Media For Phosban Reactor 150?

[Eznate]

Hello Everyone,

I just purchased a phosban reactor 150 and I'm not sure what is the best media to put in it. The purpose of me buying the reactor is to remove dinoflagellates in which I am currently having problems with. My nitrates and phosphates read zero from my tests. I have also had my lfs test the water with the same results. What could be causing the dinoflagellates? I have killed off about 90% but the rest is still living. It is not increasing in growth, just staying at what it is now. I do not have any other types of algae in the tank.

How can I remove the rest? What is a good media for the reactor that will help? Manual removal hasn't helped.

I killed most of the dinoflagellates by turning off the lights for three days while dosing hydrogen peroxide.

[Tanthaitrung]

I guess, you are running refugium or dosing carbon .... to control NO3, PO4 at 0. If so, you do not need the media to rid of dinoflagellates.

How big is your tank? How much is the flow (returm pump + power heads)? Be patient, if your NO3, PO4 are 0, the algae will die off.

I used to have same problem. When I reduced NO3, PO4 to 0, the algae was still there. After few weeks without food source, the algae was dead. More flow at that area will help.

You can use the reactor for running activated carbon

[Eznate]

It's a 29 gallon with a 10 gallon refugium. It has an 800 gph power head and around 200 gph return pump. So 1000gph total. I think dosing carbon (vodka) is what caused the problem.

[Tanthaitrung]

Your flow is not strong but not bad. I heard, side effect of carbon dosing is cyano.

If you're sure there are no NO3, PO4, the algae will die off. Don't waste money for media

[scooter31707]

I may be wrong, but I don't think any media will kill dinos. I think your best be would be to do one more round of hydrogen peroxide and 3 days lights out.

[bertoni]

You could try some GFO in the reactor. That helps in some cases. The BRS products seem to get reasonable reviews. Phosphate Killer seemed to work well enough for me.

[Tanthaitrung]

Originally Posted by Eznate

My nitrates and phosphates read zero from my tests

Assuming your tests are correct. I wonder why you are running GFO.

If so, cross test your NO3 & PO4 with your LFS

[kecked]

Get a gyre pump. It works well on a 29 gal

[Eznate]

I have never used GFO. However I did buy some GAC it and immediately irritated my anemone pretty bad. Completely deflated. I removed the carbon and it's recovering. It was a cheap brand so that may be the cause. I will buy some GAC and GFO from BRS. I will probably mix the two in small amounts and replace every two days for a week or two while I dose peroxide and try some lights out periods. I messed up and did a water change. The day after the water change the dinoflagellates came back. Now the dinoflagellates are actually a problem. It is growing everywhere. All over my birdsnest, Kenya tree, sand, glass, rocks, everywhere. It is starting to kill my birdsnest sps. I have never had this problem before.

I'm kinda scared to do all of this at once. My birdsnest is now starting to show tissue damage. I don't think my corals can handle much more. So any information you all can give would be really appreciated.

[bertoni]

Dinoflagellates can be hard to kill. I probably would try using a turkey baster (plastic) or the like to blow the dinoflagellates off the corals, if possible. That might help a bit. Unfortunately, dinoflagellates sometimes can flourish with very little food going into the tank, but in some cases, reducing feeding can help. I'd consider giving that a try.