TheReefKeeper
Well-Known Member
I have had SPS systems since 1995 and only Run Carbon NO GFO and only because I try to run a UNLS system naturally Key word Try!!
A lil bit of PO4 is no big deal in fact some people swear by it myself I stopped chasing #'s years ago look at the corals let them tell you when they are unhappy.
I don't use GFO because of two reasons.
1. It wasn't even around when I started reefing LOL.
2. I don't want anything in my tank that has the word IRON in it but that's just me LOL.
I've had some pretty amazing systems without it so is it necessary IMO NO.
Best thing to do is find your Problem/Problems and fix em that's what we used to have to do. Don't try to continue what your doing wrong and correct the issues by masking em or taking the easy road JMO.
I've seen some amazing tanks crash after 10+ years for unknown reasons their corals just start to STN/RTN so I keep as little as possible in the tank for long periods of time and believe carbon to be one of the safer of all the snake oils. No one know's why these systems crash and I have never had a system crash or have had an outbreak of STN/RTN in almost 20 years so I keep it simple and what works for me.
I dose B-Ionic on a Profilux stand alone controller and feed heavy and my PO4 is under 1 at all times.
I rely on filter bags changed weekely my Skimmer and Carbon.
I Blow off rocks when ever I feel like it and stir a 1x1 piece of my sand bed may be a larger area if the sand is clean. I feel like stirring and letting the crap fly feeds the coral to a certain extent as long as you don't stir too much too often. I usually stir a small piece right before a Water change or a filter bag change and have been doing this for years. IMO this also prevents your sand bed from crashing and having to vacumming it when it's really bad and taking the chances of any bad leaching. I blow off the rocks after what I've stirred has settled. I then blown off rocks and let the water clear again for a second time. Lastly I stick a powerhead down the overflow to make sure all the crap din't settle in the bottom of it. I then change the filter bags and do my water change. I've been on this method for years.
All you need to know about GFO is here.
Iron Oxide Hydroxide (GFO) Phosphate Binders by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
A lil bit of PO4 is no big deal in fact some people swear by it myself I stopped chasing #'s years ago look at the corals let them tell you when they are unhappy.
I don't use GFO because of two reasons.
1. It wasn't even around when I started reefing LOL.
2. I don't want anything in my tank that has the word IRON in it but that's just me LOL.
I've had some pretty amazing systems without it so is it necessary IMO NO.
Best thing to do is find your Problem/Problems and fix em that's what we used to have to do. Don't try to continue what your doing wrong and correct the issues by masking em or taking the easy road JMO.
I've seen some amazing tanks crash after 10+ years for unknown reasons their corals just start to STN/RTN so I keep as little as possible in the tank for long periods of time and believe carbon to be one of the safer of all the snake oils. No one know's why these systems crash and I have never had a system crash or have had an outbreak of STN/RTN in almost 20 years so I keep it simple and what works for me.
I dose B-Ionic on a Profilux stand alone controller and feed heavy and my PO4 is under 1 at all times.
I rely on filter bags changed weekely my Skimmer and Carbon.
I Blow off rocks when ever I feel like it and stir a 1x1 piece of my sand bed may be a larger area if the sand is clean. I feel like stirring and letting the crap fly feeds the coral to a certain extent as long as you don't stir too much too often. I usually stir a small piece right before a Water change or a filter bag change and have been doing this for years. IMO this also prevents your sand bed from crashing and having to vacumming it when it's really bad and taking the chances of any bad leaching. I blow off the rocks after what I've stirred has settled. I then blown off rocks and let the water clear again for a second time. Lastly I stick a powerhead down the overflow to make sure all the crap din't settle in the bottom of it. I then change the filter bags and do my water change. I've been on this method for years.
All you need to know about GFO is here.
Iron Oxide Hydroxide (GFO) Phosphate Binders by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
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