Running Carbon and GFO

[BlazinNano]

Is it a bad or good idea to run Carbon and GFO 24/7? I have a 28 gallon with about 40lbs of rock, 2 skunk clowns, 1 hectos goby, Milis, Digis, LPS, and Zoas. I am running a AquaC Remora Skimmer. Would running carbon and gfo hurt or help. I do 5 gallon water changes everyother week. I have lost every acro I have tried. Everything is doing good or great. Not getting real good PE on my milis. I can't seem to get nitrates below 10.

 

[ReeferBen]

I run GFO and carbon 24/7 on my bulk reef supply dual reactor. It keeps my P04 at around .04 to .02 as far as my hanna meter tells me. I always had bad PE on my millis too untill I really stepped up my flow, what are you doing for water movement in the tank?

As far as Nitrate, I use a midwest denitrifier, but in such a small tank have you considered Prodibio or simlair, as it would be cheap to run in a small tank and I have had great success with it in my smaller tanks.

What kind of tempature do you run and what kind of swing do you get? What about Ca/Alk/Mg are they balanced at the right numbers?

 

[TopNotchCorals]

I also run gfo/carbon 24/7 only difference is I run them in 2 BRS single reactors and it keeps my phosphates in check at absolutely zero.There is no problem running both 24/7 just change your carbon every week or as needed and gfo every 2 weeks or as needed

 

[BlazinNano]

I run GFO and carbon 24/7 on my bulk reef supply dual reactor. It keeps my P04 at around .04 to .02 as far as my hanna meter tells me. I always had bad PE on my millis too untill I really stepped up my flow, what are you doing for water movement in the tank?

As far as Nitrate, I use a midwest denitrifier, but in such a small tank have you considered Prodibio or simlair, as it would be cheap to run in a small tank and I have had great success with it in my smaller tanks.

What kind of tempature do you run and what kind of swing do you get? What about Ca/Alk/Mg are they balanced at the right numbers?

I have not ran any test in a month except salinaty because that is when my last attempt was with an acro. Been kinda ****** off. need to check again. As for flow. I have the stock return pump (AIO Tank) think it is like 300gph, a Koralia 2, and a MJ1200 blowing right at each other. Want to replace the MJ1200 with a Koralia 1. Temp stay right at 78-79 degrees. My millis have some PE but not a lot. I was asking about media because I have two people who want a light fixture I have one will buy it one says he will give me his reactor. Thinking I might go with the reactor. It would cost me more to buy one then what the light is worth.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I run it 24/7 just force of habit I guess I never test unless something is out of wack. only test params when starting to dose I do water changes every week atleast 10%

 

[ReeferBen]

You could posibly change the MJ1200 to a maximod and get better flow. My son has a JBJ 28 HQI and I changed the return pumps to MJ1200's. When he had SPS in there before I broke it down and reset it up I had thrown in 2 Koralia 1's and it seemed really weak.

Since your running an AIO can you just use an Intank Media basket or does you AIO have a place to run carbon and GFO? I guess if your getting a reactor in trade its no difference.

In anycase if I was doing a SPS nano like that I probably go the VSV or prodibio or biopellets route. In my big tank it just got to expensive for me to run prodibio, I might do the bio-pellets though after I do more research on them.

FWIW I like the Rox .08 carbon and high purity GFO from bulkreefsupply the best. Rowaphos and some other brands work well as well, but I have had issues with magnavores GFO.

 

[BlazinNano]

Can not use a media basket. I have never met anyone with my tank. I actually wish I had a different kind but i could not pass up the deal on it. I got it from an LFS that was closing down. It is an EcoSystems Mini by Lang Sy. I have asked everyone on RC and here if anyone has this tank and have never had anyone say yes in the year and half I have owned it. You are suppose to run Miracle Mud in the back but I do not like that stuff.