Phosphate Removing Filter Pads - Pura / Acurel - Do they Work?

[that Reef Guy]

Do these Phosphate Removing Filter Pads work?

Pura Filtration Pad
Acurel Phosphate Reducer Pad

http://www.marinedepot.com/PURA_Filt...FMMEPM-vi.html

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...m?pcatid=28057

Have you tried them out?

What are your Thoughts on them Good or Bad?

If you know of a Better Brand of Phosphate Removing Filter Pads please Post which Brand you Recommend and Why.

I have included a Poll.

Please vote on if you use them or not?

 

[dadof4]

I've used them to get sky high P04 down with an accompanying GHA outbreak in conjunction with starting a GFO reactor. They do work but definitely aren't' a long term solution to high Po4 levels. I used these Phosphate Filter Pads for Red Algae - 7 in. x 4.5 in. - 2pk . After the initial 24 hours and the a rougly 2ppm drop I took them out. I did use them one more time as algae I couldn't manually remove was dying and releasing Po4. Again, I don't recommend them as a long term fix. If you're having problems with Po4 you need to get to the bottom of the problem. Phosphate from food is the most common source.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I've used them to get sky high P04 down with an accompanying GHA outbreak in conjunction with starting a GFO reactor. They do work but definitely aren't' a long term solution to high Po4 levels. I used these Phosphate Filter Pads for Red Algae - 7 in. x 4.5 in. - 2pk . After the initial 24 hours and the a rougly 2ppm drop I took them out. I did use them one more time as algae I couldn't manually remove was dying and releasing Po4. Again, I don't recommend them as a long term fix. If you're having problems with Po4 you need to get to the bottom of the problem. Phosphate from food is the most common source.

Wow 2.0 PPM Drop in 24 Hours.

That is Huge.

When I used GFO it dropped like 0.10 after the first week.

I was worried that these would not work but sounds like they work much much better than GFO!

So that leads me to the question.

Why do people use GFO when this is much more effective?

 

[that Reef Guy]

I've used them to get sky high P04 down with an accompanying GHA outbreak in conjunction with starting a GFO reactor. They do work but definitely aren't' a long term solution to high Po4 levels. I used these Phosphate Filter Pads for Red Algae - 7 in. x 4.5 in. - 2pk . After the initial 24 hours and the a rougly 2ppm drop I took them out. I did use them one more time as algae I couldn't manually remove was dying and releasing Po4. Again, I don't recommend them as a long term fix. If you're having problems with Po4 you need to get to the bottom of the problem. Phosphate from food is the most common source.

Why do you say that these are not a good long term solution?

They work really well according to you.

 

[Sully]

I use them in conjunction with Chemipure in a hob filter. Will never go without them again. Only way to keep my Phosphates in check.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The do not work better than GFO.

They are just a small amount of GFO or aluminum oxide trapped in a pad.

 

[Soylent Wrasse]

To answer the question above- they aren't the solution to the phos problem, they are just a band-aid. Getting rid of the phosphates in the water (i.e. where are they coming from) is the solution. The pads help to keep it under control while you're looking for the answer.

 

[ebushrow]

I've used them to get sky high P04 down with an accompanying GHA outbreak in conjunction with starting a GFO reactor. They do work but definitely aren't' a long term solution to high Po4 levels. I used these Phosphate Filter Pads for Red Algae - 7 in. x 4.5 in. - 2pk . After the initial 24 hours and the a rougly 2ppm drop I took them out. I did use them one more time as algae I couldn't manually remove was dying and releasing Po4. Again, I don't recommend them as a long term fix. If you're having problems with Po4 you need to get to the bottom of the problem. Phosphate from food is the most common source.

I used these as well....however, mine broke down in the hob filter and made the tank a mess...did you have this problem as well...or was I just lucky?:squigglemouth:

 

[ebushrow]

I've used them to get sky high P04 down with an accompanying GHA outbreak in conjunction with starting a GFO reactor. They do work but definitely aren't' a long term solution to high Po4 levels. I used these Phosphate Filter Pads for Red Algae - 7 in. x 4.5 in. - 2pk . After the initial 24 hours and the a rougly 2ppm drop I took them out. I did use them one more time as algae I couldn't manually remove was dying and releasing Po4. Again, I don't recommend them as a long term fix. If you're having problems with Po4 you need to get to the bottom of the problem. Phosphate from food is the most common source.

I used these as well....however, mine broke down in the hob filter and made the tank a mess...did you have this problem as well...or was I just lucky?:squigglemouth:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

To answer the question above- they aren't the solution to the phos problem, they are just a band-aid. Getting rid of the phosphates in the water (i.e. where are they coming from) is the solution. The pads help to keep it under control while you're looking for the answer.

I'm not sure I understand what you want the OP to find. The answer as to why phosphate is high is always more import (which is almost entirely foods unless raw tap water is used) than export.

One can solve the problem with less foods, but often increasing export is best, and while I don't prefer the pads themselves, they are an equally valid form of export as any.

That said, there are many good ways to increase export, such as GFO and other binders, skimming, growing macroalgae or ATS, and organic carbon dosing.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I used these as well....however, mine broke down in the hob filter and made the tank a mess...did you have this problem as well...or was I just lucky?:squigglemouth:

I am curious - How often did you replace them?

