what does gfo, and carbon do?

[ajones2n]

Now from you saying you should slowly introduce GFO into your system, does this apply if you're incorporating GFO in from the start of your tank? I would assume, that if introducing GFO into an established tank you should slowly integrate it in to keep from throwing off your tanks balance, you could introduce GFO in whole doses from day one of your tank without throwing off this balance?

 

[CastAway]

Not sure myself. In my ignorance, and again I mean that, I thought GFO was for problem phosphates. GFO right from the get go might be waste. IDK.

 

[Reefing Madness]

GFO can do some weird things to a persons tank, if its just thrown in all at one time, some have said that corals and fish have died from the water quality getting all messed up. Its just safer if you ramp up the GFO, not just throw in the recommended dose for your tank all at once. Make sure your running it properly, and not at 1000gph through a normal filter, it won't work. It exhausts quickly if you have alot of phosphate in the system already, in a matter of days it needs to be changed and or recharged.

 

[alberthiel]

I use two small bags of GFO and two of Act Carbon, and only change one of each when I do the change that way the effect of the new GFO and carbon is not too strong all at once and will not affect the corals (esp) negatively

Changing too large a quantity all at once can suddenly drop nutrient levels too fast IME and that can affect the coral's well being FWIW