RowaPhos + media reactor = no more algae?

So I've been having a slight algae issue for awhile, most likely the cause of less than ideal water changes and no protein skimmer along with a small refugium (back chamber of Biocube 29). I'm becoming much better at getting really into good water for my livestock and feel like I'm making good steps in the right direction.
1) I got a Hydor Slim Skim-Nano. It pulled out a ton of skimmate (was emptying the cup every 8 hours) for about 10 days and then it slowed down and now the cup is dry. Based on the bubbles it's producing, I suspect that I'm just without skimmate not a skimmer problem.


This was accompanied by clearer water. I have always tried to have the water flow through some carbon to help clean the water but I have questioned the effectiveness in the past.

2) I picked up a NextReef MR1 media reactor and RowaPhos as I was still having algae issues and figured knocking out phosphates may help a lot toward a solution. I put a small amount in the reactor and let it go for a week. I figure this small portion (25 ml?) was likely used up after a week and added more along with some activated carbon. I figure this will likely pull most of the phosphates from the tank and keep them pulled for awhile, while providing better contact with the carbon.

My question is... will the reactor actually help me eliminate algae in the display tank? I currently have two species of caulerpa that are rather annoying and find the worst places to grab hold. I would love to hook up the reactor and just be able to starve the algae out. You can see some of the hair algae in this picture.

 

some urchins eat caulerpa, i have been battling it also the urchins have it in check.i was pulling a cup full a week. i don't see much of it now nor pull any. i must warn you though the purple pin cushion killed my linckia ( i had the linckia over a year), and the linckia i added to replace that one i found the urchin on and when i pulled it off there was a large whole were it was eating. i also seen it on top of my sand sifter star. which got away from the urchin. i have removed the purple ones and just have the one that never went after a star fish just ate off the rocks, its white with red strips. look on live aquaria site they have it listed

 

No starfish in the tank... we were debating a blue tuxedo urchin. Will the RowaPhos help/cure it?

 

not sure if that urchin eats caulerpa. i really think caulerpa is very hard to get rid of. if i knew now what i didn't know when i thought it was a pretty vine and left it. i would have thrown the rock it was on out.

but as i said, i have no issues with it now. and just have the one urchin in my 35 gallon tank. i had 3 urchins. it was sweet to watch them mowing that vine down...lol

here are the 2 types i had.Saltwater Aquarium Inverts for Marine Reef Aquariums: Purple Short Spine Pincushion Urchin that one the star fish eater, but i never seen 2 on the star fish at once only one. so it could have just been one causing the problem? but i took them both out of my tank.

and this one Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Reef Aquariums: Pincushion Urchin, Hairy Colored mine is white with a red stripe. so pretty...im so glad it wasn't the star fish eater..lol its tentacles wave like soft looking fur. i found it in the divers den.

 

lowering your phosphates is a good idea anyway. but IMO i think that vine is so strong you can't starve it out.

 

by the way ...love your rose anemones. beautiful color on them.

 

Thanks, there are 5 in the tank... the LFS I bought them from is begging me to sell a couple back. He says they haven't had any in that nice of color since I got mine a year ago.