Contraphos

[Nic a Jon]

Should have read the last 2 postings b4 I put the contraphos in.

I dip it twice in a small pail of water...water turned to solid rust color.

I put contraphos in sump..tank water color no change. I was tempted to pour the rust water back into the sump..but na..too dirty (regret regret).

Does that mean contraphos in sump now less effective??

[junyong84]

but since the water run thru it... y not rinse it...at least wif saltwater??? haha..its still water runnin thru it...

[planetg]

dunno abt others but my skimmer went nuts after i introduced the contraphos and the last time i measure, the level of phospate was down 50%

just monitor your phos levels with a reliable kit and if it's undetectable, why worry or ponder over rinsing it or not earlier

[ervine]

Why not someone who HAS rinsed then placed it in the tank and measured Po4 give us some comments?

[junyong84]

i was waiting 4 tat too!

[pospeh]

It works either way for me. Dont sweat over it.

[Achilles Tang]

Guess what? My last Rowaphos changeout... I didn't rinse it. But I turned off the returns to my tank and just churned brown water up in my sump and into my skimmer. There was a lot of gunk collected. After about 1/2 hour.... I switched my returns back on... tank water didn't seem to change colour!

[pospeh]

hmm AT, are you sure you are using rowaphos? It is just black, with no brown stuff with contraphos.

And you are not supposed to rinse rowaphos anyways.

[Achilles Tang]

I am using back Rowa... although the media is totally black... the residue is rust-coloured brown.

I used to freak out over the dark rust-coloured water, now with my sump/skimmer routine, at least I know most of it is exported out of my sump into the collection cup (except the larger particles on my sump bottom).

[junyong84]

i get what u guys mean...

[Anthony]

how often u guys change the contraphos?...

i m using it now... its just around 2-3 months, my phosphate start raising back liao ... alage start going on my sandbed OMG

[woonming]

how often u guys change the contraphos?...

i m using it now... its just around 2-3 months, my phosphate start raising back liao ... alage start going on my sandbed OMG

I think maybe u rinse away too much of the binding orange thiny.

When i tried i wash always all the orange thiny and it fail to keep my tank po4 down ...

But if dont rinse it .. My po4 level goes down and it work.. But my tank look orange for some time..

Overall itis a much cheaper product and works the same as rowa ... my 2 cents.

[Nickel]

Hi, found this thread while searching for a solution to lower PO4.

Any updates/feedbacks on the usage of the contraphos ?

Where besides PR selling and how much now ?

Is the amount to use is 500g fr up to 1000litres tank as in bawater's original post ?

Thanks for advise.

[bawater]

You can't get contrphos anymore, it has been replaced by Biophos II in PR.(which is also a Fe based media).

The absorbtion rate seems to be higher & faster in biophos II.While it still cost the same as the previous product.

Biophos II states absorbtion rate at 60g PO4 per 1ltr of media

http://www.korallenriff.de/phosphatabsorber.html

biophos II

[Nickel]

Thanks bawater. Remembered seeing Biophos II in PR.

Also, seen someone mentioned dripping Kalk will help lower/maintain PO4. Is that true ? Anyone can verify it ? Will try to locate that post if can find it.

[bawater]

Taken from a Randy Holmes article linked below "This precipitation may be especially likely where calcium and high pH additives (like limewater) enter the tank water. The locally high pH converts much of the HPO4-- to PO4---. Combined with the locally high calcium, the locally high PO4--- may push the supersaturation of Ca3(PO4)2 to unstable levels, causing precipitation."

This is true to (saturated) kalk top off water with a high pH- so you will be adding or topping up with water void of PO4. So you stop one source of adding PO4. You may still need a method to reduce the PO4 levels already in your tank and in the food you add everyday.

That leaves you with an algae scrubber or chemical media choice or both.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

[Achilles Tang]

Contraphos is now available at Bio-Ocean Aquarix.

[giantbicycle]

ohh...gosh..confussed here... so Contraphos is the same company as Biophos II .why got 2 product ..i thought Contraphos is not for sale anymore and for a moment AT says it is available at Bio-Ocean Aquarix /..So is it the same product except different name??? confussed here...

[delirium]

AT is right. Bio-Ocean Aquarix selling it. Was there last week and saw it.

[giantbicycle]

thanks ...call up justin and he do have stock

[Nickel]

Bro, can let me know how much is the 500ml and/or 1000ml ones ?

[giantbicycle]

Contraphos or Biophos II ..different price leh..