Its purpose is to remove and keep Phosphate levels as low as possible until the media needs replacing. You would fill it with granular ferrix oxide (GFO), such as Phosban, RowaPHOS, SilPHOS, PHOSlock, etc. You'll need a small powerhead that pushes water into the reactor and a slow rate, as the effluent (the output) should be barely a trickle coming out. Measure the output. No matter what is going in Phosphate-wise, what comes out should read 0. If it reads higher, it isn't set correctly and needs to be slowed down even more.
GFO is one of the best ways to keep and raise the color in your reef, i use the phosban reactor to run GFO (when i can afford it :lol and another phosban reactor to run carbon. Keeps my water crystal clear. I also dial down my pump to keep the bed inside the reactor undisturbed.
Thanks for the info Anton. I think that I am headed down this path. Currently I run a large bag of carbon in my refugium, but also want to run phosban.
I run two reactors linked together with one MJ 400 pump dialed down. The first chamber has a mix of Carbon and Phosphate remover and the second has Granulated Ferric Hydroxide. I'm on a tail-end battle with hair algae and the GFO has really proved itself.
The granular stuff likes to get out if air ever finds its way into the reactor (the ONE downside of a plumbed manifold).
I swear by this stuff for phosphate removal. I have between 0 and .01 ppm phosphates after a test last night.
I'm picking up some of the pelletized GFO from bulkreefsupply later this week. It doesn't cost much if you don't mind using the off-brand stuff. GFO = ferric oxide = rusted iron.
Can you run carbon AND GFO in the same reactor? Are there any reasons TO/NOT TO run this type of set up? said:
Carbon is only good for a couple of weeks before it's spent. It's probably even less than that, more like a few days of max potency from what I've read.
GFO is good for a few months, so I run them separately so that the appropriate media can get replaced when it is supposed to without waste.
I don't see any problem running both together, some people add a little carbon to GFO to keep it from caking up.
I have both of my reactors plumbed off of a manifold on my main return pump.
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Most people just toss a maxi-jet pump into their sump and attach two reactors in series (i.e. output of the first reactor goes into the input of the second reactor). IMO that solution works just fine since you don't have any issues with air getting into the line like my manifold does. :?
BigJay you should have your ball valve on the return side of the reactor. That creates more pressure inside the reactor to filter through or at least that is what I was told.
Ok I got my reactor ready and the GFO in the mail. How much GFO should i put in the reactor? OR I guess what i mean is, do I need to put a certain amount in the reactor for it to perform the best? If I fill it up, it will use all the GFO. So 1/3, 1/2, 2/3?? My setup is only 20g, but I am trying to knock out a hair algae problem. Thanks, TB
I'd say at least enough to fill the chamber from side to side. As long as water is getting by untouched. I just have a mesh bag of it in a canister filter between floss pads. I haven't used a reactor.
I should be getting a couple of reactors soon. I'm wondering what the correct flow should be through a reactor. Is it a slow drip much like a CR or a faster flow? Would a gravity feed work? I used to run one, but didn't really do any testing nor was I concerned about flow. Maybe that's why I didn't see any positive results.
It should be slow enough so the media has time to completely react with the offending chemical in the water whatever speed that turns out to be I suppose.
and another phosban reactor to run carbon. Keeps my water crystal clear. I also dial down my pump to keep the bed inside the reactor undisturbed.