SPS and GFO

[Vmacisback]

I am currently having a bit of an algae problem on my back wall, BRS dry rock and parts of the sand. I am running bio pellets and they seem to be keeping the nitrates low as well as the phosphates, both are undetectable using Slifert test kits.

I have introduced GFO and carbon in a BRS reactor to my tank before but it killed 90% of my SPS in less than 24hrs. It stripped the water of everything, mind you my tank has only been running 4 months total and this was about a month and a half ago. did the carbon play any part in this as well?

So my thought is that the algae is from silicates. I am wondering if i should try GFO again and this time start very small and increase over time?? please let me know your thoughts, my main concern is my SPS.

225Leemar, approx 240G total water.

 

[Vmacisback]

Woops 275G water total

 

[ritter6788]

How much GFO did you run the last time you used it? Start off with very small amounts and change it more frequently at first until your tank adjusts to the lower phosphate levels. Don't go by the BRS calculator. It's way too much IMO. I run a 1/4 cup in my 75 and I don't change it very often. GFO works very well and a little goes a long way.

 

[Reefer1225]

First time I used GFO, my corals all paled. I used what BRS recommended in my reactor. I had a lot of algae before, so it probably shocked the system and stripped it too fast. Go slow as stated below. My phosphates are undetectable now using Hanna. Corals later adjusted to these levels and recovered, but I should of went slower. I used 1.5 cups in my 90.

 

[Vmacisback]

I went by the BRS calculator and zapped most of my sps but the ones that did survive are about back to 100%

so with the total water volume I have how much would be considered starting off slow?

I hate Algae in an SPS tank!

 

[Pappy]

I'm running 1.5 cups in my 75 if that helps and change once a month. Good luck!

 

[Pappy]

Sorry forgot don't forget slow flow thru reactor!

 

[Vmacisback]

That's exactly what happened to me. I used the brs calc and was pretty upset. I think I used close to 4 cups and totally shocked my system and stripped out all nutrients. What to you think I should start with?

 

[Aquaph8]

I use 1 cup on my 225 changed once a month

 

[ritter6788]

That's exactly what happened to me. I used the brs calc and was pretty upset. I think I used close to 4 cups and totally shocked my system and stripped out all nutrients. What to you think I should start with?

Maybe 1 cup. A low range test like the Hannah checker will help, try to keep your phosphates below .1 ppm. A friend of mine had a bad algae outbreak and ran 1/4 cup in a 275 gallon system and it cleared it up nice. You really can't start too low with Gfo.

I went through the same thing. I went by the BRS calculator and my sps got burned tips even with an alk less than 9.

 

[Vmacisback]

How much GFO did you run the last time you used it? Start off with very small amounts and change it more frequently at first until your tank adjusts to the lower phosphate levels. Don't go by the BRS calculator. It's way too much IMO. I run a 1/4 cup in my 75 and I don't change it very often. GFO works very well and a little goes a long way.

If my salifert kit reads zero phos is it possible the algae could be coming from silicates? And if so will GFO take care of those as well? Should I be concerned about hurting my sps again? I feel like gfo is a big risk with the amount I've invested on coral only to strip my nice pieces of color. Btw my tank is only 4 mos old give or take and I have great PE on my sps. But the algae is so annoying but at the same time my coral loves the water as it is

 

[ritter6788]

I'm not familiar with the salifert test. How low does it read? Your tank is only 4 months old then you may just be passing through a phase.

 

[Vmacisback]

I use 1 cup on my 225 changed once a month

Is that the amount you started with? Do you have a lot of sps?

I also run a pellet reactor and am really wondering where all this algae is coming from. My phos test reads zero. Any ideas?

 

[ToadallyNC]

You're testing zero because the HA is sucking the PO4 up as fast as it hits the water column. If you have HA, you have PO4.

​

 

[lakeviewink]

I have found, IME, that you can't really rely on test kit results while you still have hair algae present. Manually remove as much as possible first. Melev's reef has a great method for this, and only then will you get more accurate results from a test. But, I agree with Ritter, it should be a low range kit, something that reads below .1, and start really slow with the GFO. Silicates usually fuel a Diatom outbreak more so than GHA, in my humble experience.

 

[Vmacisback]

Maybe 1 cup. A low range test like the Hannah checker will help, try to keep your phosphates below .1 ppm. A friend of mine had a bad algae outbreak and ran 1/4 cup in a 275 gallon system and it cleared it up nice. You really can't start too low with Gfo.

I went through the same thing. I went by the BRS calculator and my sps got burned tips even with an alk less than 9.

Did your friend run it through a reactor?

 

[Vmacisback]

You're testing zero because the HA is sucking the PO4 up as fast as it hits the water column. If you have HA, you have PO4.

​

You are right I remember reading an article on just that. Do you think it's to early to run gfo in a 4 month old tank? Could it just be part of the maturing process?

 

[Vmacisback]

I have found, IME, that you can't really rely on test kit results while you still have hair algae present. Manually remove as much as possible first. Melev's reef has a great method for this, and only then will you get more accurate results from a test. But, I agree with Ritter, it should be a low range kit, something that reads below .1, and start really slow with the GFO. Silicates usually fuel a Diatom outbreak more so than GHA, in my humble experience.

Definitely going to invest in the Hanna. Can you send me a link for melevs reef?

 

[ritter6788]

Did your friend run it through a reactor?

Yes. I use the bulkreefsupply.com dual reactor. They sell single reactors also.

 

[FMF0331]

I was using the brs reactors on my 220 - then a friend told me about next reef reactors. It can hold alot more than the brs unit. As far as the brs calculator..i would punch in the numbers and then go with half of the sum. ( just incase something goes wrong )