Reactors for iron and carbon for 3000 g tank

LouCiro

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 13, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
50
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Does anyone have experience with a reactor for iron and carbon for a 3000 gallon reef tank. Any info on calculating size , flow etc. Have been running this system with a Rk2 slimmer and a 500 sq ft pool cartridge filter since 1993. Converted from fish only to a reef about 4 years ago. Would like to add
Ferric oxide reactor and a bio carbon reactor. System uses 2 , 3 hp pumps ,
We change 400- 1000 gallons per week. The fish are hard on the corals but some are growing fine. We currently have cyano growing and would like to eliminate it and perhaps cut down on water changes. System stable, Po4 about 0.8 ppm.
Thanks for the help.
Lou
 

KrisReef

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
11,550
Reaction score
27,334
Location
ADX Florence
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

With that volume I think you might want to look into using lanthanum chloride with a 5 micron filter sock to remove the PO4. You can search this site for Lanthanum chloride and read how people use it.

Here's a recent thread that has some discussion and a calculator at post 15

 
OP
OP
L

LouCiro

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 13, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
50
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Kris,
Have used lanthanum chloride. Used very very dilute amounts with a controlled dosing pump. After dosing for months, a 12" sohal tang started swimming upside down and appeared to be dying. Removed him and placed him and a few others that were distressed into water with no lanthanum. They recovered almost immediately.
There appears to be a threshold for this chemical that after the phosphate has been reduced to a low amount (precipitated) that this stuff becomes toxic. I noticed three different techniques for water treatment, a calcium reactor, a carbon reactor and an iron reactor. The iron reactor seems to have a threshold above the desired low po4 level. the carbon reactors need to be run with degassed water
to grow bacteria that can assimilate po4, and the calcium reactor which put ca++ and po4 into the system at a low rate. I am exploring each of these.
Thanks for the reply.
Lou
 

KrisReef

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
11,550
Reaction score
27,334
Location
ADX Florence
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Kris,
Have used lanthanum chloride. Used very very dilute amounts with a controlled dosing pump. After dosing for months, a 12" sohal tang started swimming upside down and appeared to be dying. Removed him and placed him and a few others that were distressed into water with no lanthanum. They recovered almost immediately.
There appears to be a threshold for this chemical that after the phosphate has been reduced to a low amount (precipitated) that this stuff becomes toxic. I noticed three different techniques for water treatment, a calcium reactor, a carbon reactor and an iron reactor. The iron reactor seems to have a threshold above the desired low po4 level. the carbon reactors need to be run with degassed water
to grow bacteria that can assimilate po4, and the calcium reactor which put ca++ and po4 into the system at a low rate. I am exploring each of these.
Thanks for the reply.
Lou
Kris,
Have used lanthanum chloride. Used very very dilute amounts with a controlled dosing pump. After dosing for months, a 12" sohal tang started swimming upside down and appeared to be dying. Removed him and placed him and a few others that were distressed into water with no lanthanum. They recovered almost immediately.
There appears to be a threshold for this chemical that after the phosphate has been reduced to a low amount (precipitated) that this stuff becomes toxic. I noticed three different techniques for water treatment, a calcium reactor, a carbon reactor and an iron reactor. The iron reactor seems to have a threshold above the desired low po4 level. the carbon reactors need to be run with degassed water
to grow bacteria that can assimilate po4, and the calcium reactor which put ca++ and po4 into the system at a low rate. I am exploring each of these.
Thanks for the reply.
Lou
Interesting information, thanks for that!

Ive not used it in a fish habitat, just for curing used live rock in a barrel. I discard the water when I was done.

I would consider dripping LC into a 5 micron sock in the sump to collect and remove the percipient after it reacts with phosphate. I have not done it but have read that will work to keep the fish safe?!
 
OP
OP
L

LouCiro

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 13, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
50
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Interesting information, thanks for that!

Ive not used it in a fish habitat, just for curing used live rock in a barrel. I discard the water when I was done.

I would consider dripping LC into a 5 micron sock in the sump to collect and remove the percipient after it reacts with phosphate. I have not done it but have read that will work to keep the fish safe?!
Kris
The lanthanum we used was dripped into a 400 gallon sump 50 feet from the main tank. A 10’ skimmer and a 500 sq ft filter are also on this line in parallel with the sump. It is doubtful that filtering the lanthanum input wold make a difference
Since it’s flow was very very low , a few cc
Once per day. Be really careful with this chemical.
Lou
 

AlexG

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
4,897
Location
Illinois
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome to Reef2Reef. Have you attempted to use an algae turf scrubber or large refugium to grow algae for nutrient export? My last system that was ~1600 gallons I never used anything other than a refugium to control my Nitrates and Phosphates which always maintained a low level of No3 ~10ppm, Po4 ~.1.
 

Mixing lighting technologies: Do you use multiple types of lighting for your reef?

  • I currently use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 9 52.9%
  • I have used multiple types of lighting for my reef in the past.

    Votes: 2 11.8%
  • I haven’t used multiple types of lighting for my reef, but I plan to in the future.

    Votes: 3 17.6%
  • I have no plans to use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 3 17.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top