Algae Scrubber & Phosphate Reactor Combo - Bad?

[MarvelFan]

I just realized that I may be challenging my scrubber, seeing as though I'm running a Dual chamber GFO/Carbon reactor.

Would you guys recommend removing the phosphate chamber and running dual carbon for now. Will I still see algae growth running GFO, or will it just not be the type of beneficial growth I want?

Thanks in advance.

[Floyd R Turbo]

GFO is going to compete with your scrubber.

Honestly after reading Ace25's comments on this thread I seriously doubt whether phosphates are as bad as they all say. I for one can tell you that I have had coralline grow when phosphates were higher than what would supposedly prevent it from growing. And vice-versa actually.

[SantaMonica]

Yes the GFO will slow your scrubber down.

Carbon does not affect the scrubber.

[MarvelFan]

GFO is going to compete with your scrubber.

Honestly after reading Ace25's comments on this thread I seriously doubt whether phosphates are as bad as they all say. I for one can tell you that I have had coralline grow when phosphates were higher than what would supposedly prevent it from growing. And vice-versa actually.

Thanks for the link Floyd. Very interesting. My new 120g tank has only been up and running for about 6 weeks (livestock transfered over about 2 weeks ago). Just this week, I'm starting to see a very large brown algae outbreak in my tank. I introduced light and started feeding the tank 2 weeks ago, but it took until this week to have such a bloom.

I have an undersized skimmer (rated for 65g) and the dual carbon/phosphate reactor working right now. I was going to remove the skimmer after the scrubber took off, but I'm thinking maybe I should just run dual Rox 0.8 carbon with the scrubber. Seems to work for Ace25, but yet every tank has its own personalities.

May I ask, what are you running? Just an UAS/ATS? Do you run any reactors or skimmers?

[MarvelFan]

Yes the GFO will slow your scrubber down.

Carbon does not affect the scrubber.

Thanks Floyd and SM - I'm going to remove the GFO tonight and add some more carbon.

Would it be advisable to run my skimmer with the scrubber? I know some people feel running both is fine and some feel running only a scrubber will do the trick, as a skimmer will extract nutrition for the water and the scrubber will extract nutrients.

I was hoping to get to the point where I was only running a scrubber, as the results I read seem to speak for themselves!!! However, seeing that I'm in my initial scrubber break in period, would leaving the skimmer in the mix be advisable for the short term?

[SantaMonica]

Can leave the skimmer if you want... will not affect the scrubber.