Phosphate....my take on things
- Thread starter steveweast
- Start date
steveweast
Member
I have no idea what size pump to use since I don't use that reactor. I would check other boards to see what other folks are using with that reactor.
Never heard of the Sandman reactor...can't help you there.
Never heard of the Sandman reactor...can't help you there.
jjboods
Member
The Sandman isn't a true reactor. It's a power filter with a compartment for fluidized sand.
In general, do you replace all of the sand in a fluidized bed filter with phosphate media? How much media do you use? Do you use as much media as there was sand or just the recommended amount of media for the size tank? Can you add too much media?
Thanks in advance for te answers.
In general, do you replace all of the sand in a fluidized bed filter with phosphate media? How much media do you use? Do you use as much media as there was sand or just the recommended amount of media for the size tank? Can you add too much media?
Thanks in advance for te answers.
steveweast
Member
As kip said...every reactor is different and will have instructions for its use....but, yes.. the media will be alone in the reactor.
S
shouse
Guest
i think this was stated elsewhere but i cannot find it.
HOw long does the ROWAPHOS last before needing to be changed? thanks all
HOw long does the ROWAPHOS last before needing to be changed? thanks all
steveweast
Member
Shouse...that's the hard part. There is no way to tell when it has reached its capacity. An increase in micro algae would be a good indicator though.....it all comes down to your eyes being the best test kit. For some tanks with little phosphate, it could last many months...others with an initial high level could exhaust the media in a few weeks.
debbie g
Member
I hope I'm not getting off subject but, why did Mary say her deep sand bed was a "ticking time bomb"? I have just recently decided that I would go with a deep sand bed perhaps even 6 inches deep in some areas to accomodate jawfish...is there something I should know?
:nervous:
P.S. Steve, I have pics of your tank on my fridge AND in my "future ideas" book
:yes:
Thanks!
:nervous:
P.S. Steve, I have pics of your tank on my fridge AND in my "future ideas" book
:yes:
Thanks!
S
shouse
Guest
is there any ways of looking at the ROWAPHOS and seeing that it's clumping togethor or changing color or any other indication that it's time to replace it? If not it's all up to watching the tank and seeing if anything breaks out caused by phosphate, like algae?
steveweast
Member
DSB's are really good at trapping and retaining detritus along with other wastes. Many folks, including myself, beleive that there is a limit to how much waste that the DSB's can process before they reach capacity and begin leaching phosphates and other nasties back into the tank. Some tanks with minimal bio-loads, might never reach that point...while other heavily loaded systems reach it in a few years.
If you monitor the other boards, you'll notice alot of threads recently talking about folks pulling their DSB's in favor of bare-bottomed or shallow sandbeds because their tank was crashing..... and many of these reefers are high end tanks that have won many "tank of the month" accolades. DSB's are not poison...it's just like everything else..you have to be aware of its limitation and maintenance requirements.
Shouse....you got it.
If you monitor the other boards, you'll notice alot of threads recently talking about folks pulling their DSB's in favor of bare-bottomed or shallow sandbeds because their tank was crashing..... and many of these reefers are high end tanks that have won many "tank of the month" accolades. DSB's are not poison...it's just like everything else..you have to be aware of its limitation and maintenance requirements.
Shouse....you got it.
S
shouse
Guest
while on the DSB subject. If your tank was up and running for a number of years, or even just a few months how would u go about ripping out the DSB? And if it's full of algae how would i clean it before it goes back in the tank? I understand using the sandbed not as a bio filtration but more just as appearance right. IF that's the case it wouldnt matter what i killed on the gravel when taking it out and cleaning it off right? U might even say it was beneficial to clean out the gravel before putting it back in..? If that's the case, wanting to clean all the gravel out, what would be the safest form of doing that? Do u ever have a problem with the liverock touching the glass base of the tank and scratching or sliding or falling b/c theirs no gravel underneath the rock anymore? thanks for all the help Steve.
steveweast
Member
1) I would not remove a DSB unless there was a problem ocurring in the tank that I could not rectify with improved husbandry.
2) I would not reuse the sand...sand is too cheap not to replace. Some folks even replace the liverock.
3) Past that... it would be similar to last Sep. when I upgraded my tank. I took everything out and placed it in four large kiddie wadding pools and did the swap over a weekend. Yes, I lost a few corals...but, most everything did fine.
4) Most of my rocks do not sit on the bottom panel....they sit on a platform that is raised about four inches off the bottom. I have many of my closed loop jets that blow in this area to keep the area detritus free. It's all about a comprehensive program to minimize waste from collecting in the tank....and liverock, itself, produces alot of detritus. The remaining rocks hide the edge of the platform.
