Advice request. GFO reactor or refugium?

[Bushman]

OK guys, I've read and read and still have an issue deciding on which way to go here. 40 gal AIO, and I'm going to add either a HOB GFO reactor or a HOB 'fuge. I'm leaning toward the reactor, but wanted to hear from the crew here. Thoughts?

 

[Flux Capacitor]

If it were me I’d do a refugium you get a safe place for pods and to multiply, and if you run the light at night a more stable PH swing. Also, you don’t need to keep buying GFO.

 

[brmreefer]

HOB Fuge.

• Grow and house pods
• Can chamber a section for GFO or other media as tank evolves
• Grow and house macroalgae

Just a few thoughts.

 

[lmm1967]

The few times I've tried running GFO - the reduction in phosphates is fast and large and overall my tank seems to get slightly unhappy. Never actually lost anything but cyano or dinos start to appear, corals appear less happy etc.

 

[andrewkw]

I prefer GFO - it's easier to measure both in terms of how much to add and how effective it is. There is obviously more concern with gfo stripping the water clean - an accurate way of measuring phosphates, at least initially is very important. Once you get it dialed in though unless you drastically change how much phosphate you are adding to the tank, it becomes basically set and forget just replacing the media regularly and that's it.

 

[R.Weller]

Reactor - Nutrient Export via removable media

Refugium - Nutrient Export w/o using removable media + improved nutrition

Biology made this a clear choice for our system.