CA reactor without GFO?

[TexasTodd]

Who's running a calcium reactor without Phosban / GFO? And, is dosing nitrates part of your method to do so? Or, what else are you doing?
I've run CA reactors in the past but always had to run GFO. GFO has always made me nervous.

Thanks,

Todd

 

[Bpb]

I run a calcium reactor without gfo.

 

[TexasTodd]

Thanks, what are the specifics for your system and your phosphate level?

 

[Bpb]

Sure.

Very bare bones tank, something like you’d see 10-15 years ago.

90 gallon display 40 gallon sump (86 net gallons of actual water)

T5ho lighting
Tunze powerheads
Weekly water changes with instant ocean
Vodka dosing
Lifereef skimmer
Geo calcium reactor

No other modern products of any kind.

My PO4 was kept in check with vodka dosing. Kept me down at 2-5 ppm NO3 and 0.03-0.07 ppm PO4 for a while. A year or more. I had to run gfo once or twice to slam it down when it got to 0.07, but I never ran it continually. Over the last 6 months or so, NO3 has stayed low but PO4 has crept up to 0.12-0.15 which is too high for me. I hate using GFO so I recently started dripping phosphate RX into a filter sock. It’s slowly bringing PO4 back down but I have a lot bound in the rocks that is leeching.

I’ll follow up by saying I don’t feel the calcium reactor has anything to do with po4. The media is constantly dissolving, preventing it from binding and storing any po4 to release back into the water

 

[Gablami]

I’ll follow up by saying I don’t feel the calcium reactor has anything to do with po4. The media is constantly dissolving, preventing it from binding and storing any po4 to release back into the water

Yes, I don’t think a carx has any connection with running gfo. I’ve run a carx with and without gfo, all depending on my phosphorus levels.

 

[jda]

I have CaRx and no GFO. You do not need GFO to run a CaRx. People have been using CaRx since the 1980s (maybe before, but I was not around) and GFO was not available until about a decade ago, or so.

I run a Berlin tank, fuge, CaRx, flow pumps, heaters and MH. That is all. No dosing of anything... just feed the fish.

Why do you think that they are needed to run together? What is the root of this thought?

 

[Jlentz]

I don’t run gfo. I do have a turbo ATS though. I don’t dose nitrates other than feeding a lot of fish.

 

[bubbaque]

I run a calcrx with no gfo. I actually dose phosphate to keep a slight reading on the Hanna ULR.

A calcrx does release some phosphate as it dissolves the media but nothing to worry about.

 

[csorime]

I have CaRx and no GFO. You do not need GFO to run a CaRx. People have been using CaRx since the 1980s (maybe before, but I was not around) and GFO was not available until about a decade ago, or so.

I run a Berlin tank, fuge, CaRx, flow pumps, heaters and MH. That is all. No dosing of anything... just feed the fish.

Why do you think that they are needed to run together? What is the root of this thought?

Maybe their thoughts were along the lines of phosphates being released from the media as it breaks down. Whatever may be bound within the old coral skeletons .

 

[TexasTodd]

Thanks all. I'm thinking the media for CA reactor has gotten better? I was running one maybe 12 or so years ago and it definitely spiked, but can't remember what media I used.
Good to know I may give it a try again.

What is phosphate RX?

Todd

 

[hybridazn]

I believe the OP is talking about having phosphate issues with a CaRX because some media has been known to leach phosphates as it breaks down.

If you use a quality media you shouldn't have to worry about it. I use TLF Reborn with no issues, but I have a friend who also used it but had phosphate issues because there were little shells mixed in the media. When it broke down the shells it released phosphates.

 

[TexasTodd]

So, what's the best media now that has consistently low phosphates?

 

[Bpb]

Phosphate RX is lanthanum chloride. Liquid chemical additive that binds PO4 and forms a flocculant that is skimmed off or captured in a filter sock

 

[hybridazn]

So, what's the best media now that has consistently low phosphates?

I still use reborn with no phosphates coming from the effluent. And my po4 in my tank is currently at .02

 

[jda]

I use ARM. It has very little impact. I soaked a jug of large ARM in just enough water to cover it and it ended up below:

This time, I got 15 PPB of phosphate. This is not very much phosphate and barely a trace in a larger aquarium (0.000068 ppm in a 180G tank)

Reborn should have a trace too... but it is not significant IMO.

 

[TexasTodd]

Thank you ALL, this is super helpful.

Kalkwasser binds some phosphates too, doesn't it?

 

[jda]

Yes and no. Phosphates can precipitate quite readily, but they have to be bound with organics to truly get exported. Kalk can do some of this, but do not expect anything and be happy if you get just a little. It is not a significant phosphate export mechanism for people who have issues.