GFO , Acros, and Opinions

[lReef lKeeper]

I keep 99% high end Acros and have been battling PO4 issues due to a bad Salifert test kit. Anyway, I'm now running GFO in a TLF reactor on my 80 gallon deep blue rimless ... PO4 is dropping, it I was wondering if there is a basic rule of thumb for how much GFO to run based on water volume ?? Opinions ??

 

[Reefpro]

If memory serves correctly. Start with one teaspoon per 4 gallons then after 4-8 weeks increase to 2 teaspoons per 4 gallons. This is assuming you are using standRd gfo. If using high capacity, cut in half or chengd to per 8 gallons of water. Go slow this stuff can strip out nutrients very fast

 

[Big E]

How much you use should be based more on your fish load & your input of food than tank size. Below is my current tank and use. If I had a 120g tank I'd still use the same amount of GFO.

I have an 80g rimless dominant acropora and run 4-5 ounces of standard GFO.......the flow is fairly slow, just enough to make the granules ripple at the surface. That keeps my P04 at .03-.05. Change it out monthly.

I have a decent load of fish & feed heavy--

Bellus & Watanbei angels- 4-5"
Yellow Tang- 2.5"
Carpenters and Linespot wrasses- 2-2.5"
Sunburst fathead anthias- 3"
Fridmani Dottyback- 2"

 

[GregOyeah]

BRS has a calculator for this on their website

 

[Reefer40b]

If your corals look great don't bother with gfo... when you say its high how high is high? Do you run a scrubber or macro?

 

[lReef lKeeper]

If your corals look great don't bother with gfo... when you say its high how high is high? Do you run a scrubber or macro?

I bought a hanna checker after realizing that the salifert kits was bad and it was flashing 200, which is as high as the ULR version can read. That equals 0.61 !! It's now reading 60, which is 0.18, but still higher than I want it. I have some macro available that I'm picking up soon, but haven't had the time lately to go get it. Needless to say ... I have very few corals in the tank right now (friend came and picked them up to babysit), so I cant use them to "read" the tank currently.