Do you use GFO?

[nkyreef]

The mini reactor holds 3/4 cup media. I went with the recommended 1/2 cup GAC and 1/4 cup GFO. I've never been below 0.16 and that's in addition to the chaeto reactor. I feed once a day and swap between flake/pellets and frozen. I did buy my setup from another reefer getting out of the hobby so I don't know the origin/history of the rock. Is it possible for phosphates to stay in the live rock and leach out over time? I can't think of a reason I can't get my numbers down.

 

[Scorpius]

The mini reactor holds 3/4 cup media. I went with the recommended 1/2 cup GAC and 1/4 cup GFO. I've never been below 0.16 and that's in addition to the chaeto reactor. I feed once a day and swap between flake/pellets and frozen. I did buy my setup from another reefer getting out of the hobby so I don't know the origin/history of the rock. Is it possible for phosphates to stay in the live rock and leach out over time? I can't think of a reason I can't get my numbers down.

Phosphates will bind with your live rock. When you use gfo and lower your phosphates in your water the phosphates in the rock then leach out into the water column.

 

[Shigshwa]

I used to run GFO with biopellets, but recently switched to a refugium with chaeto. I grew tired of always tuning the reactors, and having additional reactors taking up space in the sump.

 

[pdisner]

I have a diy chaeto reactor and it grows green hair algae like crazy. It seems as if it's choking out the chaeto. Any livestock that will eat it?

Sea Hares are amazing algae eating machines, but if the run out the starve. You can always take to LFS and trade for another fish. Aren’t urchins supposed to be good for that

 

[Big E]

Like others said GFO is just another way to export PO4 not a magic bullet. What I've found to be the trick is like any other filter it has to be "tuned" to your system. If it's lowering it much reduce the amount of media you're using or slow down the flow through that filter. It's just another tool that's available to do a job, IMO I like it a little better than growing chaeto if the reason for growing it is PO4 reduction since it's easier to control how much is "scrubbed" by the GFO vs the chaeto is going to grow or crash depending on other factors. Chaeto does have a ton of other benefits but IMO in a reducing PO4 perspective it's not as reliable as GFO. I run GFO to reduce the algae that grows on the glass and it's super effective at that, it's also how I know whether there's enough or not, I try to find and keep that balance. Depending on the GFO I can go 3 days or a week between needing to clean the glass, I try to keep it in the 5 day range.

The real trick is finding out where the phosphates are coming from and do what you can to fix that, biggest culprit I know of is normally the food you're feeding or the amount of food your feeding.

Yes, it's not difficult to keep a good balance if you use logic and are patient. If you're testing out inconsistent levels you need to adjust the amount you use and set the correct flow.

I use GFO 24/7......... 5 ounces for my 90g Acropora dominant system............... change it out monthly and my Po4 levels are consistently rock solid. The skimmer does the the No3 reduction and some PO4 to help the balance.

People think the PO4 level ebbs and flows as the GFO fills up, but it's not true. As the GFO loses it effectiveness over that month the bacteria(taken up by the skiumer) film algae, catch up the difference. As long as you have an adequate clean up crew your good to go.