Cheapest But Efficiant Phosphate Remover

[Rumpy Pumpy]

Sorry to be dumb but whats an algae scrubber?

A method of growing and then harvesting algae to reduce nutrients in the water.

The algae uses nitrate, phosphate and other stuff in the water to grow and then, once a week or so, you remove the algae and the nutrients with it.

This is my one http/www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=584

 

[ben1987]

ive heard two of my local reefer have had major problems after using that phos remover up there in barneys link. they have awesome tanks too and for that reason id never touch it. one of thems phosphates actually went up and the company advised him to double and tripple the dose and still they went up

Just wondering what you all use, and has anyone found a remover that is cheap but still effective.

An algae scrubber

yea? and they remove phosphate do they, problem solved!

they are very effective tbh...

i use cheato and phosban/rowa though....you would struggle to run an algae bed with no sump tho...unless you still have the filter box?

i have my external filter, which will be empty eventually, its just how would i modify it to house a algae scrubber, im not really set on the idea of drilling a hole in it to allow access for an LED? you gt any ideas.

how long do you replace the rowa ben?

thanks

i used to do one big maintainance day, the first weekend of every month, so it used to get switched then. TBH i didnt need it in my corner tank as i had a massive amount of cheato. it used to last me 4 weeks easy in my other tanks though (god i hate not having a tank. Could you fit a little HOB fudge?

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Ben are you talking about the liquid phosphate remover or the GFO based stuff?

Adam, I'am using the liquid phosphate remover from there but have only used it for less than a week so far then stopped as I have introduced new fish so can't say how well it works yet. I wouldn't recommend using it though unless you are skimming heavily and/or are using mechanical filtration as well. basically the liquid stuff binds to phosphates which then means it can be skimmers out or removed with filter wool. It can also effect your KH and PH as well as potentially damaging fish which is why I wouldn't recommend using it unless you have a sump and use mechanical filtration between your return pump and the display tank to keep it in your sump.

From the user accounts I have read and the people I have spoken to it is very effective stuff but it does have to be used with caution and IMO its not a permanent solution.

A HOB filter converted to a fuge can work very well. I'm actually considering building one to sit along the inside top edge of my tank as my sump is already crowded with stuff and is difficult to work in.

 

[ben1987]

Ben are you talking about the liquid phosphate remover or the GFO based stuff?

Adam, I'am using the liquid phosphate remover from there but have only used it for less than a week so far then stopped as I have introduced new fish so can't say how well it works yet. I wouldn't recommend using it though unless you are skimming heavily and/or are using mechanical filtration as well. basically the liquid stuff binds to phosphates which then means it can be skimmers out or removed with filter wool. It can also effect your KH and PH as well as potentially damaging fish which is why I wouldn't recommend using it unless you have a sump and use mechanical filtration between your return pump and the display tank to keep it in your sump.

From the user accounts I have read and the people I have spoken to it is very effective stuff but it does have to be used with caution and IMO its not a permanent solution.

A HOB filter converted to a fuge can work very well. I'm actually considering building one to sit along the inside top edge of my tank as my sump is already crowded with stuff and is difficult to work in.

the liquid one mate

 

[xxBarneyxx]

the liquid one mate

Thanks, I haven't spoken to to many people that are using this exact brand of liquid phosphate remover (although they are all basically the same anyway) but hadn't seen any negative reports on it. Good to know though. I will be watching all the tank parameters and the reactions of the livestock very closely though and will make sure to do a write up here on how it works.

 

[AdAndrews]

What about the idea of turning my external filter into a refudge guys? Ive seen someone put a little 10w led into their filter, just drilling a hole then filling it back up with silicone. That person used it for cheato

thanks,
Adam

 

[seffieuk]

Yep, sounds good to me - after all a refugium is only a place where there is extra water connected to the tank with light to grow chaeto etc

Seffie x

 

[AdAndrews]

Yep, sounds good to me - after all a refugium is only a place where there is extra water connected to the tank with light to grow chaeto etc

Seffie x

great, i'll look up all the things needed.

Adam

 

[ben1987]

unless i go Zeo, il not have a tank without cheato. once you get the nack of binning some of it and letting it re-grow every now and again, it really does help with the phosphates. Algae growth in the tank is slowed down a lot as the cheato uses up a lot of the neutrients the algae needs

 

[AdAndrews]

unless i go Zeo, il not have a tank without cheato. once you get the nack of binning some of it and letting it re-grow every now and again, it really does help with the phosphates. Algae growth in the tank is slowed down a lot as the cheato uses up a lot of the neutrients the algae needs

Well, before i do anything i should really check the phosphate levels, the test kit should come tommorrow so i'll post my results.

thanks

 

[AdAndrews]

A light like this can be used, right?

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/Underwater-POND-POOL-Water-LIGHT-Spotlight-Bulb-7-Mode-/270359218683?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PondsWaterFeatures_UK&hash=item3ef2aa49fb

It doesnt say what wattage is it though. I think its 36 leds. then i'd just need a hole for the cable to go into the filter.

Adam

 

[AdAndrews]

one thing i also wanted to ask is how often do you "harvest" your cheato? i know obviously the lighting it it will be under and the state of your tank will affect, but roughly?

thanks.

 

[ben1987]

mine used to be about every 3-4 weeks and just pull of a fist full and spread the rest out til it thickeneed up a bit.

with you having a FOWLR at the mo, phosophates are a bit less important.

 

[AdAndrews]

mine used to be about every 3-4 weeks and just pull of a fist full and spread the rest out til it thickeneed up a bit.

with you having a FOWLR at the mo, phosophates are a bit less important.

oh yea, of course at the moment, tbh though the softies i will be keeping are hardy species anyway arnt they?, so they will be able to tollerate a little bit of phosphate? i would prefer to just run phosban and see how that goes really, im a bit iffy about doing DIY jobbys.

i will report back with the phosphate test results when i get them,

thanks for your help all!

Adam

 

[AdAndrews]

just tested my levels:

phosphate: 0.1-0.25 ppm
nitrate: 10-25 ppm

what does this mean? how low do the levels have to be for corals? bear in mind that the tank is not fully stocked so levels are likely to rise in the longer term without treatment.

thanks