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rduic
02/17/2008, 12:38 PM
ok after readign a few articled and books ive noticed a few mentions dot to run phosphate medias, but i dont understand why not?

are they absorbing good as well, do they leach?
would zeolites be a better alternative?
and lastly what do you gusy think of dosing vodka?

i wnat to keep a very low nutrient tank for my sps, but now feel kind of confused on the phosphate subject.

ps- i need to invest in a better phosphate test kit i cant really read mine plus its liek a high range!

nitrate lower than 10ppm. as low as my kit goes!

(what type of kit shoudl i buy? lamote, elos?)

FunkieReefJunkie
02/18/2008, 08:47 AM
ok after readign a few articled and books ive noticed a few mentions dot to run phosphate medias, but i dont understand why not? -->Who said this? Unless you are using the zeovit system running phosphate media of some sort is desirable sense every time you add food you add phosphates. It is possible to remove phosphate too quickly with bad results. So use small quantities and work your way up.<--

are they absorbing good as well, do they leach? -->Some believe aluminum oxide media releases aluminum into the water column. If you have too much flow in a phosphate reactor with GFO and the material is grinding inside then it's possible you will have some iron leach.<--
would zeolites be a better alternative? -->Hmmm... have you been reading about zeovit? :D You know I read a profile on this French fellow who had the zeolite filter but didn't use the zeovit system. His tank is a reefers wet dream. It's possible you could use it to sequester phosphate without adding all the expensive bacteria in a bottle and simply utilize what's naturally occurring already.<---
and lastly what do you gusy think of dosing vodka?-->I've dosed vodka, sugar, vinegar and other carbon sources and can say with some assurance that your skimmer will kick up a notch because it does increase bacteria which consume nitrate and phosphates. Your fish will not get drunk and the boogyman will not come and visit your tank. Go slow and do it for at least a couple of months before you declare it success or failure. It has turned my algae tank back into a sps tank. The key to my success though is I stopped dosing myself. :lmao:<--

i wnat to keep a very low nutrient tank for my sps, but now feel kind of confused on the phosphate subject. -->This is because at some point you've stopped trusting yourself. You've read the books for a solid footing right? Don't let people get in your head and end up acting "sheopleish." It's the quickest way to get po'. And not to mention neurotic as a tang in a too tiny tank. :D <--

ps- i need to invest in a better phosphate test kit i cant really read mine plus its liek a high range! -->In all my time in this hobby I've never owned nor will ever purchase a phosphate kit. Phosphate is a given. People read zero phosphates yet have crazy algae issues because it's slowly leaching out of the rock and being utilized by the algae. Unless you are running one of those sterile Japan-like fish-less bare bottem tanks I think we can assume we all have phosphates. <--

nitrate lower than 10ppm. as low as my kit goes! -->Nitrate is not the evil boogyman it's made out to be. As your tank matures and your husbandry skills sharpen this shouldn't be a big issue. <--

(what type of kit shoudl i buy? lamote, elos?) ---> The flavor of the month seems to be Italian. How po' do you want to be? :lmao: <---

rduic
02/18/2008, 11:05 AM
right now im using the posphatR by brightwell aquatics

its regeneratable and liek it so far.

anyone else using it and what are people thoughts with it?

Randy Holmes-Farley
02/18/2008, 02:03 PM
Have you measured phosphate drops when using it? From what to what? I am somewhat skeptical of it knowing how such resins in general work in seawater (i.e., poorly).

rduic
02/18/2008, 09:20 PM
no i havent measured any levels.

ive seen studies on phosphate resisn and how they can drop phosphates to very low levels and well, just trusted their studies enought to run mine 24/7 to keep phosphates under control

its mostly a saftey net!

randy how do you control your phosphates?

Randy Holmes-Farley
02/19/2008, 07:13 AM
Thanks for the info. I primarily use macroalgae, some skimming, and sometimes some GFO as well. :)

rduic
02/19/2008, 02:19 PM
do you know what brightwell aquatics is using,

its similar to my di resin!

Randy Holmes-Farley
02/20/2008, 07:53 AM
It is not at all likely to be a DI resin, but I'm not sure exactly what polymer they selected.

IMO, it may bind organics and so lower phosphate a bit by preventing the degradation of phosphate-containing organics in the water, but I do not believe that it can be very effective at removing phosphate directly from seawater.

rduic
02/20/2008, 12:46 PM
interesting randy,

what would you reccomend, to be the best absorbition media out right now?

as far as capacity, and possible side effects?

Randy Holmes-Farley
02/20/2008, 12:52 PM
Well, I prefer macroalgae and skimming, but as a binder, GFO is the best choice, IMO.

erikages
02/22/2008, 09:50 AM
Does anyone here have opinions on Poly Pads? They supposedly reduce (adsorb) phosphates along with various heavy metals, including copper.

I currently use them in my surface skimming return pipes (e.g. from my my main tank down to my sump) -- but I'll admit I do this to cut down on the noise in my living room. The pads do go solid black after a month, and I replace them monthly.

NB: My REDOX levels are good, so the pads aren't leaching out gunk into my tank, I don't think -- hopefully.

FunkieReefJunkie
02/22/2008, 11:47 PM
http://www.poly-bio-marine.com/story.htm
A poly filter should be in every reefers first aid kit. They are very useful in situations where the tank is going south, but you have no idea why. As in when your best friends kid decides your fish would enjoy Dr. Pepper, a pump breaks its seal and leaches nasties or a critter releases toxins. They do remove phosphates, but I would think to use them for this single purpose would be costly long term.

hahnmeister
02/24/2008, 05:33 PM
There is also ethanol dosing or the carbon bacteria boosting/reactor (zeo/ultralith/prodobio).

BeanAnimal
02/24/2008, 06:56 PM
Hahn... check your inbox I sent you mail cus you got no PM

Fitchguy
02/25/2008, 02:37 AM
I just recently cycled my tank and I got a huge hair algae bloom all over my tank. I have been using the Brightwell Aquatics Phosphate remover for about two weeks now, and all the hair algae is almost gone. So in my opinion the stuff works great! The only downside to it is, I am also trying to grow some Chaeto in my fuge and I think that the phosphate remover is even counteracting that. So in my experience the stuff works!

jdieck
02/25/2008, 02:49 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11876464#post11876464 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FunkieReefJunkie
(what type of kit shoudl i buy? lamote, elos?) ---> The flavor of the month seems to be Italian. How po' do you want to be? :lmao: <---
Elos will read from 5 to 75 ppm but depends on the minimum level you want to read. I have been using the LaMotte kit for five years, their comparator IMO is very easy to read and it has a lower range from 0.25 to 10 ppm so if you are targeting less than 10 ppm I would go LaMotte.