Excess phosphates and nutrients

Bumgrundle · Jun 23, 2016

I have had all the items needed to reduce Nitrates and Phos. Great skimmer, Rodi, Nicely filled and well grown fuge etc.. I've been running tween 20-50ppm Nitrate for 2 months. 4 days ago I removed my GFO from my Reactor (Left the Carbon in the 2nd chamber) and started running Dr. Tim's Active Pearls. I'm already down to 10-15ppm nitrates. I have yet to buy a Phosphate checker....soon...I hope this helps.

domination2580 · Jun 23, 2016

Bumgrundle said:
I have had all the items needed to reduce Nitrates and Phos. Great skimmer, Rodi, Nicely filled and well grown fuge etc.. I've been running tween 20-50ppm Nitrate for 2 months. 4 days ago I removed my GFO from my Reactor (Left the Carbon in the 2nd chamber) and started running Dr. Tim's Active Pearls. I'm already down to 10-15ppm nitrates. I have yet to buy a Phosphate checker....soon...I hope this helps.

Do you put that in a chamber?

Bumgrundle · Jun 23, 2016

domination2580 said:
Do you put that in a chamber?

Ayup, making sure all the beads are tumbling.

domination2580 · Jun 23, 2016

Bumgrundle said:
Ayup, making sure all the beads are tumbling.

And is that just for nitrates or phosphates too?

Breakthecycle2 · Jun 23, 2016

Bumgrundle said:
Ayup, making sure all the beads are tumbling.

What reactor are you using for them? What size is the pmp..how many ghp?

Bumgrundle · Jun 23, 2016

domination2580 said:
And is that just for nitrates or phosphates too?

It's made to reduce both, but I don't have a phosphate test kit so I can't say how well it's working to reduce the Phos.

Breakthecycle2 said:
What reactor are you using for them? What size is the pmp..how many ghp?

The BRS GFO/Carbon dual container reactor. A spare Marineland 1500gph pump but i only need about half or less than that to keep the beads tumbling.

MikeyAl · Jun 23, 2016

Breakthecycle2 said:
What reactor are you using for them? What size is the pmp..how many ghp?

Dr Tims recommends a rio 180 - that is what Is standard on. CPR mini tumblr- which is also what they recommend. I've use the active pearls - fine product. start with small amount and gradually increase. The key is to get the pearls to tumble gently.
Honestly/ I have found GFO to be just as effective.

Breakthecycle2 · Jun 23, 2016

Bumgrundle said:
It's made to reduce both, but I don't have a phosphate test kit so I can't say how well it's working to reduce the Phos.

The BRS GFO/Carbon dual container reactor. A spare Marineland 1500gph pump but i only need about half or less than that to keep the beads tumbling.

Myabe thats my problem. Im using a sicce reactor and it came with a 320 gph pump. Im not getting a lot of tumble.

Breakthecycle2 · Jun 23, 2016

MikeyAl said:
Dr Tims recommends a rio 180 - that is what Is standard on. CPR mini tumblr- which is also what they recommend. I've use the active pearls - fine product. start with small amount and gradually increase. The key is to get the pearls to tumble gently.
Honestly/ I have found GFO to be just as effective.

I am using Dr. Tims pearls too. They aren't tumbling that well though.

MikeyAl · Jun 23, 2016

Breakthecycle2 said:
I am using Dr. Tims pearls too. They aren't tumbling that well though.

They need to tumble - not excessive, but tumble nonetheless. They can clump up easily. Try stopping and rinsing with rodi - and turn up pump a bit if you can.

domination2580 · Jun 23, 2016

Bumgrundle said:
It's made to reduce both, but I don't have a phosphate test kit so I can't say how well it's working to reduce the Phos.

The BRS GFO/Carbon dual container reactor. A spare Marineland 1500gph pump but i only need about half or less than that to keep the beads tumbling.

I have a reef octopus media reactor. Doesnt seem to put much flow through it though.

Breakthecycle2 · Jun 23, 2016

MikeyAl said:
They need to tumble - not excessive, but tumble nonetheless. They can clump up easily. Try stopping and rinsing with rodi - and turn up pump a bit if you can.

I just cleaned them today. The pump is up all the way.

MikeyAl · Jun 23, 2016

How much of the pearls do you have. Can you take a picture?

Breakthecycle2 · Jun 23, 2016

MikeyAl said:
How much of the pearls do you have. Can you take a picture?

MikeyAl · Jun 23, 2016

Seems pretty heavy on the pearls. How much are you using? Does your reactor have a sponge?

Breakthecycle2 · Jun 23, 2016

No sponge. I have a 250 gallons system. That's one and half jars of pearls.

MikeyAl · Jun 23, 2016

Breakthecycle2 said:
No sponge. I have a 250 gallons system. That's one and half jars of pearls.

You should be using about 1 cup full to start. Eventually increasing. For the amount you will eventually use , your flow will have to increase - maybe get a cobalt mj1200 or 900. That should get you going.

Breakthecycle2 · Jun 23, 2016

I started out by using half the recommended dose and worked up from that. How much should it be tumbling? Have a video of yours?

MikeyAl · Jun 23, 2016

Breakthecycle2 said:
I started out by using half the recommended dose and worked up from that. How much should it be tumbling? Have a video of yours?

No. I am on vacation. But just enough so it's not clumping.

Bumgrundle · Jun 23, 2016

MikeyAl said:
Dr Tims recommends a rio 180 - that is what Is standard on. CPR mini tumblr- which is also what they recommend. I've use the active pearls - fine product. start with small amount and gradually increase. The key is to get the pearls to tumble gently.
Honestly/ I have found GFO to be just as effective.

I agree. If you can, follow just what Mikey and The directions state. In my case, my wife has cut me off for a few months...can't blame her, i'm embarrassed as to how much i've spent in just 2 months. So to that end, I went ahead and used a full size reactor, and a pump I already owned. But I do add....it's working! I showed tween 10-15ppm Nitrate again tonight, this is the lowest i've had since startup of my reef. I would never tell someone how do do their tank, but I will always share my experiences, good or bad.