Reduck I used the Phosban in a bag, not a reactor. I did not change it as often as every 3 days, more like every 3 months! I am going to check my source water as suggested. What reactor are you using? Is it easy o set up? Which chamber do you have it in? I am skimming and emptying the cup every 2-3 days. How do I get more of a wet skim? Thanks!!
Bagged Phosban is expensive and not being used to it's full potential for this issue.
Try and find a used innovative marine mid size reactor. I saw a few on the classifieds recently. it would go in either second chamber. Aquarium care center stocks them I think...
Yea, if you have normal levels of phosphate, maybe once a month is ok.but in our cases, we have ultra high levels. Any medium would exhaust in days, not months. That's where I was going wrong too. Especially if it's bound to your live rock. It gets to be a pain changing it so often but it really only take 5 minutes to dump the old, fill with new and rinse. Keep the flow low to give the water dwell time with the Phosban. It does not need to tumble like gfo.
So try to get a reactor, and order a tub of Phosban from Amazon. It's fairly cheap and the tub will get you through this, and last for another year.
Starting point is a cup of Phosban. Don't back down on volume or changes until you see it clearing up.
Set your skimmer cup lower and the air valve open most of the way and you'll skim more wet. This will help remove the bound nitrates and phosphates.
Continue all normal maintenence. When you do your water changes, don't be discouraged if it looks like it gets worse for a day or two. Fresh sw will spike the bloom, until the reactor and skimmer catches up.
Also lets not forget nitrates. The purigen will help but if you have nitrates the reading is probably off too. Due to algea consuming it, the measurement is inaccurate. There are many schools of thought on how to lower nitrates. The easiest is massive wc. Like 80%. Changing 10g EVERY day will also work just slower. To keep them under control, chaeto works, but you have to start a fuge. There is also purigen and other nitrate absorbing media you could use. Again the problem is volume and capacity. 100ml bag of purigen isn't going to drop nitrates .3 to .2 without depleting quickly. Growing chaeto isn't difficult if you can set up a fuge. Since you can't get to the back of the tank, intank makes a small submersible led. I wouldn't think about starting a fuge until the phos and nitrates are in control. I tried it, my chaeto all died in a week. It needs somewhat decent water parameters to start growing, then it will eat your nitrates. I went the massive water change route. Did it twice.
It will lower your nitrates by 75% if you do 3/4 of the tank volume.
It will not help the phosphate issue though...
And as everyone said, get a Tds meter so you KNOW it's not your rodi. I think you bought your rodi not long ago and it's probably ok now, but being in NJ, your incoming water could be very high in Tds and its clogging the first few stages. It's not likely but the only way you'll be sure is to measure it.
All of this will not be without cost, both financially and possibly coral health. In the long run, corals will bounce back happier than ever. Financially, Phosban in a tub I think is about $45. A reactor new is about $100. Water, well depending on how you buy it, or make it, is cheap enough.
Also for your regime, you might want to change out the CPE more frequently. That could be exhausting prematurely too. Maybe once a month. Same with the purgen. (once you have the nitrates down)
Finally, cuc are great. BUT, they die. Once a week pick up your snails. Hold them to a light and see if anyone is home. Empty shells mean death or they've been eaten.get them out as soon as you find them, or they will add to your problems.
Replenish them as often as you need to. You don't need to buy a whole cuc package. Get 10-15 at a time. ultimate sells them as does acc and Aqua Oceans.
It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't...
Now get to work. You will win this battle.
And remember, I'm not far if you need help!
