sleeri
Active Member
Just wondering if there is any danger in running GFO 24/7 in a reactor? Currently doing so in my mixed reef. Mostly concerned about my SPS. I've heard it might be better to run just a few hours each day.
GFO 24/7 for SPS?
- Thread starter sleeri
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Alabamareef
Well-Known Member
Have a friend thats done it for years and his tank looks great. He is SPS only...
Dowtish
5000 Club Member
+1 to all above
As you add GFO to your system you need to start off slow and only add small amounts of it at a time, and the amount of flow through the reactor is key. No grinding of the media at all, just a very slight movement on top is what you want. You can run this 24/7 as long as you dont add too much too fast and strip the system of phosphates.
As you add GFO to your system you need to start off slow and only add small amounts of it at a time, and the amount of flow through the reactor is key. No grinding of the media at all, just a very slight movement on top is what you want. You can run this 24/7 as long as you dont add too much too fast and strip the system of phosphates.
Ecvernon
Active Member
I run gfo 24/7. I am always adding a lot of food into my tank. Without it I would never be able to keep it at 0.03 ppm. In about a months time it starts to raise up from .03 that's when I know to change it.
Chameleon
Valuable Member
lol I find it hard to keep my phosphates up at 0.03 without any GFO, with it it plummets to 0.00 in a hurry...its amazing how tanks are so different from tank to tank. running GFO 24/7 is perfectly fine if you are trying to maintain low phosphates. Like others mentioned it is key to add more and more GFO slowly so you dont strip phos too fast and then keep the reactor slow enough that it isn't grinding and putting a bunch of GFO powder back into your tank.
Zack
Valuable Member
I have a hard time dialing mine in to get the sweet spot of. 01 to 03. If I run a small amount of gfo, even 3 tablespoons in my 30 gal. Its zero! If I do no gfo it will hit. 06 in a week or so.
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whixley101
Well-Known Member
I run mine 24/7 at a trickle. I have done this for three months now and I am noticing my acros are growing a lot more rapidly than they were before. I also have an SPS only tank.
WesF
Well-Known Member
Montrosereef
Active Member
No need to agree or disagree. For others want to prove it. Just Test alk right before adding new gfo and 2 days later. See it for yourself. It's is your tank. And dont stop auto alk dosing if you have it. There is a lot of conflicting info about gfo and carbon stuff. You just have to test and observe your corals. I know for sure bc I am obsessed with water testing, and t happens in my tank Every Single Time.
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I've run GFO 24/7 for years. I have noticed that it's important to have the right amount of the right kind. I started of using the standard granular GFO, but you have to use more, by 2x, and it didn't last as long, as the high capacity. The HC does cost more, but I get more use out of it, and ultimately it's more cost effective.
WesF
Well-Known Member
Ok then my SPS disagree that there is "nothing good about gfo in a sps tank" It doesn't happen here. My alk stays rock solid and I have a tank full of large SPS colonies that I have been growing for years. Alk is monitored closely.
http://youtu.be/nkix_okStgA
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RavePartyReef
Active Member
I've ran gfo 24/7 for many months with growth with all my sps. The reason you must be careful with gfo is that if you run too much you can drop alk a bit. I have at times ran a bit over the usual and never noticed such drop. You can run it without any worries at all. I would say gfo in a reactor is just as important as a skimmer for an sps tank, and tanks without them are algae time bombs.
