Hello All, Im starting a 34 gallon reef tank. It has cycled and I have one Fish and some snails. All my parameters are good should I begin using a gfo reactor to be proactive and stay ahead of any problems? Thanks
When to start gfo?
- Thread starter Walts O
- Start date
- Tagged users None
jsker
Reefing is all about the adventure
Watch you PO4's once they start ticking above .02, start running the GFO
never ran gfo. bottle is over six years old.
Id watch the numbers. or the coral really.
Id watch the numbers. or the coral really.
nervousmonkey
LPS Lover, SPS Enabler
^^^What they said^^^
Measure your phosphate levels and when you have a level sufficient for the GFO to work, then start it, also look at your tank so you can start getting a feel for how it reacts. You'll be able to tell a lot by what your tank tells you; sometimes you'll have algae with no measurable PO4 and sometimes you'll be able to tell when your PO4 levels are starting to creep up.
Either way, it is a good idea to start GFO before coral additions, so you don't shock them by reducing PO4 levels quickly. Also, don't try to completely eliminate PO4 as jsker said, your corals need some to grow.
Measure your phosphate levels and when you have a level sufficient for the GFO to work, then start it, also look at your tank so you can start getting a feel for how it reacts. You'll be able to tell a lot by what your tank tells you; sometimes you'll have algae with no measurable PO4 and sometimes you'll be able to tell when your PO4 levels are starting to creep up.
Either way, it is a good idea to start GFO before coral additions, so you don't shock them by reducing PO4 levels quickly. Also, don't try to completely eliminate PO4 as jsker said, your corals need some to grow.
DereksReef77
Active Member
I wouldn't use any GFO unless your phosphates are out of control. That stuff will strip your system so fast your animals will be starving to death imo and experience. I'm not a guru by any means but that is what I have learned so far through out my 3 or so years in the hobby.
jameswetton2895
Active Member
Had mine running since day one. Going 2 months now. ~0 phos
Keen4
Well-Known Member
I just started my Red Sea reefer 300 been cycling for 3 weeks now. Just turned on the skimmer. Continuing to test for all the parameters. PO2 @ 1.0 at the moment. Going through that nitrate spike and a little ammonia spike. Im getting a little excited to use my Torq reactor with GFO and Carbon. Holding back. But when would be a good time to start up the dual reactor?
