UltraPhos not fluidising?

[GavinM]

I put a PhodBan 150 onto my system last night, fed by an Eheim 600 with 100g of UltraPhos from Fauna Marin (which looks lost in the reactor but I'm following their DO NOT OVERDOSE instructions).

Problem is even with the pump full on at 600 lph and the ball valve wide open, the media is not fluidising?

Why??

[GavinM]

I've just had a terrible thought.

I plumbed it in late last night after I got home from the HBA open evening.

I may have the input and output the wrong way around. I'll check when I get in.

DOH!

That would probably explain it!!!!! I feel a muppet award coming my way.:o

[GavinM]

No it was plumbed in correctly.

So the original question still stands.

Anyone??

[Lost Boys]

Try taking the pipe that feeds the reactor off and see if you get flow.

If you do then check the inlet pipe into the reactor is not blocked.

If this is free check that any filters that are used are clean as this really reduces the flow rate.

Hope this helps in any way.

[Graham]

I have 1 of these and the ehiem pump, on the back of the pump there is a slider where the water goes in to reduce the flow is this maybe closed so you are not getting alot of water passing through.

[GavinM]

Try taking the pipe that feeds the reactor off and see if you get flow.

If you do then check the inlet pipe into the reactor is not blocked.

If this is free check that any filters that are used are clean as this really reduces the flow rate.

Hope this helps in any way.

Thanks - it's a brand new reactor - there is flow through the unit nothing is blocked and the sponges are clean.

[GavinM]

I have 1 of these and the ehiem pump, on the back of the pump there is a slider where the water goes in to reduce the flow is this maybe closed so you are not getting alot of water passing through.]

Thanks Graham - the pump control is wide open. What media do you fluidise? I'm assuming the normal rowa type stuff?

Gav.

[Graham]

Correct, the normal Rowaphos, The only thing I can think of is the pump is not pumping water as its only a pump and a few tubes, my ball valve is only a fraction of the way open and the Rowa is turning over nicely, if I open it even a hairs bridth more it turns into a Rowa storm in the reactor.

As suggested, try the pump for actually pumping water, you could also make sure that the top plate has actually slipped over the tube that runs down the middle, as the small alingment hole can fall out causing the water to go in from the top and not down through the tube and back up and out the top.

HTH

]

Thanks Graham - the pump control is wide open. What media do you fluidise? I'm assuming the normal rowa type stuff?

Gav.

[GavinM]

Thanks Graham - I can confirm that the pump is pumping! I disconnected the pipe from the input of the reactor last night and switched on the pump. Water was pump at about the level I'd expect for 600 lph.

The middle tube has the top plate sitting on it with the tube going into the aperture in the middle.

There seems to be a lot of slop in the interface between the top of the short tube and the lid - is this correct?

What is the "alignment hole" that you mention Graham?

Cheers

Gavin

[joni3979]

Remember it may well be the Ultraphos is actually much heavier than say Rowa phos - I have just added a reactor which I made (see the last page on my sig)
It has water going through it at about 500lph and it hardly moves, some Rowa which has come out of the first reactor which feeds the second has made it in to this new reactor and it is dancing all over the place (infact some has gone into the sump)

As long as water is going through it, i'm sure it will do the job.
Jon

[GavinM]

Hi jon,

Thanks for that - nice tank btw!

That was the answer I was hoping to hear to be honest. My assumption is that if I removed the Ultraphos and added Rowa type media it would be bubbling nicely. Purely and simply because of the physical characteristics of the media.

However I want to be sure! I also want to be sure that it's working to maximum efficiency even if the granules aren't moving. Would a bigger pump fluidise it properly?

Cheers

Gav

[joni3979]

I'm sure if you put enough power throgh it - it will dance, but there must be a pay off between movement and contact time - i'm doing a PO4 test as we speak to see if I have made a diffeence without the huge flow, I'll get you know ...if it is working then don't worry!!!

Jon

[GavinM]

Cool many thanks mate!

[joni3979]

I was at about 0.1/0.25 on a salifert test kit - now down to 0.03 - so much happier - the ulraphos is working a treat!!!!!!!

Don't worry too much about the flow!!

Jon

[GavinM]

Brilliant. Thanks again Jon. :thumbsup:

Gav.