Fresh GFO making no impact on phosphate levels

[rsach]

Sounds like 6 tablespoons is not enough. The recommendation is based on the amount of PO4 in the water. In your situation you are probably dealing with PO4 desorbing from the sand and rocks which can be a large reserve. Increase the amount of phosphate and just keep going. Measuring the reactor output is a good way to tell when the GFO is exhausted.

Would you recommend to dump the one day old GFO and start over with fresh GFO, or should I add more to it?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would you recommend to dump the one day old GFO and start over with fresh GFO, or should I add more to it?

Nothing wrong with adding to it, but at 0.6 ppm, GFO depletes pretty fast with good flow.

 

[JoleenPuffer]

Use chemi-pure blue!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Use chemi-pure blue!

I disagree, and do not think chemipure Blue is very useful for phosphate. it will not bind any significant amount directly from seawater (no polymer material can). The best it can do is help export certain organics before they break down, releasing nitrate and phosphate.

Chemipure elite contains GFO and will bind some phosphate.

 

[schooncw]

My guess, is that PO is bound to your rock and as the gfo takes PO from the water column, it quickly equalizes. Keep up with the gfo

 

[rsach]

My guess, is that PO is bound to your rock and as the gfo takes PO from the water column, it quickly equalizes. Keep up with the gfo

Yes, I think that's exactly what's happening. I will keep monitoring and replacing the GFO. Hopefully, it'll start going down before the entire BRS container is consumed, it's expensive..lol

 

[rsach]

Nothing wrong with adding to it, but at 0.6 ppm, GFO depletes pretty fast with good flow.

Would it deplete within a few minutes? I just added 7 Tbsp of the BRS high efficiency GFO and measured the output of the reactor after a couple of minutes, it still shows 0.61 ppm. I am using half the recommended dosage. I hope I didn't get ground coffee..lol
I checked with both Hanna and Salifert. This is the second time I have seen this happen.

 

[AquaLogic]

Would it deplete within a few minutes? I just added 7 Tbsp of the BRS high efficiency GFO and measured the output of the reactor after a couple of minutes, it still shows 0.61 ppm. I am using half the recommended dosage. I hope I didn't get ground coffee..lol
I checked with both Hanna and Salifert. This is the second time I have seen this happen.

Yes, with high phosphates it could deplete very quickly. I had an issue like this with my newest nano, but I didn't have the nitrates you have. I had 0 nitrates. I had to use Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-E to get it under control. It would exhaust GFO immediately. I believe for me it was likely silicates leaching from sand and rock. None of this, however, explains your nitrate levels.

I had no negative impact with the Brightwell product, but I have no tangs. I used it in a nano with just a firefish, goby, and corals.

 

[rsach]

Yes, with high phosphates it could deplete very quickly. I had an issue like this with my newest nano, but I didn't have the nitrates you have. I had 0 nitrates. I had to use Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-E to get it under control. It would exhaust GFO immediately. I believe for me it was likely silicates leaching from sand and rock. None of this, however, explains your nitrate levels.

I had no negative impact with the Brightwell product, but I have no tangs. I used it in a nano with just a firefish, goby, and corals.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I did buy Phosphate-E, but it also contains Lanthanum , and some folks saw issue with their tangs, so I decided not to use it. It's very tempting, but I don' want to take the risk, at least for now. With the rate that the GOF is being consumed, I doubt one container would be enough. I wonder if dosing Phosphate-E in the neck of the skimmer be any safer?

 

[AquaLogic]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I did buy Phosphate-E, but it also contains Lanthanum , and some folks saw issue with their tangs, so I decided not to use it. It's very tempting, but I don' want to take the risk, at least for now. With the rate that the GOF is being consumed, I doubt one container would be enough. I wonder if dosing Phosphate-E in the neck of the skimmer be any safer?

I find dosing into the skimmer intake or neck is the most effective way to does it (in my personal experience). However I can't give you any advice on how it might impact tangs. I have no idea, sorry. You might try asking the chemist and/or the disease expert on the forum. They are much more qualified to speak to fish health and chemistry.