Does anyone use this in a sock or reactor? I'm having a problem- cyno! I'm wondering if this will help the all around health of my tank.
I actually use the green phosphate mats. I just cut them about 12x12 and throw them in the sump....replace every month or so. Are you still looking for a corner tank? I know where one is that's a 140. Not sure the price but prolly $800 or so (don't quote me on that). 140 is a BIG corner tank.
I use a three stage reactor on my 200 only with feric oxide media, along with carbon and a sediment filter. Going to add one to the frag system soon. I use the Kent reactors, 3 inline with each other, sediment, carbon, then feric oxide.
I've been using the green mats and the carbon mats in my sump. I just don't think it's doing the trick. I may look into something like what Norman is talking about, that way I can run carbon too. I am still looking for a corner tank, I would like to know about the 140. I have found a few but they are far too far away.
The lady contacted me cause I had an add on craigslist. I have found a 150 setup i'm gonna buy though. Her name is Shiree and her email is shireef@dezza.net Said she paid 1500 but would take substantially less for it. That's all I know about it, but I told her I knew someone looking for one and I was gonna pass it along.
Among the few products that remove chemicals that I have found successful is ferric oxide and nitrate remover. There are several reasons that the pads would not be best to use - I suspect that even if the pads are impregnated with ferric oxide that their is not much as compared to using a reactor. Ferric oxide is very expensive - very very expensive as compared to other chemical removers as the pads would most likely have substantially less per volume compared to the actual media when used. I have used carbon impregnated filter pads and found them woefully unexceptable especially for a large commercial grade tank like my DAS tank. Pads also become clogged pretty quickly and end up serving as more of a mechanical filter than anything else. Finally, there is the issue of surface area compared to a reactor. The surface area that contacts the water is far less in pads than in media where you also have water circulating all around the media. All this to say that it is understandable why your pads are not very successful. Like most things in the hobby to remove the phosphates you will need a reactor - not that expensive as they hang on the tank and some media (that is the expensive part). Let us know how it goes.
If you need to use GFO in a reactor make SURE! that you tumble it very little if at all. Any small particles that land on hard corals and especially monti caps well ABSOLUTLEY kill them. When Rowa phos first came out, we tried it up north and alot of us killed hard corals before we figured out what was causing it. I would rather use clams to eat the phosphates, which is what I do and I have zero in my 240. Same with carbon as far as tumbuling goes, except it won't kill hard corals.
I think it's probably considered standard practice to place a sponge prefilter on both ends of the media chamber in any reactor. That would remove the possibility of particles being blown into the display tank. I use a maxijet 1200 to move water through 3 reactors plumbed together into the sump so I have a gentle flow that has no chance or any particles reaching the display. I agree that clams do a good job of filtering, but still see the need for a reactor in a well stocked system.
So you guys have me thinking.... and I would like to hear more... I really like the idea of running cabon for sure- I run it through a (hang on aquaclear) filter on my 45 and it really makes the water "shine". I think the reactor would be better on my 180 than the pads. ferric oxide... I'm guessing that's a type of phosphate remover media? I'll have to do some research. Clams remove phosphates- that's cool!
The ferric oxide is Granular Ferric Oxide, otherwise known as GFO. Bulk reef has a couple nice "reactors" they sell for use with it. They have filter pads in them to minimize particulates from escaping the reactor. And yes, clams take up phosphates. It is a component in the makeup of their shells.
