Not even with new carbon so what I do I replace it every two weeks to a month and mostly to prevent it from becoming a nitrification filter.

thanks very much--that's what I thought--I change it every two weeks to be on the save side--in a phosban reactor you are not using much so it is still very inexpensive to change it every two weeks.

[bbehring]

Originally posted by NanoReefWanabe
i just bought PURA Complete...not sure it is going to work yet..i only put about 1/2cup in the filter bag, and tied the bag right in front of the drain....

i am pretty sure it is a GFO based product that also contains carbon...kinda killing two birds with one stone...here's hoping it doesnt crash my tank

NanoReefWanabe, I've been using Pura Complete run through a reactor on my 54 for about 7 plus months now. Only chaged it 1 x thus far, except for general maint clean and rinse of the media from time to time due to minor channeling. I have simply rinsed it out in a little water change water and away I go. Anyway, for me, this the Pura Complete has worked super, with little fus or messing with. No diatoms or algae problems. I would highly recommend it. I used rowaphos before I switched to the Pura product and while it worked fine, I was trying to mix Rowa with carbon pellets with little success as the carbon channeled and clogged much sooner than the phos media.

[xtm]

OK guys, a little update:

When I first posted in this thread, (17 days ago) this is what my tank looked like: (notice the THICK algae wrapped around the rocks and the substrate..)




Then I installed a Kent Phos Reactor and used Warner Marine PhosAR (as recommended by jdieck) about 6 spoonful of this stuff tumbling in the reactor. One week had passed and there were NO changes. I was disappointed.

Suddenly on the 15th day, I noticed that the thick algae film had started to dislodge from the rocks. They are withering away..slowly but surely............. and today this is what my tank looks like:





The sand is completely white, the back side is spotless, and the rocks look like they were freshly cured! I have a fairly huge bioload (total 8 fishes) but this stuff simply works!

I also have a Superman monti that was brown when I acquired it. Now it's slowly getting its deep blue pigment back:



A close look at the rocks.. these rocks used to be wrapped with algae and bubbles. Now they look super clean:



On the bad side, this sudden decrease of Phosphate (might have) caused two of my monti caps to bleach.

[capn_hylinur]

great testimonial--great looking tank. Did you happen to take a phosphate test before and after?

[bbehring]

XTM, are you doing anything else different, such as a change in WC frequency or different feeding times/amount? Anything besides employing the reactor with the PhosAR?

[xtm]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
great testimonial--great looking tank. Did you happen to take a phosphate test before and after?

Thanks. unfortunately I don't have a PO4 test kit.

Originally posted by bbehring
XTM, are you doing anything else different, such as a change in WC frequency or different feeding times/amount? Anything besides employing the reactor with the PhosAR?

Nothing really. However, I noticed that my ASM has not been very productive since the addition of GFO. It used to pull dark thick skimmate and now it takes a while to pull even light gunk.

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by xtm
Thanks. unfortunately I don't have a PO4 test kit.



Nothing really. However, I noticed that my ASM has not been very productive since the addition of GFO. It used to pull dark thick skimmate and now it takes a while to pull even light gunk.

that's a very good sign that the mangroves fuge is doing its job.
--if I run my filter sock the same thing happens to the skimmate.

good show--I wanted a mangrove fuge before this and another thread--you have convinced me totally now

[xtm]

Mangrove fuge? I don't have one..

However, I use chaetomorpha for nutrient export in addition to the GFO, which I trim once a month..

The idea of a mangrove growing in my tank's overflow box sounds so exotic that I might try it. Mangroves are dime a dozen on evilBay right now..

[dsn112]

I am going to change from Pura Phoslock to Brightwell Aquatics PhosphateR Regenerable Phosphate Resin.

I have heard it is good, and from the pura phoslock not doing much of anything, I think anything must be better. I met the brightwell owner and he was super intelligent. I will update with changes

[dsn112]

Oh, are you all just using the entire can of stuff in your reactors or are you using the reccommeded dosage?