some help with BioPhos 3 please....

[skeletor]

so I've been using the BioPhos 3 for a couple of weeks now and I was wondering if someone could answer some questions about it's use and replacement frequency.

tank vol is around 40gal, effluent drip rate is 3ml/min, Ca Rx pH is 6.35 (crushed coral media). I started with the 1/4 cup of BioPhos 3 for 2 weeks, then tested the effluent PO4 and it was 0.12, so I changed out the media and used 1/3 cup this time. 4 days after changing the media PO4 was at 0.10 and 3 days later it is still at 0.10.. I tested PO4 in the effluent before adding the BioPhos media and it was at 0.17..

so to recap, 1 week ago PO4 = 0.12, then 3 days ago PO4 = 0.10 and today PO4 = 0.10.. Tank PO4 was 0.08 1 week ago and hasn't been tested since.

does this mean the BioPhos is only taking some PO4 out of the effluent ? Do I need more BioPhos media ? is the flow rate to slow ? or do I need to change the media more often than every 2 weeks ?

I just ordered a new dosing pump to replace the current one so I will be increasing the effluent rate to 5 - 10ml/min soon.

thanks,
rich.

[G.Alexander]

Rich, the Al based absorbers are very effective in absorbing PO4, but they heave the con to be quick depleted if you “feed” them with higher PO4 water .

Have you ever checked the PO4 level of your CaCO2 reactor outlet before the BioPhos ?

It is not possible to tell you a changing interval. This depends to the PO4 quantity which flow through the material. You only can find it out by measuring PO4 after BioPhos which should be 0,00 with the fresh material.

G.Alexander

[skeletor]

yeah I think there is a fair amount of PO4 coming out of the reactor. last time I checked (3 weeks ago) it was 0.17.

I'm going to try changing the media out tonigh then taking some more tests tomorrow.

Should I increase the amount of media or just watch it more closely and change it more often ?

thanks,
rich

[G.Alexander]

Rich, I would recommend the usage around 200 ml, but you have to make sure all the material is passed by the water flow. 0,17 mg PO4 is veryhigh for a reactor outlet. Looking forward to your report.

G.Alexander

[Orion76]

If your CA reactor media has such high a phosphate content it might be worth trying some media from a different source.

[CCG]

How is the water flowing through the media? If it is flowing down through the media then you may not have enough contact time to remove all the PO4. Maybe try flowing the water up through the media and see what happens. BTW I think that if your reactor is releasing that much PO4 then I would be looking for new media. HTH

Colin

[skeletor]

yeah I'm inclined to agree with everyone about the media. I'll try and pickup some new media in the next couple of days. in the mean time I just swapped out the old media for 1/2 a cup (around 120ml ?) of new BioPhos 3. this is all the reactor cup will currently hold, if I do need to go bigger I can always make a larger cup.

I'll test PO4 later on tonight.

the biophos is in an up-flow reactor and at only 3ml/min I hope the contact time is long enough.

thanks,
rich.

[skeletor]

just tested the Ca Rx PO4 and got 0.04, not bad since it was 0.10 last night and I put 1/2 a cup of new biophos in 10 hours ago. so, at 3ml/min that means 1800ml has passed through the 120ml of BioPhos media thus far.

I'll test again in the morning, 3ml/min means holding the 10ml vial under the drip for 3+ minutes to take a sample but I've got to solve my PO4 addiction some how

if it's gone up by the morning does that mean the biophos media is exhausted already ? or does it take some time before it fully stops absorbing PO4.. it seems at least the BioPhos is taking some PO4 out of the effluent, so maybe I do need more BioPhos media to make up for the horrible amount of PO4 coming out of the Ca Rx ?

at this rate I'm going to need a bigger bag of biophos pretty soon

thanks,
rich.

[G.Alexander]

Rich, I would first recommend to change your CaCO2 reactor media. I use a PO4 low coral gravel which gives me a PO4 reading after 2 or 3 days using it in the reactor of 0,03 – 0,04 mg. The fresh media has a PO4 level around 0,06 – 0,08 in the first days.

G.Alexander

[skeletor]

wow, BioPhos 3 is fast acting... I just tested PO4 coming out of the reactor and it's back up to 0.16 :devil2:

so, I swapped out the 1/2 cup of biophos for 1/2 cup of Fe based PO4 absorber. I plan on testing it after 10hrs, and again tomorrow morning to see what sort of job it can do for the phosphate monster...

I'm trying to source some ARM reactor media locally and hope to have it replaced in a couple of days.

thanks,
rich.

[skeletor]

after 10hrs the Fe based PO4 absorber was reading 0.03, not bad and about the same as the BopPhos. I'll test again in the morning to see how long it lasts.

Ordered a 50lb bag of ARM media today so that should be just a couple of days away.

rich.

[fkadir]

Rich, what media were you using that caused such a high PO4 effluent? Im currently running ARM in my Rx but thinking of switching to the Deltec Rowalith C+ media.

[skeletor]

It was regular old crushed coral media, I did rinse it in RO/DI for a couple of weeks but I guess I didn't get anywhere near all the PO4 out. I've ordered some ARM and I'm going to make something to rinse it in and run a phosban/biophos reactor on it until I read 0.00 PO4.

[fkadir]

Rich, is dat possible? To run ARM in the phosban until 0.00? I would assume that some PO4 is 'embedded' in the media itself will only be released when melted down?

[Orion76]

What kind of filter housing do you guys use for your Ca reactor effluent? I can't find anything small enough for half a cup of PO4 remover.