2) I would not reuse the sand...sand is too cheap not to replace. Some folks even replace the liverock.
3) Past that... it would be similar to last Sep. when I upgraded my tank. I took everything out and placed it in four large kiddie wadding pools and did the swap over a weekend. Yes, I lost a few corals...but, most everything did fine.
4) Most of my rocks do not sit on the bottom panel....they sit on a platform that is raised about four inches off the bottom. I have many of my closed loop jets that blow in this area to keep the area detritus free. It's all about a comprehensive program to minimize waste from collecting in the tank....and liverock, itself, produces alot of detritus. The remaining rocks hide the edge of the platform.
steveweast
Member
Well Melody, I made the platforms myself out of PVC. I actually combined the platforms into my closed loop distribution system. Here's a pick before I filled it with water. You'll notice the platform...but, also notice all the loc-line jets coming out of the platform. This way I could hide all the plumbing and still have flexibility in the circulation.
steveweast
Member
Here's one when I was drilling the holes for the closed loop system. It gives you a look at the platforms before the eggcrate and loc-lines went in.
S
shouse
Guest
wow that's really cool. Still one thing i'm confused on though. "also notice all the loc-line jets coming out of the platform. This way I could hide all the plumbing and still have flexibility in the circulation."
- I'm a little confused if u hid the powerheads to create the current inside the platforms or attached the PVC and the black tubing to the powerheads somewhere else? If so how did u conceal the black tubing?
Obviously i dont have a 850 gallon tank in my room so those platforms would be way too big, but it could easily be done with smaller PVC piping and the same principal correct? Thanks Steve!
- I'm a little confused if u hid the powerheads to create the current inside the platforms or attached the PVC and the black tubing to the powerheads somewhere else? If so how did u conceal the black tubing?
Obviously i dont have a 850 gallon tank in my room so those platforms would be way too big, but it could easily be done with smaller PVC piping and the same principal correct? Thanks Steve!
S
shouse
Guest
Ok i answered my question about the black tubing. That is part of the pump. I dont understand what the black tubing does and is for? So if anyone can step in answe that much appreciated. thanks
mary
Member
I skimmed over someone mentioning my sand bed. Perhaps their is another Mary. I have very little substratum of any kind. In reading tank set ups before I did mine, one of the authors suggested the least sand the better for preventing future problems where airation might be a concern. If one vacuums the sand beds during monthly cleanings, I think their shouldn't be a problem. I wish I could have gobies and such but will do without because I want to keep as few problems at bay as I can.
steveweast
Member
Shouse...there are no powerheads. This is a closed loop.... meaning that the water leaves the tank and then goes right back into the tank to provide circulation. My closed loop pumps are located underneath my tank. There are four of them... one for each of the four platforms...and each puts out 6000gph. The platforms not only support the liverock, they are the water distribution manifold for the closed loop. There are 28 of those black loc-line jets (some under the platforms and some above the platforms)...which means that each jet has about 900gph coming out of it. The loc-line jets that you see are directed into the water column, but are hidden from view by the liverock. There are other jets that blow underneath the platform to keep detritus from collecting. What I meant by flexibility was... I can bend the loc-line to direct the flow anywhere that I want...to any area that needs flow... and be able to change it in the future. I have 35,000 gph of flow going through that tank...but, not a single jet, powerhead, overflow, or any type of plumbing is visible anywhere...that was the goal of designing this system as it is.
And yes, the concept can be used on any size tank....but, we are beginning to get off topic.
And yes, the concept can be used on any size tank....but, we are beginning to get off topic.
steveweast
Member
Shouse... let me explain the closed loop this way...
1) first imagine a pump under your tank with an intake pipe and out flow pipe entering the bottom of the tank above.
2) Now, that outflow pipe is jetting all the water...but, it is too much all in one jet.
3) So, cap one end of the pipe and and have a few jets coming off the sides of the pipe instead....now, it has a few jets instead of one big one... it is now a manifold.
4) And lastly, instead of the pipe being straight with a few jets coming off of it....form it into the shape of a platform that the rock can sit on.
5) Now, add 3 more of these closed loops.
1) first imagine a pump under your tank with an intake pipe and out flow pipe entering the bottom of the tank above.
2) Now, that outflow pipe is jetting all the water...but, it is too much all in one jet.
3) So, cap one end of the pipe and and have a few jets coming off the sides of the pipe instead....now, it has a few jets instead of one big one... it is now a manifold.
4) And lastly, instead of the pipe being straight with a few jets coming off of it....form it into the shape of a platform that the rock can sit on.
5) Now, add 3 more of these closed loops.