Rowaphos

[fish frenzy]

I just recently bought Rowphos to control my phosphates. *Between my display tank and sump, I have about 180g - 200g of saltwater. *I added 250g of Rowaphos to my reactor, and let the output flow to an empty bucket until the water coming out was clear (approx. 2.5 gallons). *I then set the reactor so the Rowaphos would gently tumble (it might have roaring tumble for about a minute or so).

My phosphates were at .16ppm prior to using Rowaphos, within a couple of days they dropped to .08 (with a 25% water change). *Now a day later, the water coming out from the reactor with Rowaphos is at .06ppm and my tank water is back up to .16ppm.

Is it normal for the Rowaphos to exhaust so quickly? *Am i doing something wrong? *Do I need to let it tumble less? *Do I need to use less Rowasphos. *I under the amount that I used would be good for removing up to 3ppm of phosphates.

Also want to mention, that I am using a BRS reactor and I just read on D-D website that I was not suppose to rinse it when using a canister and i am suppose to be using filter wool in the canister.

Could this be the reason it exhausted so quickly?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[duromega]

I will rinse regardless of what the paper says, you don't want that blackish water in your display, I guess your rocks are leaching phosphates to your system, replace rowaphos again until you get the results you want.

 

[theMeat]

Could also be the time of day you check it. Lights come on, algae consumes phosphates, and your readings go down. It is unusual for gfo media to get exhausted so quickly, even more unusual for it to work that quickly. Wish it were that easy

 

[BKLYNREEF123]

I have experienced and know other reefers who have had Po4 levels drop rather quickly with rowa. Also keep in mind that you did a WC assuming you are using RODI for the new water that will also drop your Po4. I always rinse the media prior to use. If you read the instructions it states "When fluidising rowa phos we suggest that the media is first flushed through in the reactor with a small amount of RO water, (or tank water during a water change), until it starts to run clear". By tumbling the media in the reactor you are fluidising it. If you were going to use it in a canister it would not be tumbling, and according to rowa it should be in the bag, or sandwiched between two layers of filter media. Because the measurements you are taking are coming out less on the output from the reactor I believe that the media is still working. As Duromega suggest I believe something else is introducing Po4 into the system. I would continue to test and change out the rowa when the readings are closer to that in the tank. How long has the system been up? What are you keeping, and how are you feeding the inhabitants? How much rock is in the tank? What are you skimming with? How much flow is in the tank, are there dead spots? Is the sand full of detritus? You dont have to answer these questions here but these are additional things I would look into. Like most issues in this hobby p04 can require multiple changes, and adjustments to correct. Good luck.

 

[jackson6745]

So your tank water is currently .12 and and water coming out of reactor is .06.
It's not exhausted. You need more time. GFO in a reactor is not designed to strip a tank of po4 in a day.

 

[TUSI]

If the water in your tank is 0.12 and the fluid coming out of your rector is 0.12 then that means its exhausted so as rich said give it more time