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Phillyd1990
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Flow i have two maxspect gyre 230 running opposite pulse at %70
Sps help
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Phillyd1990
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Ive got po4 at .03 right now. Not sure i want to cut the gfo completely as they may rise. Unless higher nutrients might help me. But as stated above ive been changing too much and would like to leave everything alone for a bit
BoomCorals
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Perfect. I wouldn’t change that at all other than maybe increasing the power down the road. The current maxspect gyre is the only pumps I use now. And thanks to Adam @Battlecorals for recommending them!
Charterreefer
Active Member
I don't use GFO if I can help it. In my experience GFO removes PO4 too fast! If anything using a small amount is the way to go - if it is absolutely necessary. The most challenging part is in determining what a "small" amount for your particular system is. Try determining what amount will keep PO4 at just detectable levels throughout its use (0.00 will slowly kill your coral).
The same is true with carbon use. It works very fast when fresh then drops off rapidly. Using the smallest amount you can get away with will help prevent large swings in your tanks chemistry. With carbon, I use just enough to keep my water from becoming yellow (noticed after a water change, looking in a white bucket). I always keep a small amount in the system to prevent large swings in chemistry from occuring as well as in maintaining consistent water clarity to prevent shocking coral with light intensity swings.
The amount of any level of nutrients as well as elements in the tank is less important than how fast those levels change... the coral like everything to happen very slowly. That's why GFO (and carbon) use is so problematic. GFO and carbon are great tools when needed but are easily over used (based on the many threads I've read on this site). "Small" amounts are very beneficial. Determining what is a small amount is gained through experience. Hope this is informative.
^^^Good info here... Every time over 12 years that I've added GFO to my system SPS crash. I own some, but wont use it.
Another thing, I've found over the years that if your Dkh balances out at a level, learn to live with that level and adjust everything else to it. Why fight the ecosystem that will find its own happy medium.
Another thing, I've found over the years that if your Dkh balances out at a level, learn to live with that level and adjust everything else to it. Why fight the ecosystem that will find its own happy medium.
Skynyrd Fish
Valuable Member
If you have room you could try some cheato in the sump?? It took my NO3 and PO4 down to nothing. I had nothing good to say about my GFO experience. Now I am power feeding my fish. Also the cheato seems to out compete other algae, preventing a bloom if something is off during the tank maturing stage.
Losing coral is frustrating. Good luck.
Losing coral is frustrating. Good luck.
Charterreefer
Active Member
Every system is unique...pH is another parameter that seems to find its own spot...another parameter to be wary of changing.
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Phillyd1990
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Thanks for the responses! I actually added a big new ball of chaeto since my last had died from when i was carbon dosing. Last time i checked my po4 it was .031 and now it is down to .016. Also any little bit of cyano i did have is now gone so i believe the chaeto is doing its job. Im going to pull the gfo offline and reduce a small amount of the carbon im using as it needs to be replaced. As far as gfo i will test more often to figure out how well the chaeto does by itself and add accordingly. Im trying to get down my alk consumption but it is very frustrating. Every time i think ive figured out how much to be dosing it seems to be off the next day. For a week i would go down from 8.0 to 7.5 in a 24 hour period. Then for a few days it was going from 8.0 to 7.7 . I have an aqua medic doser coming this week and i really hope to have this figured out by the time it gets here.
Skynyrd Fish
Valuable Member
Your alk swing could be causing the issue. SPS. Stability Promotes Success.
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Phillyd1990
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Ive been dosing twice a day..thats the most i can do manually. Like i said ill be getting the doser on Thursday and will be able to keep it more stable with that. Its just been a pain to figure out what i will dose a day.
madweazl
2500 Club Member
I wanted to address something you'd mentioned earlier about the monti cap; you had stated that the edge was turning pink. The edge of a red monti cap will be white or pink as it grows so as long as it is the edge that is white/pink and not the rest of it, your monti cap is growing and a good sign that water conditions are just fine. Edit: also, your HD26s will never be too much light for your 100g tank so I wouldn't mess with them.
This is what a healthy, growing monti cap will look like.
This is what a healthy, growing monti cap will look like.
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