Phosphate Reactor

I just got a reactor for my 75 gallon tank. I bought it to keep my phosphate levels down. Does anyone have tips on how to work these things. I hope it helps prevent algae growth because that's been my #1 prob in my tank. I just got the reactor alongside a UV sterilizer, wave maker and auto top off so I'm trying to get all this set up it's just I don't know to much about these things I got them bc they came highly recommended. :

 

What kind of reactor did you get?

 

What media are you using?

 

Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor and the media is Two Little Fishies Phosban Phosphate Removal Media. Figure I'll use the brand of media that was made for the reactor.
I also bought a JBJ Duo wave maker 1,600gph and a JBJ auto top off and an Aqua UV Sterilizer 15watt. I already have a 1,200gph Powerhwad and a Aqua Maxx protein skimmer, Along with a marine land filter.

Once I get all this up and running I'll turn my lights back on and gradually get them to 14 hrs a day.

So will this reactor and UV sterilizer solve my algea problem so I can leave my lights on so I can start to grow things. Like my carroline algae which my rock has every color of it I just can't wait for it to spread! ;D

 

UV sterilizer will kill any algae it comes into 'contact' with- this means algae growing on the rocks will not be affected by the UV sterilizer, rather it's used to control 'green-water' affect when there's fine algae free-floating in the water column.


The reactor is just a piece of equipment- the media you run in it determines how effective it is. The TLF product is a very good product though- so key to what it will do: It removes phosphates from the water, up to a limit of how much it can adsorb. Without this phosphate in the water, the algae will have a much more limited, if not totally eliminated nutrient supply. However, if there's other nutrients in the water such as nitrates or other organics, the algae will still be able to grow. This is where keeping your skimmer dialed in is vital in helping reduce the nutrient load in the tank.
Keep in mind as well, simply removing the phosphates will not necessarily kill off the algae that's currently on the rock work- more it prevents new algae from growing.

Hope that's some help, ask away anything more specific and I'll do my best to help!

 

Place 1/2 tablespoon full (approx 5 grams) of media for every 10 gallons of system water in the reactor. Full dose is 10 grams or one full tablespoonfull per 10 gallons so start at half strength for the first month or two and change more frequently so you don't shock the system.

The Phosban reactor only needs like 60-80 GPH so something like a Maxijet 400 or MiniJet works well without having to valve the flow down too much. Any more flow than that and the GFO media grinds itself to dust. Adjust the flow so the media is just slightly boiling or tumbling on the surface but not bouncing all over, this is called fluidizing the media.

 

Ok cool. I will try to scrape off the algae on the back wall, but I was going to wait till the reactor got it down to 0 to limit the chance of it spreading elsewhere.
So you don't want the reactor media to move a lot just enough to make it float around keeping a constant flow? I was also told that the UV sterilizer will actually just make the water look brilliantly clear. Having both though should help lots to control algae.
Thanks guys, any suggestions you have on how to hook this up?. I have a 20gallon sump that has a skimmer, return pump, LR rubble, and heater so I don't have much room in it. I plan on taking my current powerhead and putting it in my bucket for my Auto Top off.

 

The reactor can hang on the sump rim, either inside or outside, it doesn't matter. Obviously the small powerhead that feeds it will need to be in the sump, usually in the cleanest possible water so the return section is best so you don't pack the media and sponges full of crud.

I will not comment on the UV other than as follows because I am opposed to UV on a reef system. On a fish only system I swear by them and use them myself but not on a reef where they inactivate the good along with the bad. Its never a good idea to eliminate a necessary part of the food chain in an environment like a reef with so many levels of life.

 

I hear ya on the UV. But I dont want to put coral in for about 6 more months so I'm trying my best to get everything going in the tank. I may take it out or even cycle it. While I have coral. But I dont 100% know what I'll do it it... Maybe just run it in my Auto Top Off while i have coral.

The reactor I'll have plenty off room in my sump actually I just moved a few things around.