mikeymike
11-22-2010, 12:16 AM
Here's a little project I did for my freshwater Tropheus tank
Main components
Reactors: Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor 150 (2 of them)
Media: RowaPhos Phosphate Removal Media (500mL)
Media: SeaChem Purigen Filter Media (150mL)
Filter: Eheim 2213 Classic
Tank: 72gal bowfront - freshwater
Sump: none
Fish: Tropheus Ikola Kaisers and Moori Bembas
Eheim 12/16 tubing
Eheim 16/22 tubing
Eheim DoubleTap connectors (494)
Eheim 16/22 intake/outtake kit (upgrade for flow)
Media Bag/Sock 100microns
ZooMed pre-filter black
various elbows
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0060/DSC0764.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0060/DSC0764)
click on photo for larger size
So my main purpose was to add a phosphate removal media and Purigen without having to use those media socks by way of adding them to either a HOB or internally into a canister.
I've done the sock in canister route before but as you know the Purigen in the middle of the sock never gets the flow needed.
I've been very interested in trying out the reactors for quite some time but iv'e only ever seen them used within a sump system and mainly with saltwater tanks.
Well my setup is freshwater and I don't use a sump. I also have no desire to build or buy one. I have 2 Eheim Pro3 2071's that work just fine for now.
But knowing I had an old Eheim 2213 classic I had an idea
I inquired here on another post I made but no one has tried using the reactors on a freshwater setup.
So heres what I did and how it looks....
One of the most dissapointing aspects of the PhosBan reactor is the elbows that it comes with. The rubber is way too soft and too loose when connected to the reactor.
So I decided to not even going to use them.
I attached the Eheim 12/16 tubing directly on top of the reactors
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0064/DSC0767.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0064/DSC0767)
In the Eheim 2213 Classic its filled with nothing buy bioballs and 3 course sponges from Rena trimmed to fit.
To help keep large particles from entering the Eheim I added a prefilter to the intake so as to keep the Eheim from clogging and the flow from slowing down.
Anyone with the Eheim 2213 classic will know the flow of this filter is great (as Eheim advertised) when its first cleaned but has a tendency to slow down after a few weeks of use. Also its flow rating seems to match well with the flow required for the reactors
This was the main reason for only adding bio balls and sponges into the canister itself.
http://d.imagehost.org/t/0120/DSC0768.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0120/DSC0768) http://d.imagehost.org/t/0752/DSC0769.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0752/DSC0769)
other pics:
http://b.imagehost.org/view/0619/DSC0770
http://b.imagehost.org/view/0064/DSC0771
There are 2 round course filter sponges that come with the reactor. They are really really course. If the flow into the reactors is too high the media will travel through the sponges quite easily.
Especially with the Purigen as the granules are so tiny.
So what I did was to pick up a 100micron media sock and cut it into oversized circles and place them under the round sponges in the reactor
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0295/DSC0779.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0295/DSC0779) http://b.imagehost.org/t/0681/DSC0780.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0681/DSC0780)
Heres pics of the top course sponge supplied with the reactor. The media can easily travel through and get into the tank is the flow becomes too high.
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0619/DSC0781.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0619/DSC0781) http://b.imagehost.org/t/0038/DSC0782.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0038/DSC0782)
other pics:
http://b.imagehost.org/view/0029/DSC0784
http://d.imagehost.org/view/0192/DSC0785
This is what it looks like after I have cut the sock and added them to the top sponge
Its best to cut the sock oversized so it can fit fairly tightly at the edge so the media can't find anyway to escape
http://d.imagehost.org/t/0838/DSC0786.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0838/DSC0786)
The top reactor is with my modifications and the bottom is how its supposed to be as per PhosBans instructions
After adding all the double tap connectors and tubing this is the finished setup
http://d.imagehost.org/t/0078/DSC0789.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0078/DSC0789)
The reason I went with Eheims doubletap connectors is so that I can remove any one reactor and connect any of the other outtakes and continue to system flow.
I hooked it all up and started the Eheim flow. One thing I noticed right away was the fact that the Purigen granules was so light in weight that it floats and rises easily, even with very little flow.