I replace my Carbon Filter Pads Weekly and plan on doing the same if I try these Pads.

I definetly do not want them to break down in my tank if I decide to use them.

 

[that Reef Guy]

The Reason that I want to use them is that I do not have a Fancy GFO Reactor.

I was using GFO in a Tetra "Hang on the Back" Cascading Freshwater Filter where I mixed it in the Filter Pad with the Carbon.

My Corals seemed to use Color so I stopped.

I was told by one person that the GFO was getting into the Aquarium since it was not contained.

So I hoped to give these Pads a try instead to see if they worked.

 

[Soylent Wrasse]

I'm not sure I understand what you want the OP to find. The answer as to why phosphate is high is always more import (which is almost entirely foods unless raw tap water is used) than export.

One can solve the problem with less foods, but often increasing export is best, and while I don't prefer the pads themselves, they are an equally valid form of export as any.

That said, there are many good ways to increase export, such as GFO and other binders, skimming, growing macroalgae or ATS, and organic carbon dosing.

I should have been clearer - my mistake in haste of typing! You're absolutely correct in your exporting options. What I wanted to have come across was find the source(s) of extra phos in the system and then take steps to correct it. Pads will work, but certainly not the only way.

 

[dadof4]

The reason I say they are not a long term solution is that they reach a saturation point in about 24 hours and can start releasing Po4 back in to the water. They are a bandaid that can take the Po4 down quickly to a manageable level that the GFO can maintain or slowly drop further. You really have to get to the root of the problem, why such high Po4 all the time? Like RHF said it usually boils down to high levels of Po4 in food or Po4 in the water that isn't being take out by a RODI system. Pellet food is notoriously high in phosphate, fresh sea food can be too unless they are properly washed.

 

[that Reef Guy]

The reason I say they are not a long term solution is that they reach a saturation point in about 24 hours and can start releasing Po4 back in to the water. They are a bandaid that can take the Po4 down quickly to a manageable level that the GFO can maintain or slowly drop further. You really have to get to the root of the problem, why such high Po4 all the time? Like RHF said it usually boils down to high levels of Po4 in food or Po4 in the water that isn't being take out by a RODI system. Pellet food is notoriously high in phosphate, fresh sea food can be too unless they are properly washed.

So unless you replace them every day they will not work?

That would get very expensive.

I was planning on changing them weekly like I do with the Carbon Filter Pads that come with the Filter.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How fast they need to be replaced is, like GFO, entirely dependent on the phosphate level in the aquarium.

 

[that Reef Guy]

OK so Randy says that they are not as effective as GFO.

So my last question is are they safer than GFO in a Tetra "Hang on the Back" Freshwater Filter?

Please see the Pics below to see what I am going to be putting the Filter Pads in if I try these Pads if you are unfamiliar with the Filter that I use (Most people do not use it in Saltwater Aquariums but a Zillion People use them in Freshwater).

I stopped using GFO before because someone posted that I was getting GFO into my System which caused my Corals to "Fade" in color.

He stated that I needed GFO in a Reactor which would keep it contained and Not allow it into the Aquarium.

So am I guaranteed that the Filter Pads would cause me no harm?

That is why I posted this Thread.

Otherwise I would continue GFO but stopped because that is the only option I have of using GFO.

 

[Pete polyp]

Using aluminum oxide inside your hob would be much more effective. The pads you are referring to work because it contains gfo and aluminum oxide. When you cut these pads to fit, the gfo and aluminum oxide will fall out all over the place. It will eventually end up in your tank (as suggested earlier). Gfo won't be as efficient inside a hob as it would in a reactor because it won't tumble.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Using aluminum oxide inside your hob would be much more effective. The pads you are referring to work because it contains gfo and aluminum oxide. When you cut these pads to fit, the gfo and aluminum oxide will fall out all over the place. It will eventually end up in your tank (as suggested earlier). Gfo won't be as efficient inside a hob as it would in a reactor because it won't tumble.

Arn't these Pads made to be cut to size?

It was not suggested that the GFO from the Pads would get into the Tank.

It was said that adding actual GFO inside the Pad got into the Tank.

The GFO did indeed work in lowering the Phosphate (I used BRS HIgh Capacity GFO for about 6 Months).

I went from 1.17 to 0.06 from doing it.

Just my Corals Faded in Color so I stopped using it for that reason and am looking at other alternatives now and came up with this Filter Pad idea.

 

[Pete polyp]

Arn't these Pads made to be cut to size?

It was not suggested that the GFO from the Pads would get into the Tank.

It was said that adding actual GFO inside the Pad got into the Tank.

The GFO did indeed work in lowering the Phosphate (I used BRS HIgh Capacity GFO for about 6 Months).

I went from 1.17 to 0.06 from doing it.

Just my Corals Faded in Color so I stopped using it for that reason and am looking at other alternatives now and came up with this Filter Pad idea.

Yes you cut to size and when you do the gfo and aluminum oxide near the cut will fall out. The pads have gfo stuck inside them, so if finding something besides gfo is the goal these pads are not a good alternative.