Rowaphos - Phosphate Remover

[Marshs]

Should I use the Phosban or Rowaphos?

2.5 gallon

I would like to put it in a nylon sock and then into my AC70 fuge.
Or should I use the sponge?

Also - if I use one of these - should I still use the cheata in my fuge?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[reefman23]

Do you have a problem with phosphates? If so, I would suggest finding the source first. Medias like this can tend to be a cover for the actual problem.

These medias do best in a phosphate reactor like the Two Little Fishies reactor

I would probably go with the ROWAphos myself.

Jesse

 

[Marshs]

Phosphates

When I check for phosphate, I get zero. However, I'm getting brown hair algy.

2.5 Gallon
Auto-top-off
Temp controller
Ro/DI water changes (35% once a week)
Current PCs 37 watts (8hrs a day)
AC70 with fuge (ligt on 24/7)
Carbon/filter pad (change once a week)
Four blue leg crabs
Three snails

I have not put any food into the tank.

I do not have room for a reactor - will the Rowaphos work in a bag that is placed in the fuge?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[reefman23]

You may have posted this somewhere already but how old is this tank? What color temperature is the PC light that you are running?

Jesse

 

[Marshs]

The tank is 8 weeks old and I'm running a new
Dual Satelite with moon light.
12" 18w 2-lamp 50/50.

 

[reefman23]

I would just give it some time. The brown algae sounds like diatoms and should pass as the tank matures.

Jesse

 

[Marshs]

I've ordered some phosphate remover.
Is this something that most Pico Reef owners run all the time?

Also - can I run this in a nylon bag in my AQ70 fuge next to my Cheata?
Or should I pull the cheata out?

Or should I not run the phosphate remover, add more cheata, and wait it out?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[TimSchmidt]

I am actually going to remove my phosphate remover. I just want to see if there is any noticeable difference.

 

[Marshs]

Let me know how it goes!

Thanks,
Steve

 

[TimSchmidt]

I will. Just to give some back story. A couple acquaintances I have are having a bit of algae issues and we all run phosphate remover and have a macro algae refuge. My chaeto is not growing very quickly. We are thinking that the more aggressive nuisance algae is too aggressive and are taking the nutrients we want the chaeto to take. Just a theory at this point.

 

[Marshs]

Tim -

Are you using PhosBan in a bag?

Or

Are you using it in a reactor?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[TimSchmidt]

Reactor. I just unhooked it tonight.

 

[Marshs]

Two Little Fishies - Reactor?

Could I come out of the back of my AquaClear70 (Fuge Area) with a small pump out to the reactor and then back into my HOB?

If so, what pump would you go with?

I would place the reactor on the table next to the tank or hang it off the back of my AQ70 HOB filter.

Do you think this would work?

Also - have you seen the post that talked about the Turf Algae Scrubbers?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[TimSchmidt]

smallest pump you have I used rio 90s. This should work... I don't know much personally about the algae scrubbers but I don't think they scale that well for nanos.

 

[Marshs]

Two Little Fishies - Reactor?

Does this reactor keep the brown stuff from growing on your sand?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[TimSchmidt]

Not necessarily. Phosphate media reduces your phosphates. That's about it. If there is other factors to your brown stuff on your sand (may be a diatom bloom from excess nutrients and silica) then the phosphate remover won't get rid of it. Also a diatom bloom is absolutely normal and a part of a healthy cycle. Also a couple nassarius snails may help keep the sand bed clean.

 

[Marshs]

How is it going?

Now that you've removed your phosban reactor, how is everything going?
Have you noticed a spike in your phosphates?

 

[TimSchmidt]

Actually no noticeable spike. Still at zero. But I am also aggressively trying to limit phosphate intake (aka rinsing my foods before feeding and only using RO/DI). No noticeable reduction in nuisance algae, but my fuge chaeto is starting to grow a bit more. I'll wait another couple of weeks before I change anything again.