Refugium and media reactors

[Hilltopreef90]

Can you run a media reactor in your sump along with a refugium? I have a refugium that I’ve been trying to grow chaeto, so far the nitrates are still really high so I’m considering adding a media reactor with GFO

 

[Zach B]

I run both a fuge & reactor with gfo. I also use chemipure elite in the sump, these are more for phosphate removal. We have a heavy bioload. I use purigen in the sump as well to assist with nitrates. Water changes should help a lot with nitrates.. Best of luck :)

 

[jda]

GFO will not lower your nitrates. Did you mean high phosphates?

You can use both. It is unlikely that you will remove enough with a reactor to growth limit the chaeto, but if you get lower residual N and P numbers with continued use, then take the media reactor offline. Macro can use nitrate directly but also can use ammonia/ammonium. In another cruel joke from nature, chaeto does not grow too well, or too fast, in high nitrate or high phosphate environments.

 

[Hilltopreef90]

I run both a fuge & reactor with gfo. I also use chemipure elite in the sump, these are more for phosphate removal. We have a heavy bioload. I use purigen in the sump as well to assist with nitrates. Water changes should help a lot with nitrates.. Best of luck :)

I’ve been doing 20 % water changes weekly and I change my filter socks every 3 days, I’m barely feeding the tank since there’s only inverts and corals at the moment. My nitrates have been very high, phosphates not so bad considering how high the nitrates are.
I’m wondering if maybe an urchin dying or other cuc members dying is the cause for the nitrates to suddenly be over double what it usually is ‍
regardless my nitrates are usually high so I’m thinking of adding the media reactor
I tried using chempure elite but no noticeable difference

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I’ve been doing 20 % water changes weekly and I change my filter socks every 3 days, I’m barely feeding the tank since there’s only inverts and corals at the moment. My nitrates have been very high, phosphates not so bad considering how high the nitrates are.
I’m wondering if maybe an urchin dying or other cuc members dying is the cause for the nitrates to suddenly be over double what it usually is ‍
regardless my nitrates are usually high so I’m thinking of adding the media reactor
I tried using chempure elite but no noticeable difference

How high are they? No3 #?

 

[X-37B]

What are po4 and no3 levels?
Gfo wont do anything for no3.
How do you test for no3 and po4?

 

[Hilltopreef90]

Nitrates were 75.0 phosphates 0.10
I’m using Hanna checkers
I’m starting to think the measurements don’t really matter anymore considering my corals look fine and I’m not having any issues with algae ‍
my chaeto is actually finally not dying, it’s hard to tell if it’s growing but in the past it would be all gone by now, the chaeto is nice and green and there is as much in the basket as there was 2 weeks ago possibly more.
I’m having issues with my acans not doing well but the other soft corals and lps look fine and seem to be growing.
I’ve been worrying about my parameters but then wondered why if I’m not having any issues.
Can someone explain why I should be so concerned about lowering the nitrates if I’m not having any issues with the corals ‍♀
I do a 15-20% water change weekly, change my filter socks every 3 days and other then the acans not doing well everything else looks good