Question on my GFO reactor

Question on my GFO reactor

When will I see results from my GFO reactor? I have a 100g tank. I have a lot of algae on the sand(none on rocks). Still have to clean front glass each day. I let it grow on back glass. Maybe my expectations are wrong. Thought after a couple days of black out it would be gone and sand would be clean.
I'm in the process of siphoning all the algae off the sand. It's a lot and required a big water change so I'm doing in 2 parts. Did right side yesterday with a 15-20g water change. Will do left in next couple days with another water change.

I have the Two Fishes GFO. It's been a struggle lining up the reactor in my sump. If it leans a little one side the media doesn't tumble on other side. I have the maxi jet mp-1200. Which is barely enough to tumble media. It's 285 gph. I haven't been able to get all the media to tumble at the right flow.

So with GFO. Is it control phosphates and once I get the algae out I'll be ok?


Right side clean. Rocked clean and on this side so I can clean left side sand


Left side. Dirty with algae on sand. That's pretty thick in the back.
No bubbles in algae so that's good. And none was on rocks.

 

I don't believe GFO will solve the problem. It appears you started with dry sand which lacks the benthic critters that help keep it clean and aerated, so your sandbed has become a nutrient sink; leftover food and detritus get buried where they decay and release nutrients, and the algae is feeding on those nutrients before they reach the water column where they can be removed by filtration. Nassarius snails and fighting conchs are excellent for cleaning and stirring the sand, and sandbed infauna packs are also available. Otherwise, frequent vacuuming will be necessary to help prevent sandbed algae.

 

Mr. Bill is spot on...I have a similar issue in my Biocube 29. You need some sand stirrers. I am running GFO and have been for a while. It does well to prevent hair algae and film algae on the glass, but it has not helped my sand.

I would recommend Reefcleaners... they are cheap, fast and John is great with customer care.

Also, for the GFO, you just want the top layer to tumble, otherwise it will grind itself to dust and end up in your tank. I have a ball valve on mine so I can control the incoming flow and get it to tumble just right.

 

What is reefcleaners? I'll have to look into it
Thanks!

 

This: http://www.reefcleaners.org/