Phosphate reactor vs Fluval 405 Phos media?

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Tank2379

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Is there a difference in having a Phosphate Reactor and having Phosphate media inserted into your media baskets? I want to get a Phosphate reactor and I notice Fluval makes a Phosphate media for the canister filter. Right now I have no carbon in the system just LR rubble in the 3 lower cambers. Which would work better?

GFO reactor that BRS sells or just get the media and use it with the LR in it?

Let me know...
Thanks

:p
 
Good question. I would imagine the Fluval would work, but I don't know if the media is any good. All the reactor does is pass water through the media, same as the fluval canister, so function wise it's fine, just don't know about the quality of the media.
 
Could I just get any Media and place it in a Media bag? Should work fine I take it?... Also should I place them on the bottom of the canister since that would be the first to be hit with water flow?
 
I would think that yeah, you could use any media. And it doesn't matter where in the canister it is, the water passes through all the trays.
 
Phos-ban seems to be popular. I've heard great things about Rowaphos but I got extreme sticker shock when I looked at that one.
 
Right now I would get what ever is going to work the best. What about Seachem? Is that a good brand?
 
I buy GFO pellets from BulkReefSupply. Phosban is the same thing and costs alot more.

IMO, a cansiter filter is not a good place to run GFO. It should have very, very low flow (like 100-200gph) going thru it so it doesn't grind together, turn to dust and end up all over the tank. The media should be gently tumbling in the reactor, and you won't be able to see that inside the canister.
 
Let the experts chime in, I've yet to use any of these products, though I do have a jar of phosban in front of me ready to go.
 
Right now I would get what ever is going to work the best. What about Seachem? Is that a good brand?
That's an aluminum based media.
Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
From the article....
"Aluminum oxide is the primary ingredient in several commercial phosphate binders, such as Seachem's PhosGuard™."
and...
"Unfortunately, aluminum oxide is not completely insoluble in seawater. I have shown experimentally that aluminum can be released from PhosGuard™, and I have also shown that adding the same amount of released aluminum back into an aquarium can irritate corals, causing them to retract their polyps and otherwise shrink."
 
Thanks to both of you for the info. I was looking at the Dual GFO reactor from BRS I think I am going to go ahead and make my purchase on that unit...

Thanks guys...
 
You're welcome :)

Look into the ViaAqua Poly reactor from BRS. It comes with all the hoses, fittings and a pump. I use that 1.
It's to the right of the skimmer.
sump1_2-08.jpg
 
AW... Sweet thanks for looking out Looks good and the Price is right.... :) Are you using there Pellets from them? How are they?
 
Are you using there Pellets from them? How are they?
Yes. They work great and the price is right ;) I use 12 tablespoons in the reactor for my 125 and change it out about every 2 months.
 
Since you don't have any corals yet, yes, you can go with a full dose. If you had corals it would be best to add it slowly, maybe 1/2 of what's called for, so they wouldn't get shocked by the rapid removal of the phosphate.
 
No Problem. More than likely I will add it either before or after I add my Coral Which ever comes first...lol.. But understood on the add...

Thanks CCapt
 
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