Category Archives: Algae Problems

Phosphate Reactor Review

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PhosBan Aquarium Phosphate Reactor 150

  There are certain pieces of equipment that every reefer should have to maintain a healthy thriving marine reef aquarium, such as a skimmer and lighting to name a couple. Aside from these two key components, a serious reef should consider using a phosphate remover in a phosphate reactor.

  Phosphate reactors are designed to move water from a small powerhead down a tube and up through it’s media, or at least the two little fishies phosban reactor is.  This upward flow enables the phosphate media more time in contact with the water while being evenly dispersed in the flow to enable the full use of the media.  Unlike throwing a bag of phosphate remover in the sump, the phosphate reactor utilizes all of its phosphate media in its reactor.

  The Two Little Fishies phosphate reactor is easy to hook up all you need is a small pump such as a maxi jet 400 and a couple of feet of 1/2″ tubing. I prefer to use zip ties on all the hook ups to avoid any possible leaks or mishaps.  Once it is set and in place its as easy as just unplugging the inlet and outlet tubes to clean the reactor or to add new media to it. 

  I suggest to anyone that is having an algae problem to look into one of these reactors, while it is not a miracle algae remover it will cut down on the algae’s main nutrient, phosphate.  If you choose not to use a phosphate media you can always run activated carbon in the reactor.

Why are my corals fading/bleaching?

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        I was going to write this as a page and place it on the right hand side with my other articles, but I figured that I will make a quick and painless blog about it.  So why are my corals fading or bleaching? Well mine are not but you may ask yourself that question from time to time, especially if your new to marine reef aquariums. Here are a couple of reasons why your corals might be fading. 

       1. Your lighting might be to new and powerful or they might be old and need to be replaced.  If you just bought new lighting then raise the lighting system a few inches above from where it normally was before you bought the new lights.  If this is not a possible solution move the corals in your aquarium to a lower level.  If you haven’t changed your lighting unit’s bulbs in some time then I would suggest you do so.  Old light bulbs can loose there spectrum and intensity there by affecting your corals.

      2. Your reef’s water parameters are off, Test your alkalinity and ph.  Alkalinity and ph are usually the the problem water parameters in a saltwater aquarium, however you should discount nitrates and phosphate as well.  Nitrates and phosphate will more than likely cause an algae bloom before bleaching corals, see keep a keen eye for sudden algae blooms.

      3. Parasitic organisms.  These could include zoa eating spiders (yes coral spiders, a video to come at a further time on this), snails, fish and a whole host of other creatures that like to eat coral.  My suggestion is to observe the coral at night with a red light to see if you cant observe anything bothering your corals.

      4. Not enough flow, most corals and especially stony corals need a high rate of flow.  The reason a lot of flow is needed is so that the corals can feed and breath.  Most people would suggest soft corals need a flow 15-20 times the tanks size, lps corals in the same range, sps corals up to 40 times the tanks size.  So my soft coral 46gallon bowfront reef needs at the very minimum 690gph to a 920gph flow rate. I keep it at around 1k to keep my crocea clams happy.