GFO or Rowaphos

[Wudotcom]

Whats your preference? Ive got one tank running GFO but Im going to do another with Rowaphos to see which I like better. The GFO seems to handle phosphates pretty good and my size tank it lasts a while and thats my main draw back to using Rowaphos.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Rowaphos is just a brand of GFO. There are many brands that work just fine. Are there some differences? Maybe.

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[Bow69]

Rowaphos is just a brand of GFO. There are many brands that work just fine. Are there some differences? Maybe.

Sooooo, please excuse my ignorance, but does this mean that the Rowa is basically the same as say the BRS GFO? I keep hearing about aluminum content and my Triton test came back with elevated levels of AL. I have only ever used the BRS GFO never Al99 so i was wondering if it came from the GFO?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sooooo, please excuse my ignorance, but does this mean that the Rowa is basically the same as say the BRS GFO? I keep hearing about aluminum content and my Triton test came back with elevated levels of AL. I have only ever used the BRS GFO never Al99 so i was wondering if it came from the GFO?

It is the same fundamental chemical. Differences in particle size, surface area, impurities, etc. may exist between different brands.

 

[tastyfish]

As Randy states above, Rowaphos is GFO. Are there differences between brands of GFO? Certainly. Mostly down to the source of the material. Cheaper brands may be sourced from used water treatment material, which may then contain impurities and leach.

Rowaphos state that they only use virgin material and I can confirm it works very well to remove phosphate and doesn't seem to leach anything into the tank (numerous ICP tests). I can't comment on other GFO's as I've not used them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

. Cheaper brands may be sourced from used water treatment material, which may then contain impurities and leach.

Do you have any evidence of commercial reuse happening in the hobby?

 

[tastyfish]

Do you have any evidence of commercial reuse happening in the hobby?

Just from a few articles Randy, which may or not be bias, hence my use of *may* and not naming any brands in particular.

I can only comment on the effectiveness of rowaphos in my tank as I have not compared it with any other GFO (Only Al99)

 

[Sea MunnKey]

I was so tempted to grab the 5kg Commercial Pack ... boy it was like close to $190 bucks!!! And that stopped me from pciking the

 

[Bow69]

It is the same fundamental chemical. Differences in particle size, surface area, impurities, etc. may exist between different brands.

Sooooo, is there no Al in GFO? Trying to narrow down where it’s coming from.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just from a few articles Randy, which may or not be bias, hence my use of *may* and not naming any brands in particular.

I can only comment on the effectiveness of rowaphos in my tank as I have not compared it with any other GFO (Only Al99)

OK, thanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sooooo, is there no Al in GFO? Trying to narrow down where it’s coming from.

There isn't supposed to be. Triton has commented in the past that GFO binds aluminum, so it may be an export method.

 

[Bow69]

There isn't supposed to be. Triton has commented in the past that GFO binds aluminum, so it may be an export method.

Ty Randy. I appreciate your time sir.

 

[tastyfish]

There isn't supposed to be. Triton has commented in the past that GFO binds aluminum, so it may be an export method.

I can confirm, having tested, Rowaphos (so presumably any GFO) does bind Aluminium.

 

[Bow69]

I can confirm, having tested, Rowaphos (so presumably any GFO) does bind Aluminium.

Again, please excuse my ignorance. When you say it binds the Al, what do you mean exactly ? Are you saying that it holds the Al in the tank?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Again, please excuse my ignorance. When you say it binds the Al, what do you mean exactly ? Are you saying that it holds the Al in the tank?

I mean that aluminum is said (by Triton) to stick to GFO surfaces when it randomly hits the GFO. That is just the same way that GFO binds phosphate.

Here's a picture of mine of GFO binding phosphate. Aluminum will not stick to the Fe+++ part of the GFO, but rather to the OH- that are shown on the surface. Aluminum has a very strong affinity for OH-, and , in fact, free dissolved aluminum in seawater will already have three or four of them attached to the aluminum: Al+++ (OH-)3 and Al+++(OH-)4 . When binding, it probably swaps a couple of these out and takes in the OH- from the GFO.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.htm

 

[Bow69]

I mean that aluminum is said (by Triton) to stick to GFO surfaces when it randomly hits the GFO. That is just the same way that GFO binds phosphate.

Here's a picture of mine of GFO binding phosphate. Aluminum will not stick to the Fe+++ part of the GFO, but rather to the OH- that are shown on the surface. Aluminum has a very strong affinity for OH-, and , in fact, free dissolved aluminum in seawater will already have three or four of them attached to the aluminum: Al+++ (OH-)3 and Al+++(OH-)4 . When binding, it probably swaps a couple of these out and takes in the OH- from the GFO.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.htm

Ty again sir and everyone else who has helped with answering my questions. This helps a lot.

 

[Bpb]

I’ll add option c. Phosphate rx. Having used gfo on and off for 5 years and recently switching to phosphate rx, I like it so much better. Less equipment, less mess, less time spent on that piece of the puzzle.