wasp

A level of 1500 is regarded as the upper safe level. However I've accidentally taken mine up to around 1600 with no ill effects. Even a 30% water change may not reduce it much although this will depend on how much magnesium is in the new water. Example, tank water is 1800, new water is 1500. Even a 50% water change will only bring it down to 1650. Do you have that bulk seawater supply yet? If so, no worries. But if not I'd keep alkalinity fairly high for a while & let the Mg just fall by itself, unless there are any obvious negative effects in which case may have to bite the bullet & do a massive water change.

That will work. Also I think you may find that your calcium is slowly dropping, but this is harder to notice as KH drops proportionately more. Doing what Cookie says should solve this, but if all else fails just stick a bit of baking soda in the tank from time to time.

This may be the problem mentioned in the other thread, of gas buildup, I think you have too much Co2 going in relative to water going through. You should start with 2 drops per second, and one bubble every 2 seconds. Leave a few hours & check all is OK. Once things running smoothly you can start tuning from there. Also I'm not sure which outlets you've tried but I think it will either be the black hose, or the thing with the red cap. In any case the water should be exiting from the very top of the reactor, so any gas buildup will exit out with the effluent, it should be impossible to get any more than a tiny bit of gas buildup in the reactor. And don't worry you have a fine reactor. Just figuring it out without instructions is hard but once you get there it will work sweet!

I see! Well I better start feeding them so I don't have to dose K-Balance!

Good find Jeroen, I'm going to Melbourne at Christmas, and my son in law over there is an electrician too! Think I may get a few of them. How could we find out the PAR rating of them?

What about the banana then?

That's not what I saw the manufacturer say.

Well firstly, it's only you saying the bacteria will "grab" or " steal" the phosphate from the media. I didn't say that, and the manufacturer would also dissagree. How will it remove bound phosphate? It won't. At least not directly. In practise though, it will eventually deplete phosphate by grabbing it whenever it changes form, as it is constantly doing.

Let's say you're right, bacteria can steal it. ( Although this would contradict the manufacturer ). So we have fully saturated media, then bacteria "steal" some of the phosphate. The media would presumably now be not saturated, and ready to grab the next bit of orthophosphate that comes along. So all up, still doing the job.

Dude, not critisizing at all! At least you made the effort to go & search something out. I'll bet it's a hard one because I doubt there will be much info of a specific nature on this at all.

Just to once again regurgitate what somebody told me :lol: This time quoted from Marine Depot web site, info supplied by the manufacturer. "RowaPhos will absorb phosphate, silicates and arsenic. It is entirely safe in both fresh and saltwater systems. It does not release, when exhausted, any chemicals back into the water. ie phosphate, silicates or arsenic."

Ha Ha! I put that one there just for you! :lol: It will likely be both, or more correctly, both will be involved. Good point, something to consider.

Thanks, although I do know all that! I was hoping for a reference to something in a little more depth, ie, some specifics I could apply. Anyhow when i have time I ought to try & catch up with Cookie.

Well your argument appears to make sense Layton. Problem is though that if it was true then it would not be possible to clean up a tank via the use of phosphate binding resins. In reality this is not the case. Bottom line for me, after all the theory has been talked through, the proof is in the pudding.

Certainly looks like some good growth happening! I'll be very interested to see some follow up pics in a month or two, to see the effect the lighting has had on colouration.

This light/nutrient thing is something I want more info on, got any references to useful articles?

Your comments layton?

Layton, remember I don't dissagree with much of what you say. Bacteria ROCK, which is why I use the Zeovit system. But from my own experience in BZ days ( that's Before Zeovit :lol: ), I completely cleaned up an algae ridden tank with iron based phosphate remover. There is no doubt it can be done. Sure it only removes orthophosphate. No worries. Once all orthophosphate is removed more will be created from other forms, as per Randy. And in this way all phosphate can be reduced.

Just to regurgitate what someone else told me :lol: :- QUOTE "Phosphorus can also take other inorganic forms, such as the polyphosphates which are rings and chains of phosphate ions strung together by P-O-P bonds. While these are not significant in natural seawater, they can be present in things that get added to our tanks. There are many of these compounds, but most will likely break down into orthophosphate when added to a reef tank." UNQUOTE

Did you buy that bracing, or make it?

Mine are only on 5 hours

A well reasoned argument Layton, and I agree with most of it. However - Agreed Agreed, to a point. Depends what media, Rowaphos is a good one. Also organic phosphate does not have to be "packed to overflowing" before orthophosphate can exist. Agreed The phosphate in the tank is continuously changing from one form to another. If all orthophosphate is removed, it won't be long till some bound phosphate is converted to orthophosphate, once again suitable for removal by a phosphate binder. Correct, what a skimmer removes is gone. Incorrect about Media though, once bound by Rowaphos, the phosphate will not be released back to the tank, under normal conditions that exist in a tank.

Indeed, that is the best option. However you will never get ALL the crap to the skimmer. In a heavily stocked tank more than a skimmer alone is likely required.

There is some spare. ( Not pictured ).