Will GFO remove fluconazole from my tank?

Ocean Lotion · Feb 18, 2017

With many of us using fluconazole to rid our tanks of algae could you give us input on whether running gfo would remove it from our tank water?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 18, 2017

I don't think fluconazole will be particularly attracted to a GFO surface.

Ocean Lotion · Feb 18, 2017

After reading your paper on gfo that was what I was thinking but wanted to be sure. That would explain why some reefers are reporting success while still running gfo. May I pass this on to the thread on fluconazole?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 18, 2017

Ocean Lotion said:
After reading your paper on gfo that was what I was thinking but wanted to be sure. That would explain why some reefers are reporting success while still running gfo. May I pass this on to the thread on fluconazole?

Sure.

brandon429 · Feb 18, 2017

Randy how about good old gac and it would be handy if uv light could deact flucon

Ocean Lotion · Feb 18, 2017

I am sure carbon will remove it. I turned my gfo back on today since Randy believes it will not pull out the fluconazole.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 18, 2017

I agree that GAC is likely to remove it.

UV will degrade it, but I am not sure how fast at tank pH and in hobby UV system:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135414000050

CC13 · Oct 17, 2018

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I agree that GAC is likely to remove it.

UV will degrade it, but I am not sure how fast at tank pH and in hobby UV system:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135414000050

So if we use fluconazole would it be recommended to also run GFO to help absorb excess P04 from the dying algae that will be in the system?

I plan to dose fluconazole this week so I was wondering if its wise to also run GFO to absorb excess P04.

Ocean Lotion · Oct 17, 2018

It suposedly wI'll not remove. But to error on the side of caution I would not run it for a week. Just my thought process.

CC13 · Oct 17, 2018

Ocean Lotion said:
It suposedly wI'll not remove. But to error on the side of caution I would not run it for a week. Just my thought process.

I am referring to running GFO to absorb P04. As the algae dies, lots of P04 will be in released and no water change should be done until the time period is up.

Is it recommended to run GFO to absorb the excess P04?

ajhudson15 · Oct 17, 2018

im pretty sure the bottle for reef flux which is fluconazole says you can continue gfo but to turn carbon off until the 3 week period is done. I believe it says that carbon will remove whats left in the directions.

CC13 · Oct 17, 2018

ajhudson15 said:
im pretty sure the bottle for reef flux which is fluconazole says you can continue gfo but to turn carbon off until the 3 week period is done. I believe it says that carbon will remove whats left in the directions.

Thanks for the reply.

So I will be running GFO then to absorb the excess P04.

ajhudson15 · Oct 17, 2018

CC13 said:
Thanks for the reply.

So I will be running GFO then to absorb the excess P04.

I am currently running reef flux to rid of gha as well but I don't run gfo. However one weird things is that most of the gha has died off and I never saw a po4 spike.

CC13 · Oct 17, 2018

ajhudson15 said:
I am currently running reef flux to rid of gha as well but I don't run gfo. However one weird things is that most of the gha has died off and I never saw a po4 spike.

Interesting.... you running a fuge or algae scrubber which might have absorbed it?

ajhudson15 · Oct 17, 2018

neither, im just assuming my bacteria had something to do with it. I was dosing waste away at the same time so im thinking that bacteria helped keep it down. I have the Hannah checkers and tested 0 the whole time

CC13 · Oct 17, 2018

ajhudson15 said:
neither, im just assuming my bacteria had something to do with it. I was dosing waste away at the same time so im thinking that bacteria helped keep it down. I have the Hannah checkers and tested 0 the whole time

Dr. Tim's stuff is good I have used it. Maybe I'll do this instead of GFO.

Did you toss the whole bottle of waste away in the tank or dose slowly?

ajhudson15 · Oct 17, 2018

I followed the dosage instructions on the back which say to start with like 1/4 the dose. every few days I put just a little more than the first dose in every few days. I didn't really following the instructions as to how often just when I felt like it could help a little and keep the sludge down from the algae dieing off. seems to be working well.

CC13 · Oct 17, 2018

ajhudson15 said:
I followed the dosage instructions on the back which say to start with like 1/4 the dose. every few days I put just a little more than the first dose in every few days. I didn't really following the instructions as to how often just when I felt like it could help a little and keep the sludge down from the algae dieing off. seems to be working well.

Awesome thanks for the help.

Overall did your treatment of fluconazole work? Any before and after pics?

WillH · Oct 17, 2018

I have ran it successfully with everything running, GFO, UV, etc - but turning OFF my skimmer. Did treatment for minor amount of GHA over a two week period.

CC13 · Oct 17, 2018

William Henry said:
I have ran it successfully with everything running, GFO, UV, etc - but turning OFF my skimmer. Did treatment for minor amount of GHA over a two week period.

Would it be alright to leave the skimmer running as long as it was not skimming.... more just for aeration of the water?