Phosban reactor up and running

[benj2112]

It hangs as you see it. I am not following your triain of thought/logic on why it would be on it's side? You wouldn't want it on its side because the media would be pushed to the side and start going into your tank. The water has to go up and through the media, but slow enough that gravity still keeps the media down near the bottom.
The reactor itself is 12.5" tall. With the ball valve it is about 16" or so, but you can use a nice 90 degree bend connector when you plumb it so the valve doesn't stick up so high.

 

[g13]

Mine shipped yesterday but I ordered it from somewhere else. They had 6 reactors left and for $34.99. I called the monthly special place and cancelled the reactor but still ordered the rowaphos, I can't find them any cheaper than the monthly special place (rowaphos).

 

[zanemoseley]

ok here's another tip for ROWA users with the Phosban reactor, as I mentioned earlier the ROWA seems to become less fluidized over time, I found out it isn't because of the pump or ball valve its due to slight clumping of the ROWA media in the reactor, I suppose if you turned the flow up enough you would never get clumping but would probably get media in your sump, so I found if you just jolt the reactor around in the sump while the pump is going it will unclump the media, I have a light dusting of ROWA in my sump that escaped the reactor, I think most of it came from the first couple days when I was getting it going

 

[g13]

doesn't the reactor have a filter sponge that keeps the media in the reactor? Should I replace that sponge with a polyfilter?

 

[benj2112]

yeah it has a sponge filter, but the smaller particles can still get through it. I am thinking about using a different filterpadl the next time I switch the stuff out.

 

[g13]

Hey Benj, have you noticed a diff in the po4?

 

[benj2112]

I actually had a reading of Zero phosphate free in the water the day before I set up the filter. I did have a HUGE amount of diatoms in my sump at that time as well, though, which you have to remember can hide the problem. The display tank was pretty free of diatoms except what would grow on the glass.
I still get a reading of zero phosphate free in the water, but I also have all the diatoms dying off in my sump, and maybe an even better indicator is I can now go about 2 weeks without even having to think about cleaning the front glass of my display tank (and this is more to get all the nassarius snail eggs off than anything).
Also, the glass at the back of the tank, which never gets cleaned, is almost completly free of even a hint of algae/diatoms.... snails have eaten what had grown on the glass and it hasn't come back.
So, is the thing out competing things for phosphate...Yes!!

 

[zanemoseley]

Thats the same experience I'm having, I started out with zero free phosphates but my algea has started to subside.

 

[g13]

Just recieved my phosban reactor also got some rowaphos. Can't wait to set it up.

 

[footbag]

Still Waiting.......................OHIO tells me that it will be at least another week.

 

[g13]

I cancelled the order I had with them and ordered from another site. (depot)

 

[robchuck]

Melody,
Are you planning on running PhosBan or ROWAphos? I've got PB running through my reactor powered by a MJ 400. I only had to run about a 1/2 gallon into a bucket before it was safe enough to run into the tank. My ball valve is only closed off about 20% so a MJ 600 should be fine.

 

[zanemoseley]

ya I did 3 gallons with ROWA, I wanted to get as many of the smaller particles out as possible, I still have a slight dusting in my sump where I was playing with it, I was even taking it easy with the flow and still got the dusting, just be careful with the flow you don't want power all in your tank

 

[michelle13]

I finally recieved mine from Ohio. I hooked it up tonight but don't think I have it where it needs to be. I did not recieve any instructions with it. Can any of you give me some pointers or tell me how much is supposed to be fluidizing? I would really appreciate it!

 

[zanemoseley]

well when I first started it I was only fluidizing about 1/3 or 1/2 of the media, I used about 300ml of media, I'm not fluidizing about 90% of the media, I'm not sure but the media may be more easily fluidized as you use it longer

 

[zanemoseley]

Its simply a fluidized bed like any other you see on the market. Its simply marketed by Three Little Fishes who makes Phosban so they marketed it as Phosban Reactor 150. The design used to be owned by Coralife and didn't do very well but the recent craze for phosphate reducing media has popularized the cheap $35 fluidized bed.

 

[benj2112]

Originally posted by Melody
Just recieved my reactor today. Benj...where would you get the other filter pads your talking about. I don't want the fine particles in my tank and also the instructions say to use 200g (max) of media. How much did you all start out with? Exactly as directed or less? I'm going to use a maxijet 600 and adjust the valve.
I put in 333ml of Rowaphos (just easy to estimate the amount out of my 1000ml container and it wasn't over the labeled max amount). I wouldn't advise that much as the first day it was really up near the top before it really settled down. Even with flushing about 2 gallons into a seperate container I got a good dusting in my sump (although that may have come with having too much flow the first night).
I was thinking of a filter pad like Marineland Rite-Size Bonded filter pad from lfs. It seems to do a real good job when as a pre-filter in my canister when I run carbon. I would just use the old filter the reactor came with as a template and cut one to fit.
Sorry about the time it took me to answer....been going back and forth on job interviews for 3 weeks now (over 4,500 miles!!!). Thank God I am done with that fun now.

 

[trompet3]

All of the media should be tumbling...that way none of it becomes hardened and you won't get pockets of flow. If you put the right amount in, all the media will tumble and only take up about half the length of the reactor.

 

[benj2112]

Melody ~ Yeah, I agree with trompet3...it should all be tumbling. Just make sure the particles aren't going up and through the pad (it may not look like much, but you still get a nice dusting from even that...which would be even worse since you don't have a sump). Or you could be brave and try a different filter pad right away.
Yeah, all of that travel has been driving!!! I love it how gas has gone up 20 cents a gallon over these past three weeks.

 

[benj2112]

Or...just have a different filter pad on top as that is where the media is getting through. That may have been obvious to you, but I just thought I would mention it.