If you have a smaller tank... like under 75 gals... one way to run a high quality carbon & gfo, is to use Chemi-Pure Elite, cost a bit more, but not that much. Here a very nice write up on this product - I have used it for a year now with great success. http://www.marinedepot.com/Boyd_Chemi_P ... RM-vi.html
RNA I run RX8 carbon from BRS in a bag in my sump. I don't use a reactor as I change it out every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on how lazy I'm feeling. Most of the experts say it is only effective anywhere from 2 to 7 days in our systems for removing ability. I agree the pads wouldn't be a good idea in the 180. GFO is very effective at removing not only phosphates, but silicates and arsenic, which can be a problem in reef tanks at very low levels. Norman the dust that the particles of oxide creates if tumbled a little to much well go right through the pads as we also were using them and even doubling them on the outlet side of the reactor. Phosban and the more popular RowaPhos both warn not to tumble the filter bag alot when rinsing or tumble in the reactor, and I'm sure they still warn of this. The least little amount of this stuff landing on a hard coral and staying well kill it. The issue becomes getting enough turnover through the reactor to do any good and not getting dust particles to land on you hard corals. I would also say that the problem really showed up in well stocked SPS tanks with large heads of corals. Norman shouldn't have that problem as he always chops his up. . If you are running GFO and have had corals die for no apparent reason, I would check out the rate of tumblimg in the reactor. I found with A high load of SPS, the chance wasn't worth it for the rewards. Clams consume alot of phosphates, that is the main reason that high load SPS tanks have several in them, besides being beautiful, I have 2 now and have zero nitrates and phosphates. You well need to do some research on the needs of clams though which isn't much other then lighting and being in a slow flow area so they don't get their mantles blowed around to much.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/Granular-Ferric-Oxide-GFO-Instructions RNA read the 4th line under using in a reactor and that means slight tumbling on the SURFACE, not the whole amount of oxide. You also have to be care ful of lowering the nutrient level to fast and to low, especially if you have softies, as it is very a effective product in helping lower nutrients. Follow instructions carefully.
A couple of good points John, Clams are very beneficial and I have a large one in my sps dominated tank. Also as I said my reactor is plumbed into my sump, so particles settling on corals is not a problem. As for softies, that is why I have a system devoted to softies without a reactor, or even a sump. The more nutrient rich water is necessary for their development and growth as you can see from the leathers in my tank. Mixed systems with sps, lps, and softies, are very difficult to maintain and provide optimium conditions for them all.
Bear in mind our current system is only 46 gallons with about another 25 or so in the sump but I run carbon in a mesh bag and just throw it in my filter sock. I can really tell the difference. Running it my water is crystal clear, without it seems to be a little haze. Just a little but it drives me nuts.
add more, change to another brand if it stops working... ?? Sounds like my tank is going to become addicted! (I'd rather spend all that money on clams!) I don't want to jump into anything and I really don't want my tank depending on such to maintain a clean and healthy tank. I really like the carbon. I think running it/changing it helps as normal maintainance. I love clams- have 3 ( 2 I've had 8+ months) and plan on adding more in the future, so I don't want to take away from them? Richard likes zenia and leathers, so we have a few in this tank. I wouldn't mind a few nice SPS that can hang in the top half, but this is mainly for my love of LPS... I know just like said- hard to do with fish and such too. I guess I really need to pin point the main reason for the cyno out break... I really think I have been feeding way too much. my skimmer is now up and going, I just did a water change a few weeks a go and got out what I could with that. Back again that quick. I just can't stand my tank looking so... yucky! I also think it is affecting my coral growth. It strings the polyps so they don't extend. I really want to fix this and if I have to run the GFO...I will...but Do you think you could run this GFO off and on when you add new fish/bioload to kind of keep things even until the natural filter builds??
RNA how old is the setup, could you just be going through new tank syndrome??? If not there is some reason for the cyno. First off you need to do a phosphate test if you think that is causing it to be sure that is the problem. It won't do much good to add GFO if the problem is something else. Norman I too and everyone I know had our reactors in the sump also, when the fine particles come out of the reactor the y are very bouyant and get pumped into the tank. I'm not saying to not use the stuff, just saying that you really need to know what your doing with it, it ain;t just plug and play. You also don't have a heavely sps dominent tank.
After cutting back on feeding the cyno has died back. I don't think I will do the reactor for the GFO, but for the carbon at point. Thanks for everyones info on this.
