Phosphates not going down with reactor.

[reefguy40gal]

I set up a reactor last week. It's running GFO like material. (It came in a white bottle with a blue lid). It said on the bottle it was designed to help remove phosphates.

I checked the phosphates before I set up the reactor and they were .30. I used the Hannah green egg.

I checked the phosphates 24 hours after running the reactor (last week Sunday) and they were down to .11

I just checked them again and they are up to .15


Am I doing something wrong here? I'm running what they told me was an over-sized reactor for my 40gal with 15gal sump. They said I should have used the nano reactor but I got the Kent model.

thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The material is red/brown like GFO?

What brand?
How much material in the reactor?

Maybe it is just depleted.

One way to know is to check the tank and the reactor output for phosphate. If they match, the reactor isn't doing much.

 

[reefguy40gal]

Yes material is red/brown. Don't know the brand name (forget) but you can get it at any LFS in So. Cali.

I got the smallest size on the advice of the store owner. I had to buy extra pump and some sort of valve....took me a week to figure it out. Just got it operational last week Sat.


Can the GFO type material be depleted in as little as one week?


I can't test anymore due to using up the "reactor" material for the green Hannah Egg......it's a real pain to get the white powder out of the packet, and there's always residue left....then as I was shaking the test tube for 2 minutes....the egg automatically turned off. (brand new battery). So I had to start all over again. Really don't like the fact I had to pay $60 for this thing and it's not working well for me.

 

[davejep]

When I am testing with the Hanna. I put the tube in the "egg" after a minute or so of mixing it, hold the button down to start the 3min countdown, then keep inverting it for another minute.
That way the tester won't time out and shut down. During the last two minutes I give it a light tap on the countertop to dislodge any bubbles that might have formed and stuck to the side of the glass.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Can the GFO type material be depleted in as little as one week?

.

GFO can be depleted in an hour if the phosphate is high enough. It is not a time that is important, it is a total amount of phosphate that encounters the fixed number of available binding sites (to some extent, although more binds at higher phosphate levels).

 

[reefguy40gal]

When I am testing with the Hanna. I put the tube in the "egg" after a minute or so of mixing it, hold the button down to start the 3min countdown, then keep inverting it for another minute.
That way the tester won't time out and shut down. During the last two minutes I give it a light tap on the countertop to dislodge any bubbles that might have formed and stuck to the side of the glass.

Ah, thanks for the tip, will be trying this next time. Where do you purchase additional "reagents" at for cheap? I'm all out.

GFO can be depleted in an hour if the phosphate is high enough. It is not a time that is important, it is a total amount of phosphate that encounters the fixed number of available binding sites (to some extent, although more binds at higher phosphate levels).

So based on what I told you...initial reading was .30....24 hours later .11.....7 days later .15

Would you say that it's depleted?

I went through hell and back trying to get this reactor set up properly. I'm literally running a frakenstein contraption, even though it's brand new:

- top cap of Kent reactor won't seal properly 9 times out of 10. Did not come with rubber seal.
- aftermarket pump makes a horrendous noise when I close the valve into the reactor in order to slow the water flow. Cannot figure out how to silence. (same general purpose pump you'd buy at any fish store).
- black stuff coming out of top of reactor.....temporarily solved that problem by using sponges and messing with the flow.

Good plumber, I do not make.

 

[davejep]

Ah, thanks for the tip, will be trying this next time. Where do you purchase additional "reagents" at for cheap? I'm all out.




So based on what I told you...initial reading was .30....24 hours later .11.....7 days later .15

Would you say that it's depleted?

I picked mine up from BRS

 

[Reefing Madness]

What you need to do is use a Lanthanum product to get your phosphates down really low, then use the GFO, if you so wish to do so at that point. I just use SeaKlear, no GFO.

 

[reefguy40gal]

What you need to do is use a Lanthanum product to get your phosphates down really low, then use the GFO, if you so wish to do so at that point. I just use SeaKlear, no GFO.

Do most aquarium shops sell it? Does it work the same as the GFO?

 

[Reefing Madness]

It works better than GFO, it can and will remove phosphates in a matter of hours, if dosing properly, and I'd not recommend doing it that fast if you have corals, if you don't, then you can dose a few capfuls in one day and remove them all right there and then.
SeaKlear is a pool phospahte remover, you buy 32oz and it will last you forever, you'll only be dosing a matter of 1-2mls a week to keep phosphates inline, unless yuou have a bigger tank like mine, then you'll be dosing a capful a week.:bigsmile:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So based on what I told you...initial reading was .30....24 hours later .11.....7 days later .15

Would you say that it's depleted?

More likely than not, but measuring the effluent will tell you.

 

[Damon]

Ah, thanks for the tip, will be trying this next time. Where do you purchase additional "reagents" at for cheap? I'm all out.




So based on what I told you...initial reading was .30....24 hours later .11.....7 days later .15

Would you say that it's depleted?

I went through hell and back trying to get this reactor set up properly. I'm literally running a frakenstein contraption, even though it's brand new:

- top cap of Kent reactor won't seal properly 9 times out of 10. Did not come with rubber seal.
- aftermarket pump makes a horrendous noise when I close the valve into the reactor in order to slow the water flow. Cannot figure out how to silence. (same general purpose pump you'd buy at any fish store).
- black stuff coming out of top of reactor.....temporarily solved that problem by using sponges and messing with the flow.

Good plumber, I do not make.

Depending on what test you have (I have the 736),they are 7.00 on amazon for 25 kit of reagent(brs was out, but I typically go through them also) And like randy said, your gfo is probably depleted. And as others said, yes, make up to vials if need be. But they came out with better dissolving reagent, and add long as you cut the pouch at 45 and fold it open like a mouth, making a definitive crease in the package, it's easy to do quickly and I don't even have to do 2 vials any longer...

And your, with your reactor(as when I started with them, had the same issues your speaking of) better off with another reactor. I am running the avast "kit" which they sell for 59.00. It was easy and quick to assemble and it comes with everything including glue, sponges, hose and valve. It really is a one stop build(the only thing you'll need is a quiet pump like a sicce). And the thing is really, really solidly designed and built. For the price it really can't be touched(actually, I've paid much more for others and the avast is superior). You can also do a recirc mod to it that they sell.. It's a very nice reactor..