Phosban Reactor

[NewbReefer]

i bought the 450g media container for my reactor and didn't use all of it. Indeed we should get some different brands of reactors and media on here so people can see what others have thought of em before they go spend the cash on one.

[fatman]

Ferric Iron is ferric iron, it is hard to get good or better ferric iron. Fluidized filtration is good filtration, I have not really noticed any phosphate reactors except fluidized reactors being offered for sale. You can have fluidized filtration with some pretty slow flow, just add no more than recommended to chamber at one time. Use a little and change it more often works best. Even loosing a little powder into the tanks will have negligible effect in comparison to the advantages of having the media fluidized. I just use Drs. Foster and Smith house brand for feeric iron as it is cheap and works as well as any other Ihave used. I do not use or errecommend aluminum based phosphate removers. Ferric iron should only really be used when you need it. You should make attempts at controlling the inputs of phosphate so that the ferric iron is not needed regularly. By controlling phosphate inputs you are typically also controlling other inputs. Most phosphates come from foods and tap water, or come with your live rock and live sand. Use good RO or RODI water, do not feed the liquids from frozen foods, do not used flake foods and try to avoid dry foods and pellets. Use phosphate absorbers anytime you add new live rock or live sand or move your live rock or live sand. Phosphate absorbers will not lessen diatomic algae when you have high levels of silicates. Actually controlling phosphates is really one of the last approaches to contolling any type of algae. Before controlling phopahte control of nitrogens, dissolved oxygen (circulation) should be dealt with as phosphate is usually not the limiting agent as very little phosphate is needed for algae growth.

[McCrary]

Originally Posted by fatman

Ferric Iron is ferric iron, it is hard to get good or better ferric iron.

Yea, I learned that the hard way, lol, no more Rowaphos at $80 a liter.

[Reefrookie]

I just tested my phosphates this morning befor my water change to see if the level dropped since Wednesday night when I installed the Kent reactor. My reading is at 0 from .05 using PhosphateSponge in the reactor. Now ,lets see if I can clear the algae in the tank.

[NewbReefer]

Day 3 or so on mine and the green film like crust that use to cover the surface of the rock is about 50% gone! and the glass stays stays much much cleaner now if only it will kill the cyano, i may have to go a day or 2 with lights out to give it a boost.

[McCrary]

Let the phosphate absorber run its course and then start using a good carbon in between running the phosphate absorber, remember that nothing good in this hobby happens quickly.

[fatman]

If you have actinic supplemental lighting just run it and no other lights for a few days to a week. The actinic wave lengths do not support the lighting needs of cyano bacteria (algae), yet they still support a good portion of the lighting needs of coralline and corals. In reef areas of any depth in the wild about the only lighting left at depths is blue light.

[NewbReefer]

Thanks Fatman, im just going to run my T5 actinics for a day or maybe 2.

[fatman]

Remember to try and remove the cyano as it dies or the nutrients will just reenter your system. A siphon hose of some size reduced to a small tube at the end your siphoning the algae with will have good enough suction to pull the cyano loose from the rocks and gravel as it dies.

[NewbReefer]

I will probably do a water change tomorrow and i'll use the old water and a toothbrush to lightly scrub the rocks.