GFO is amazing

[Madonia]

I just need to make it clear that GFO is amazing. My phosphates were real high...0.25....and after running some GFO in a little reactor (aquamaxx), they are 0.03.

the tank is finally happy! Sps looking much better. I may not kill anything this time! Woohoo!

 

[SliceGolfer]

If you see recession at the base of your SPS, be ready to put some of that P04 back in the water

 

[Madonia]

I have my reactor on a timer once it hit 0.03.
Now it will run for 6 hours a day. I’ll eventually find the right time frame With some trial and error. But with a bucket of GFO around, I’m confident that my phosphates will (more or less) be under much better control.

 

[Auquanut]

If you see recession at the base of your SPS, be ready to put some of that P04 back in the water

Glad to hear that it is helping. Just remember, GFO is a tool, not a cure. You could easily bring your PO4 down too low quickly or too far.

 

[Madonia]

Glad to hear that it is helping. Just remember, GFO is a tool, not a cure. You could easily bring your PO4 down too low quickly or too far.

Absolutely- I’ll be checking daily until I get into a good rhythm. It took about 1.5 weeks to bring it down from 0.25 to 0.04. Holding steady now for 3 days at 0.04. New SPS are finally holding their color, good polyp extension. I’m just pumped that they don’t look like trash within days of entering the tank!! I feel like I’m on my first ride without the ‘training wheels’

 

[SuncrestReef]

Yes, GFO can really help reduce PO4. Just be aware it also can rapidly lower your alkalinity. I was not aware of this until I started testing alk with my Trident, and I saw an immediate drop after changing out my GFO media:

 

[Madonia]

Yes, GFO can really help reduce PO4. Just be aware it also can rapidly lower your alkalinity. I was not aware of this until I started testing alk with my Trident, and I saw an immediate drop after changing out my GFO media:

I have noticed a drop. My alk was 6.9 after I added it. I combatted that with dosing 2 part. Raised to 8.0 over the course of 3 days.

Yesterday after dosing 2 part: alk8
Today before dosing 2 part: alk 7.5

I dosed the appropriate amount to bring it back to 8.

will test daily this week to check for consumption patterns.

 

[saltyhog]

Great advice above. GFO is great....but it needs to be used with prudence and caution....ask me how I know.

Alright, alright.....bottomed my PO4 out and got a horrible infestation of dinos that has been an almost 18 month struggle. Be aware that even with the best hobby testing 0.03 is dangerously close to zero if you factor in the accuracy range of the test kit.

 

[Auquanut]

Yes, GFO can really help reduce PO4. Just be aware it also can rapidly lower your alkalinity. I was not aware of this until I started testing alk with my Trident, and I saw an immediate drop after changing out my GFO media:

I didn't know that either!

 

[Madonia]

Great advice above. GFO is great....but it needs to be used with prudence and caution....ask me how I know.

Alright, alright.....bottomed my PO4 out and got a horrible infestation of dinos that has been an almost 18 month struggle. Be aware that even with the best hobby testing 0.03 is dangerously close to zero if you factor in the accuracy range of the test kit.

That’s brutal for sure. But I’d rather be battling dinos than be losing coral (which was my issue with too high phosphate of 0.25)...BUT I shall be cautious! Testing daily and I’m much more confident with it than without it. The fact that this media reactor is on a timer running only 6 hours a day helps my peace of mind

 

[Madonia]

Yes, GFO can really help reduce PO4. Just be aware it also can rapidly lower your alkalinity. I was not aware of this until I started testing alk with my Trident, and I saw an immediate drop after changing out my GFO media:

This is a great chart by the way. Very visual and dramatic. Eerily similar to how the stock market looks this past month with COVID-19

 

[saltyhog]

That’s brutal for sure. But I’d rather be battling dinos than be losing coral (which was my issue with too high phosphate of 0.25)...BUT I shall be cautious! Testing daily and I’m much more confident with it than without it. The fact that this media reactor is on a timer running only 6 hours a day helps my peace of mind

Uhh, well .....uh....because of the dinos I lost every single acro in my tank including a pink lemonade that was almost a foot across and a bonsai that was almost that big! Yikes!

 

[Madonia]

Uhh, well .....uh....because of the dinos I lost every single acro in my tank including a pink lemonade that was almost a foot across and a bonsai that was almost that big! Yikes!

Oh! Nvm! GFO is the worst!!!!

lol

 

[saltyhog]

This is a great chart by the way. Very visual and dramatic. Eerily similar to how the stock market looks this past month with COVID-19

LOL! I'm only laughing to keep from crying. I turned in my resignation to retire about 3 weeks ago....My 401K is not nearly as healthy now as it was then!

 

[YankeeTankee]

Don't bottom out! I can sense the dino army waiting for the right moment to invade and hear the coral chatter "Can i ha sum o dat back pls"

 

[Madonia]

LOL! I'm only laughing to keep from crying. I turned in my resignation to retire about 3 weeks ago....My 401K is not nearly as healthy now as it was then!

It’s ok. Just buy more coral. Buying more coral makes everything feel better. Even being poor hahaha. My 403B looks terrible as well. Misery loves company

 

[Madonia]

Wow you guys are getting me paranoid now. I actually shut the reactor off just now. Lol. Tested at 0.04 today so I think I can safely keep it shut off until tomorrow night when I’ll test again.

 

[SPR1968]

I run ‘heavy’ rhowaphos 24/7 in both my systems including a new 530usg one just set up and basically keep phosphate locked down very low and below 0.03ppm. If my Hanna reads zero I’m delighted due to test error margins. Organisms only need a very small amount for their cells, so with my fish load etc it’s not really likely to be zero.

I am aware is can have an effect on alkalinity but it’s generally not an issue

The 0.03 number is important because ‘Randy says’

“at inorganic phosphate concentrations below about 0.03 ppm, the growth rate of many species of phytoplankton depends on the phosphate concentration (assuming that something else, such as nitrogen or iron, is not limiting growth). Above this level, many organisms' growth rate is independent of phosphate concentration.So to deter algae growth by controlling phosphate, aquarists need to keep the phosphate levels quite low.”

So I agree with the title I guess.

 

[robbyg]

That’s brutal for sure. But I’d rather be battling dinos than be losing coral (which was my issue with too high phosphate of 0.25)...BUT I shall be cautious! Testing daily and I’m much more confident with it than without it. The fact that this media reactor is on a timer running only 6 hours a day helps my peace of mind

Your better of running a timer that turns on the reactor for 15 minutes and then off for 45min. Same amount of runtime and a lot Less chance of the GFO clumping.