How often to change RowaPhos and ESV Carbon..?

[Malibu361]

As the title states, I am running both medias in seperate reactors and was just curious how often should they both be changed ..My tank is currently up and running 3 weeks ...Any input ? I have heard carbon once a month and RowaPhos every 2-3 weeks....Does that sound aboutright?? Thanks, Sal

 

[mcnuggget]

it depends on:
carbon
how clear is my water
how the corals look
how much carbon is in there
how big is my tank
how dirty is the reactor?

RowaPhos
whats my po4 level?
how's the algea growth?
how dirty is the reactor?

 

[caad3]

Your tank seems to fairly new. I would let things settle in a bit. Mcnuggget makes some good points and observations. But some additional comments:
- How heavily stocked is the tank (fish/corals)
- Using RO/DI water?

I usually change carbon every 1-2 months, and phospure every 2-3 months depends test measurements - but to be honest I'm pretty lazy about testing.

 

[NYreefNoob]

Once A Month On Both, Dont Know Ifit Needs It But I Change It

 

[Malibu361]

My water is clear ,my levels are good,I use RO/Di ,4 fish , 2 clowns ,1 Kole Tang ,1 Six Line Wrasse,Some frags ..about 10-12.....

 

[cowfish]

Change the carbon monthly. Change the RowaPhos when the phosphate level starts to creep up. You want to be careful to not over use a chemical media for phosphate as the zooanthelae in the corals need it too.

 

[emmanuel]

Malibu I have a 125 13fish the only mass waste producer is my powder blue tang everything else is quit smalllots of corals lots of live rock 200lbs and a refugium .I change my esv every month and the same for my rowaphose I also do weekly to byweekly water changes of 20 gallons and use the amount of media recomended from the manufacturer fore my tank . The rowa says to change it when the phosphates rise on the water coming out of the reactor but I stopped testing for phosphates a while back .I guess I'll be ordering a test kit think of the money I'm probably wasting IF I'm changing it too soon

 

[Malibu361]

Yes, I know thats why I was curious it does get expensive as does the whole hobby...lol :banghead:

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Carbon I change every 2-3 weeks. Your phosphate media should be changed according to testing. I typically change my gfo when my phosphates start creaping up from .01 to .05. I check my phosphates every other week with a hanna meter. Most of the other test kits for phosphates are pretty useless....or at best very innacurate. So on average with my system it lasts about 4-5 weeks. Remember this no 2 systems are alike and I dialed in my system over time and use the appropriate amount of media that works for my system. Start at there recomended usage level and go from there. Test and test again(the effluent exiting your phophate reactor as well as your tank) and when in dought look at your corals...they are at times the best indicator of conditions....:splitspin

 

[Dace]

Carbon I change every 2-3 weeks. Your phosphate media should be changed according to testing. I typically change my gfo when my phosphates start creaping up from .01 to .05. I check my phosphates every other week with a hanna meter. Most of the other test kits for phosphates are pretty useless....or at best very innacurate. So on average with my system it lasts about 4-5 weeks. Remember this no 2 systems are alike and I dialed in my system over time and use the appropriate amount of media that works for my system. Start at there recomended usage level and go from there. Test and test again(the effluent exiting your phophate reactor as well as your tank) and when in dought look at your corals...they are at times the best indicator of conditions....:splitspin

Dido, hit it right on the head

 

[pnoyreefer]

I change carbon once a month .. GFO I don't run one

 

[MatthewScars]

I change my carbon every 3 weeks. I also do 20g water changes every 10 days.

I never had an algae issue, or anything die (fish or coral) in 9 months. I swear by it.