GFO and Carbon reactor question

Steve Tobias · Jul 26, 2016

Hi:

I purchased the BRS GFO & Carbon Reactor Dual for my tank and plan on setting it up this evening. I have a good handle on getting it set up, but here is my concern. I have found over the last several months when my nitrates hover around 3 to 4ppm and my phosphate is around .016 my soft coral seem much happier, more vibrant and full. However, when I am <1ppm on nitrates and phosphate relatively unnoticeable they do not. Should I just stop thinking about the NO and PO and concentrate on the nutrients alone? I do not dose anything at this point, but I am not seeing any growth from my hard corals and feel the NO and PO is partially to blame. My calcium and magnesium are generally on the high end. I guess I am just not sure how best to dial the new reactor in so I can hang around those number or do I even want to? Can anyone offer any guidance?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 29, 2016

Steve Tobias said:
Should I just stop thinking about the NO and PO and concentrate on the nutrients alone? ?

Not sure what you mean to concentrate on. Nitrate and phosphate are what reefers refer to as nutrients.

Steve Tobias · Jul 29, 2016

Hi Randy:

In review it was a cruddy and poorly asked question. I will try it this way. As I understand excessive nutrients (nitrates/phosphates) can affect my PAR, potentially stunt the growth of some of my corals and increase the amount Zooxanthellae present on corals, which has an effect on the vibrant colors I would want from them. However, I have monitored my PPM on nitrates and phosphates over the past 2 months and have found that zero or >1 pmm seems to have a negative affect on some of the other corals (not enough nutrients in the water???). With that said, first I am not sure that I am correct in my observation about more nutrients and second does anyone have any experience they can lend me regarding what they might have learned after installing a GFO and carbon reactor. Does that help at all Randy?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 29, 2016

Steve Tobias said:
Hi Randy:

In review it was a cruddy and poorly asked question. I will try it this way. As I understand excessive nutrients (nitrates/phosphates) can affect my PAR, potentially stunt the growth of some of my corals and increase the amount Zooxanthellae present on corals, which has an effect on the vibrant colors I would want from them. However, I have monitored my PPM on nitrates and phosphates over the past 2 months and have found that zero or >1 pmm seems to have a negative affect on some of the other corals (not enough nutrients in the water???). With that said, first I am not sure that I am correct in my observation about more nutrients and second does anyone have any experience they can lend me regarding what they might have learned after installing a GFO and carbon reactor. Does that help at all Randy?

Nitrate and phosphate won't impact visible PAR, but it will spur the growth of zooxanthellae and make corals more brown.

Many folks have overdone GFO and experience issues from excessively low phosphate.