GFO and Zoas

[slayerhellfire]

So I am considering using some GFO after seeing some cyano on my sand bed, corals all look good, just get this every once and awhile. I use RO/DI, lights are on only about 6 hours, phosphates read 0 like they always have with salifert, I run carbon in my reactor, I have 4 fish in a 75 gallon, no I don't over feed... so now that's out of the way lol, what are the impacts of using GFO with a mostly zoa dominated tank? Last time I used GFO my corals did not like it, but I was also not auto dosing so my levels were fluccating a lot. Oh yeah I do a 5 gallon water change a week.

 

[drernesto Verified Sponsor]

Salifert gave me 0 phosphates wile it was pretty high... Now I'm using Hanna. I would consider trying another test.

 

[steve&mari]

Start slowly and should be ok. Flow n some foods can cause it also. When I use coral frenzy it get a little bloom for a short time.

 

[slayerhellfire]

Yeah maybe that was the cause i use zooplan and gonipower mixed with coral food. Is there any alternatives that are safer to use than gfo

 

[Tippfish]

I have the same issue. When I use GFO, even a little (like 1/8th cup) my Zoas hate it. I'm saving up for another Vortech to improve my flow.

 

[slayerhellfire]

I got a mp60 on my 75 and it cranks, but even more flow I still get that stuff on my sand bed weird

 

[steve&mari]

Yeah maybe that was the cause i use zooplan and gonipower mixed with coral food. Is there any alternatives that are safer to use than gfo

I use seachem phosguard and love it. I also use their purigen, matrix carbon and matrix biological media all in reactors.

 

[slayerhellfire]

I was thinking phosguard, did it have any ill effects on zoas?

 

[Sabellafella]

I use a tablespoon in a 200 gallon and still strip my tank of phos and my zoas hate it, i reduced the flow through it and theyve just recently started opening again, in my 30 nano i use almost a half of a cup

 

[steve&mari]

I've not had negative effects some that weren't doing well actually doing better after I started using it because algae is under control now.

 

[slayerhellfire]

I think Iam going try out GFO again and use half the recommended portion and go from there

 

[maroun.c]

I have dropped my phosphates from 0.9 to 0.03-0.05 over 6-7 months time and was adding 1 kg at a time. Around 10Kgs of Rowaphos 2-3 Kgs of AMS (another GFO type PO4 remover way less efficient than Rowaphos) and a couple of KGs of Aluminum based PO4 remover and my Zoas weren't affected.
I would cross check with another test to make sure the PO4 reading is correct. Salifert is hard to read.
Also if your nitrates ain't at 0 vodka dosing or Biopellets might help.

 

[jguinn]

I've used BRS high-capacity GFO in a reactor since the day I started the tank and have more abundant growth among zoas than any other type of coral. Tank has been up for almost a year now and the first zoa frag I added has at least six times as many polyps as it started with. My Hanna colorimeter always shows no measurable phosphates, but I still have some light cyano on the sandbed and rock. I use Julian's Thing to blow it off the rocks and a scraper to stir up the sandbed. I do weekly water changes and try to siphon out as much cyano as possible off the sandbed during that process. My personal experience is that the zoas don't seem to mind the GFO (though admittedly I've never had zoas in the tank when GFO wasn't present) but I can't say that the GFO has eradicated the cyano by any means. Your results may vary.

For full disclosure, I also use biopellets in a reactor, Rox carbon in a filter sock, Purigen, and as many Marinepure spheres as I can cram in the sump area.