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What to put in a media reactor


Vis

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I wouldn't put anything in it, unless you know specifically what it is that your wanting to put in it and for what reasoning your wanting to put it on your system. I guess I'm clueless as to why you went and bought a Reactor in the first place... Is their a specific parameter your having trouble keeping under control?

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I wouldn't put anything in it, unless you know specifically what it is that your wanting to put in it and for what reasoning your wanting to put it on your system. I guess I'm clueless as to why you went and bought a Reactor in the first place... Is their a specific parameter your having trouble keeping under control?

I've used phosban before in a bag without much success so I bought a reactor to reduce phosphates. My question was regarding the different phosphate reduction media on the market. Which one have people had success with.

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Algae = phosphates in the System (You are correct), You could use phosban which is just a Brand name GFO Mix, or Simply use GFO instead, though you will need to be careful not to over do it with the amount you put in or you will be asking why your corals are losing their colors.  Cut your Light Cycle down an hour or two, and Use a gravel vac on your sand bed, cut down feedings just a tad and you should be rid of it. Though do you have a skimmer on your tank? A good skimmer typically alleviates the need for a reactor.

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Algae = phosphates in the System (You are correct), You could use phosban which is just a Brand name GFO Mix, or Simply use GFO instead, though you will need to be careful not to over do it with the amount you put in or you will be asking why your corals are losing their colors. Cut your Light Cycle down an hour or two, and Use a gravel vac on your sand bed, cut down feedings just a tad and you should be rid of it. Though do you have a skimmer on your tank? A good skimmer typically alleviates the need for a reactor.

Thanks! I don't have a skimmer yet. I'll be getting a tunze 9004 later this week. Until then I'll do some gravel cleaning, decrease light and do a water change.

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Vis do you have a pic of the brownish algae? I think it is important to get a good ID on what you are fighting to then be able to  come up with an effective plan of action. IME once in a system algae requires alot less nutrients to survive than your corals. Stripping nutrients out of the water will most likely starve your corals before it has any effect on established algae. Algae will be able to use the phosphate/nitrates prior to them being removed by a reactor. You would only be removing the excess phosphates that your brownish algae does not use, and again that is most likely going to be the nutrients that would keep feeding your corals.

 

Your best bet would be manual removal of algae and cutting back your photo period to 8 hrs per day. I find it is always a balancing act that regular large water changes and trochus snails keep very well balanced once you get it under control via initial manual removal and not overdoing the lights. Just stripping nutrients using chemical media rather than manual removal will most likely starve your corals before the algae.

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I was just considering running carbon in mine. I'm not using it right now but will probably use it when and if I ever upgrade and want to have more sps corals.  I will from time to time try chemipure elite and purigen in the media baskets but not all the time as it is a balance of removing some nutrients but not too much.

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Vis do you have a pic of the brownish algae? I think it is important to get a good ID on what you are fighting to then be able to come up with an effective plan of action. IME once in a system algae requires alot less nutrients to survive than your corals. Stripping nutrients out of the water will most likely starve your corals before it has any effect on established algae. Algae will be able to use the phosphate/nitrates prior to them being removed by a reactor. You would only be removing the excess phosphates that your brownish algae does not use, and again that is most likely going to be the nutrients that would keep feeding your corals.

 

Your best bet would be manual removal of algae and cutting back your photo period to 8 hrs per day. I find it is always a balancing act that regular large water changes and trochus snails keep very well balanced once you get it under control via initial manual removal and not overdoing the lights. Just stripping nutrients using chemical media rather than manual removal will most likely starve your corals before the algae.

That's very good info. Thanks! I cleaned the tank before I saw your post so no picture. It was a rusty brown color. I cleaned the sand and did a 30% water change. I put carbon in the reactor for now. My corals are looking happy so I'll rather see what decreased light will do .

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