GFO & stn?

[Reefltx]

I can't figure out what is causing my sps to lose tissue from the base up. I keep my alk at 8dkh and it holds pretty steady with a 2-part doser. The only change I've made to the system is a change of GFO. I am running Phosban in a TLF reactor, just a little over 1/2 cup for a 40g+ system. Within 2days of changing the GFO I noticed 80% of my sps starting to STN from the base. Checked alk. and it was at 7.7dkh. So, I don't think the little alk swing could have caused this?

So far, I think the STN have stopped.

 

[lowbudget]

samething happen to me i hope it stopped only thing i changed was add gfo

 

[aquabull]

For many years, aquarists would do ANYTHING to avoid rust getting in their tanks, now they put it there on purpose!

 

[MattL22]

How's ur temp? Did they lose color ??

 

[Reefltx]

Temp seems pretty stable, swings from 77 to 78 through out the day. I did lose one frag (echinata) which was the first to show signs, it RTN overnight. Sad, as it was starting to take off and encrusted all over the frag plug.


From what I noticed, the sps did not lose color, they just STN from the base what appear to be overnight. So far, I think it have stopped as I see no further progression. I'm thinking it surely was the GFO or whatever it was seem to only affect my Acros, montis look fine. Going to do a 10% water change tonight. Hopefully everything will recover, maybe next time I'll just switch to a different media, something like PO4X4?

 

[MattL22]

How do u rinse it??? This happened to me when I first tried sps could never pin point it though thought it was from dosing too much kalk but ur not using that !!

 

[Reefltx]

How do u rinse it??? This happened to me when I first tried sps could never pin point it though thought it was from dosing too much kalk but ur not using that !!

This is only the forth time I've changed out the GFO since I started. I run new gfo in the reactor with ro/di water until clear, then I run it again with old tank water after a water change before putting the reactor online. But the last two times, I only ran it through old tank water until clear. Could be possible that I did not rinse it well enough.

 

[spspirate]

How much GFO were you using before? Is it ROWA your using?

 

[ja4207]

for many years, aquarists would do anything to avoid rust getting in their tanks, now they put it there on purpose!

huh?

 

[aquabull]

Granular Ferric Oxide=rust!

 

[Reefltx]

How much GFO were you using before? Is it ROWA your using?

1/2 cup and I'm using Phosban.

 

[harlequinreefer]

Acros don't like change with anything. Consistency is paramount. Sometimes even a surge of iron from your gfo can put already stressed acros overboard. I'm not saying your acros were stressed, I'm just suggesting it might be a combination of things. Double check all equip and water parameters.


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[MattL22]

I'll agree with that I'm finding as my tank settles in gets older and stable mistakes that used to kill rtn frags now only make them lose a little color for a bit

 

[Troylee]

To much will burn the tips for sure... Now the stn part I'm not positive but I wouldn't argue the fact that it doesn't have some role in it... I know this all to well..

 

[Reefltx]

It seems this STN event put me back into frag stage. :sad:

I had to trim down mini colonies into to frag sizes today. Next time I will be using a lot less GFO that's for sure. I did a check on phosphate today, with the output of the reactor I was getting .02ppm and the display tested at .00ppm, weird? Did the test with Hanna BTW.

 

[Toombs]

Oh yea, I had this issue. For over 5 year's I never had a Phos reactor on my tank and then one was given to me and I thought "meh, couldn't hurt to try". Got some media and started off with half the recommended amount since it was something that was new being added to the tank. Everything seemed fine for the first week but then after the 9th day I started to see RTN'ing on a rainbow milli colony I had, very large colony and could not find out why. Next was a garf colony that started RTN'ing as well and then followed a sunset monti colony. Did water changes and dipped but could not save them. I then realized the only thing I changed was the reactor. The change was so drastic, even though I used half the recommended amount, that my SPS was just withering away. I was never over 1 phosphate or nitrate's but with that little change I lost a good amount of high end coral that was in my tank for over 5 year's. It is a great thing to use but it will cause SPS to RTN is used too fast =/

 

[spspirate]

I do know with ROWA if you use too much at one time it will ZAP all your phosphates way too quickly and SPS might get a little ticked off.

 

[lpskeeper]

im just about to add some gfo. i have some cyano probs right now from a tank transfer.
what would you recomend to add like 1/4th of what they say?

 

[Reefltx]

im just about to add some gfo. i have some cyano probs right now from a tank transfer.
what would you recomend to add like 1/4th of what they say?

Yeah, I would start slow. Keep an eye on your ALK. also.

 

[donfishy]

i use rowa and have had this happen too