So I added a middle course sponge and round sock filter to keep the Purigen lower within the reactor for better overall movement
Heres a video I uploaded for you all to see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFV9nb7pEIE
Thanks for reading my little project
Main components
Reactors: Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor 150 (2 of them)
Media: RowaPhos Phosphate Removal Media (500mL)
Media: SeaChem Purigen Filter Media (150mL)
Filter: Eheim 2213 Classic
Tank: 72gal bowfront - freshwater
Sump: none
Fish: Tropheus Ikola Kaisers and Moori Bembas
Eheim 12/16 tubing
Eheim 16/22 tubing
Eheim DoubleTap connectors (494)
Eheim 16/22 intake/outtake kit (upgrade for flow)
Media Bag/Sock 100microns
ZooMed pre-filter black
various elbows
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0060/DSC0764.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0060/DSC0764)
click on photo for larger size
So my main purpose was to add a phosphate removal media and Purigen without having to use those media socks by way of adding them to either a HOB or internally into a canister.
I've done the sock in canister route before but as you know the Purigen in the middle of the sock never gets the flow needed.
I've been very interested in trying out the reactors for quite some time but iv'e only ever seen them used within a sump system and mainly with saltwater tanks.
Well my setup is freshwater and I don't use a sump. I also have no desire to build or buy one. I have 2 Eheim Pro3 2071's that work just fine for now.
But knowing I had an old Eheim 2213 classic I had an idea
I inquired here on another post I made but no one has tried using the reactors on a freshwater setup.
So heres what I did and how it looks....
One of the most dissapointing aspects of the PhosBan reactor is the elbows that it comes with. The rubber is way too soft and too loose when connected to the reactor.
So I decided to not even going to use them.
I attached the Eheim 12/16 tubing directly on top of the reactors
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0064/DSC0767.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0064/DSC0767)
In the Eheim 2213 Classic its filled with nothing buy bioballs and 3 course sponges from Rena trimmed to fit.
To help keep large particles from entering the Eheim I added a prefilter to the intake so as to keep the Eheim from clogging and the flow from slowing down.
Anyone with the Eheim 2213 classic will know the flow of this filter is great (as Eheim advertised) when its first cleaned but has a tendency to slow down after a few weeks of use. Also its flow rating seems to match well with the flow required for the reactors
This was the main reason for only adding bio balls and sponges into the canister itself.
http://d.imagehost.org/t/0120/DSC0768.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0120/DSC0768) http://d.imagehost.org/t/0752/DSC0769.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0752/DSC0769)
other pics:
http://b.imagehost.org/view/0619/DSC0770
http://b.imagehost.org/view/0064/DSC0771
There are 2 round course filter sponges that come with the reactor. They are really really course. If the flow into the reactors is too high the media will travel through the sponges quite easily.
Especially with the Purigen as the granules are so tiny.
So what I did was to pick up a 100micron media sock and cut it into oversized circles and place them under the round sponges in the reactor
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0295/DSC0779.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0295/DSC0779) http://b.imagehost.org/t/0681/DSC0780.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0681/DSC0780)
Heres pics of the top course sponge supplied with the reactor. The media can easily travel through and get into the tank is the flow becomes too high.
http://b.imagehost.org/t/0619/DSC0781.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0619/DSC0781) http://b.imagehost.org/t/0038/DSC0782.jpg (http://b.imagehost.org/view/0038/DSC0782)
other pics:
http://b.imagehost.org/view/0029/DSC0784
http://d.imagehost.org/view/0192/DSC0785
This is what it looks like after I have cut the sock and added them to the top sponge
Its best to cut the sock oversized so it can fit fairly tightly at the edge so the media can't find anyway to escape
http://d.imagehost.org/t/0838/DSC0786.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0838/DSC0786)
The top reactor is with my modifications and the bottom is how its supposed to be as per PhosBans instructions
After adding all the double tap connectors and tubing this is the finished setup
http://d.imagehost.org/t/0078/DSC0789.jpg (http://d.imagehost.org/view/0078/DSC0789)
The reason I went with Eheims doubletap connectors is so that I can remove any one reactor and connect any of the other outtakes and continue to system flow.
I hooked it all up and started the Eheim flow. One thing I noticed right away was the fact that the Purigen granules was so light in weight that it floats and rises easily, even with very little flow.
So I added a middle course sponge and round sock filter to keep the Purigen lower within the reactor for better overall movement
Heres a video I uploaded for you all to see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFV9nb7pEIE
Thanks for reading my little project