I don't have all the answers as to why and how, I just know what I've observed.

In the last few years there has been a trend toward trying to keep PO4 low. Seems to me that's fine as long as the level doesn't go too low.

 

 

Do you know how much media (in grams) you had in the reactor and the (seperate) media bag? Offhand, I'd say you were using too much just based on having 3 types going at once.

 

I use only a single 150g container of the ferric oxide media in a bag inside my canister filter and that is enough for my 240 - ish gallons of water... and I change it out about once every 3-4 months. But remember, I run a plenum so my pO4 is low to start with

 

If you are using more than 150 g total I would say ditch everything but the media in the reactor and you could even add a little extra flake food at feeding times (great source of pO4)...

 

I'm not sure, however, if excessive pO4 remover would cause your skimmer to stop skimming though...?

 

 

 

 

 

Deb

 

In my experience, phosphate removers has always been beneficial when used properly.  I have seen numerous cases where the removal of phosphates have drastically increased calcification and coral growth along with reduction in nuisance algae.   I would always recommend running phosphate removers such as Rowaphos or BelaPhos.  I caution to go extremely slow when adding or replacing media.  Use only a device where you can control rate of removal like a phosphate reactor.

 

Thanks,

 

Scott

 

IMO if a complete lack of pO4 in any form would retard growth or outright kill certain algae-containing organisms then - despite running a ferric-based remover 24/7/365 - obviously there is still some pO4 in my system...

I'm wondering if in Mark's case the corals did better not because of more PO4 (because that is really tough to believe) but because of increased algae and plankton???

 

Adam

 

I have never experienced zooxanthallae issues in either coral, clams (since they have zoox as well), macroalgaes or corallines when running phosphate removal media...

 

In my case, the water return from my canister filter (where the pO4 removal media is located) actually flows right into my fuge - and it hasn't seemed to retard macro (or mangrove) growth one bit:

 

 

  And I still get a minor amount of algae buildup on my glass should I not clean it off every day or two...

 

 

Perhaps in the other cases the aquarist was using an excessive amount of ferric material; "overdosing", if you will?