An honest poll … Carbon or GFO?

[Reefbuds]

Activated carbon 24/7 with weekly water changes. No GFO or skimmer. Phosphates are getting eaten as fast I can dose them. Haddoni hungry.

 

[EakTheFreak]

I use BRS GFO & Rox Carbon in a dual Media reactor. I have definitely cut down on the amount of GFO I run and have a refugium with 3 types of Macroalgae that grow well because I’d prefer natural over chemical.

At the same time I feed heavy and have 16 fish plus corals in my 131 gallon DT.

I started carbon dosing to bring my nitrate in balance with the red field range and noticed it reduces phosphate as well which is why I’m cutting back on GFO.

I may end up only carbon dosing with NoPOX and running Carbon only on a single media reactor down the road.

My phosphate today ranges from .04 -.07. I think that as a good number considering my nitrates range from 10-13

 

[Kiwi reefer]

Just water changes for me

 

[Reefahholic]

I don’t use any of them unless I need them. They’re all just tools. Too many people deploying unnecessary things these days. Always ask yourself why you need it and what it is that your trying to accomplish. Going the natural route is likely better.


When I first got into the hobby I had “full” reactors of Carbon and GFO. Didn’t know why I really needed them. I guess to fight off the evil Phosphate and Nitrate devils! Since then… I can’t count the times where somebody was running bio pellets and didn’t need them whatsoever. Not to mention all the other things with it.

My .02 cents

 

[madweazl]

On a daily basis, none of them. I run a UV sterilizer 24/7 and GFO when my phosphates get out of hand (usually when it hits about .5 - not a typo). Weekly 15% water changes.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Holy crap! Can't believe only 7% of folks are using GFO! Feed yalls fish more (I kid of course)

I run high capacity GFO, a 55 gallon macro and mangrove fuge, and do water changes. That being said, I also feed *counts on fingers* 14ish times a day:

Refrigerated auto feeder-
-Mysis feast 3x per day
-R.O.E. 2x per day
-Beta Brine 3x per day

Avast Plank-
-3x per day

Hand feed
-pellets 1 or 2x daily
-pe mysis and pe small mixed 1x daily

Nori
-1/3 sheet of red and 1/3 sheet gree. Every other day

So without all this nutrient export I'd have issues. The auto feeding are all fairly small but keep my anthias and Fairy wrasses nice and happy.

 

[Treefer32]

There's no option for "None of the above".
I've gone to two large (around 40-50%) water changes per year. I don't run any carbon (exhausts way too fast for it to be useful to my tank) and no GFO.

For filtration I use:

1. vodka dosing (around 15 ml per day now)
2. Oversized Skimmer
3. Turbo Aquatics Algae Turf Scrubber (works amazing!)
4. Bubble Magus (Large) Roller Mat.
5. Nu-Clear 25 micron Cannister filter

That's it. Every 6 months I change out 140 gallons or so, with fresh reef crystal salt water. Weekly I dose Red Sea Trace elements and feed heavy for my 26 fish. (many of them large). My phosphates stay around .05 and nitrates around 20-25 (tested weekly).

 

[Quietman]

Used to use NoPoX, then PhosGuard, then PhosphateRx, then Chemipure Blue. Now? Nothing but my ATS. No water changes, no GAC, no PO4 media. Nada. Of course my tank is 3 years old and no way I'm starting out a new one without plenty of PO4 media.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Mostly nothing for me. I do water changes, but they are small and not so frequent anymore. BUT... I have both GFO and GAC available and can run them in a reactor of passively if needed.

 

[squirrelbaffler]

Carbon dose 3 ml vodka/vinegar every 6 hours.
My SPS and LPS don’t like the other carbon. ticks them off after a few days of use. Haven’t used any in years.

 

[elcapitan1993]

Daily 1% automatic water changes. Rowaphos (the only gfo that works in my tank for some reason) in a reactor to keep phosphates down, I just started doing this since I have a terrible turf algae outbreak and and trying to figure out a way to take care of it

 

[Billdogg]

Carbon 24/7/365 for 35 years and counting. GFO on a as-needed basis (rarely). Water changes when my corals tell me I need to, about every 4-6 weeks, 30%

 

[shwareefer]

Nothing but WC usually, but occasionally carbon (or a Poly Filter) when things look pyssy and I can't figure out another reason. Usually works.

 

[Screwgunner]

I have a 125 mixed reef . I run 1 cup activated carbon in a reactor for 2 weeks then change it out every 2 weeks. I have gfo if I need it but I run algea turf scrubber so I will not need it . Unless my light burns out on my scrubber. I love my scubber it let's me feed heavy. Two large pinches of flake a half cube freeze dryed brine. Then a few hours latter 3 frozen cubes 1 mysis 1 brine 1 omega 1 and my phosphates stay in between. 03 and .05 with no skimmer. If I run my skimmer I get .00 phosphates that is not good!

 

[Opus]

Poly Filter pads for the last 25+ years.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Just seeing how many of us reefers use carbon or gfo or maybe both on a daily basis.

Instead of GFO, as it didn't give desired results, eventually found Brightwell PO4 EXPORT cubes in a reactor with water pumping thru gave much better results FOR OUR TANK on phosphate control than GFO. Also began planted caulpera & red sea grape refugium in sump to help with phosphates (and nitrates).

If carbon you mean dosing aka nitrate control, then same planted refugium, but option that worked best for us has been a reactor pump filled with biopellets that get additional coating of biodigest ever two weeks.

We have a decent fish load as well as coral reef, so this is working for us right now and we're maintaining (finally) .019 phosphate with 17 nitrates. BF wants to get lower (which scares me as I think we are in good range), and my fish are FAT, clownfish breeding (free fish food at night when they hatch) and my flame angel even has double chin.

What I *wish* I had was sump 3-4 times what I do have with planted refugium for phosphate and nitrate control. Cheap $3.50 5k spectrum LED lighted bulbs, ($3.33 if you get light bulb pack from home improvement store) gorgeous to look at in small scale and bet if I went 3-4 larger size it would just be that much more spectacular... BUT reality is if I had that extra floor space I'd have another TANK (giggle)... Really need a winning lottery ticket to have multiple tanks (and home space) of dreams

Here's my sump:

 

[Screwgunner]

Daily 1% automatic water changes. Rowaphos (the only gfo that works in my tank for some reason) in a reactor to keep phosphates down, I just started doing this since I have a terrible turf algae outbreak and and trying to figure out a way to take care of it

You can use 1 ml. Of peroxide to 5 gallons of water twice a day. Turn off your pumps and shoot it on your algea. It will die. Do not get it near your corals. Or just dose it .

 

[elcapitan1993]

You can use 1 ml. Of peroxide to 5 gallons of water twice a day. Turn off your pumps and shoot it on your algea. It will die. Do not get it near your corals. Or just dose it .

I will give that a try, I can’t even see my sand it has so much turf algae on it

 

[Mark Gray]

I keep carbon around, but I do not use it. I also keep GFO around but rarely use it. Lanthanom Chloride is much cheaper.

 

[Aquaman11]

Water changes weekly. Carbon or GFO as water quality dictates.