Phosphate reactor and a refugium

GT350pwns · 02/27/2014, 07:12 AM

Wondering if a phosphate reactor would have any negative effect on macro algae in a refugium?

shifty51008 · 02/27/2014, 07:40 AM

mine doesn't, I change the GFO every 2 months and the cheato still grows great.

Spar · 02/27/2014, 07:54 AM

See if you actually need the GFO reactor first. If your macro is eating enough PO4 then you may not need to spend the cash on GFO, and will help out coral at the same time. I have caulerpa and had been running GFO also for a few years. I decided to take down my GFO reactor a month ago and am shocked that my PO4 reading (w/ Hanna Checker) stays < .05 ppm still and have had no algae issues. YMMV.

Spar · 02/27/2014, 07:57 AM

Also worth adding is that when I was running Bio Pellets, my macro nearly all died. This being that the BP's were removing NO3 and a lot of PO4 as well. When my coral started to die as well from having so little nutrients, I stopped running BP's and my macro came storming back.

I think the NO3 was the real issue, not PO4, so likely a GFO reactor won't have the same result since only eats away PO4.

GT350pwns · 02/27/2014, 07:59 AM

I've not had much, if any, problem with any nuisance algae yet. I had a slight bout with cyano for a day, but I've not seen any since.

Main thing I was wondering about the GFO is if it would clear up my water any. But, I'm beginning to think it's a bacterial bloom in the water as my tank isn't very old. I'm thinking I need to just chill out and give it some time lol.

shifty51008 · 02/27/2014, 08:02 AM

carbon will clear up water, GFO is mainly to remove phosphates. and canyo is a bacteria, not algae.

Lostinthedark · 02/27/2014, 09:14 AM

I have a fuge that usually keeps up with the phosphates and keeps nitrates at zero. There are times when I run GFO along with the fuge. When I add a fish I will feed extra heavy to keep him eating and the aggression down. A week or 2 of GFO doesn't seem to slow down the cheato at all. I'll also add it if I get an algae film on the glass too often.

Sk8r · 02/27/2014, 11:56 AM

I use GFO intermittently. Keep up with the TDS reading on your ro/di water, and if your tank is happy and the fuge algae grows without algae growing in your DT, you're at a pretty happy place. If things get out of hand, back comes the GFO, in my way of doing things.

02/27/2014, 07:12 AM	#1
GT350pwns Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 600	Phosphate reactor and a refugium Wondering if a phosphate reactor would have any negative effect on macro algae in a refugium?

02/27/2014, 07:40 AM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	mine doesn't, I change the GFO every 2 months and the cheato still grows great. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

02/27/2014, 07:54 AM	#3
Spar Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,517	See if you actually need the GFO reactor first. If your macro is eating enough PO4 then you may not need to spend the cash on GFO, and will help out coral at the same time. I have caulerpa and had been running GFO also for a few years. I decided to take down my GFO reactor a month ago and am shocked that my PO4 reading (w/ Hanna Checker) stays < .05 ppm still and have had no algae issues. YMMV. __________________ 450g Mixed SPS/LPS Reef (MH/T5/VHO)

02/27/2014, 07:57 AM	#4
Spar Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,517	Also worth adding is that when I was running Bio Pellets, my macro nearly all died. This being that the BP's were removing NO3 and a lot of PO4 as well. When my coral started to die as well from having so little nutrients, I stopped running BP's and my macro came storming back. I think the NO3 was the real issue, not PO4, so likely a GFO reactor won't have the same result since only eats away PO4. __________________ 450g Mixed SPS/LPS Reef (MH/T5/VHO)

02/27/2014, 08:02 AM	#6
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	carbon will clear up water, GFO is mainly to remove phosphates. and canyo is a bacteria, not algae. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

02/27/2014, 07:59 AM	#5
GT350pwns Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 600	I've not had much, if any, problem with any nuisance algae yet. I had a slight bout with cyano for a day, but I've not seen any since. Main thing I was wondering about the GFO is if it would clear up my water any. But, I'm beginning to think it's a bacterial bloom in the water as my tank isn't very old. I'm thinking I need to just chill out and give it some time lol.

02/27/2014, 09:14 AM	#7
Lostinthedark Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Freehold, NJ Posts: 342	I have a fuge that usually keeps up with the phosphates and keeps nitrates at zero. There are times when I run GFO along with the fuge. When I add a fish I will feed extra heavy to keep him eating and the aggression down. A week or 2 of GFO doesn't seem to slow down the cheato at all. I'll also add it if I get an algae film on the glass too often.

02/27/2014, 11:56 AM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I use GFO intermittently. Keep up with the TDS reading on your ro/di water, and if your tank is happy and the fuge algae grows without algae growing in your DT, you're at a pretty happy place. If things get out of hand, back comes the GFO, in my way of doing things. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.