Nitrate and phosphate pads?

[TioTom]

Hey guys I am actually wanting to build a tray out of egg crate right above my filter socks and was wanting to add these pads(pictures attached) What is your opinion on these ? Are they any good? As anyone used them ?bThis is just for the meantime while I save some money for a reactor . just trying to figure out if I can use them . sorry if this is not in the right thread .

 

[Joeganja]

They help a little. They shouldn't be your main way of removing nitrates and phosphates however. Water changes will help with nitrates and phosphates, gfo in a reactor will help with phosphates dramatically. You can find a reactor, media, and pump for under $60.

 

[TioTom]

Thanks . would you happen to have a link ? Where can I find this ?

 

[Joeganja]

If you have an extra 200-300 gph pump laying around you might not have to buy it with a pump. http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-single.html

Media I would use two little fishies phosban. It's around $15 on Amazon

 

[jpontier212]

Thanks . would you happen to have a link ? Where can I find this ?

Hey TioTom I actually have a nitrate reducing pad and i put it in the baffle of my sump. It serves a double purpose. It's my bubble trap and nitrate reducer and they work great. My nitrates went from a 80 to 15 in 1 week. But take heed, my protein skimmer went bezerk for that week as well. I also put a ball of chaeto in the refugium. That helped as well but the nitrate pad stops the growth of my chaeto. I have a red/purple led on my chaeto and it tumbles and won't grow due to the lack of nutrients taken away by the pad

 

[TioTom]

Hey TioTom I actually have a nitrate reducing pad and i put it in the baffle of my sump. It serves a double purpose. It's my bubble trap and nitrate reducer and they work great. My nitrates went from a 80 to 15 in 1 week. But take heed, my protein skimmer went bezerk for that week as well. I also put a ball of chaeto in the refugium. That helped as well but the nitrate pad stops the growth of my chaeto. I have a red/purple led on my chaeto and it tumbles and won't grow due to the lack of nutrients taken away by the pad

Thanks. I will do that as well then. I bought them for someone but they changed their mind so I want sure. And indent have a refugium in this system. So I think I will use it as a bubble trap then. Also I have understood that chaeto won't grow if it is tumbling around. People I know will use egg crate and make a "sandwich" to keep it in one place and allow it to grow. Anyways. Right now its a fowlr tank. In the near future I plan on adding Kenya trees . some zoas. GSP. And maybe leathers. Will the pad affect on any way ?

 

[jpontier212]

Thanks. I will do that as well then. I bought them for someone but they changed their mind so I want sure. And indent have a refugium in this system. So I think I will use it as a bubble trap then. Also I have understood that chaeto won't grow if it is tumbling around. People I know will use egg crate and make a "sandwich" to keep it in one place and allow it to grow. Anyways. Right now its a fowlr tank. In the near future I plan on adding Kenya trees . some zoas. GSP. And maybe leathers. Will the pad affect on any way ?

Not that i noticed. My corals are growing just fine.