Is it possible to use too much GFO?

[Schraufabagel]

I am currently half way through my fluconazole treatment for bryopsis. My phosphates have jumped substantially, but I can’t do a water change yet since there is still some bryopsis that has to die off yet.

Does anyone know, during this temporary period, is there any downside to doubling the amount of GFO I am using? I have a 25 gallon tank

 

[A Young Reefer]

only downside I can think of is having a phosphate swing when decreasing phosphates quickly to zero .

 

[Schraufabagel]

only downside I can think of is having a phosphate swing when decreasing phosphates quickly to zero .

Right now it’s around 0.25, and it’s making some of my corals irritated. I might double it for a day or two. I test nitrate and phosphate everyday usually

 

[landlubber]

heck yea its possible. GFO is especially effective at soaking up nutrients and you can bottom them out in a hurry leading to a new variety of problems.
go slow!

 

[ahiggins]

Completely depleting is just as bad as the problems you’re facing now-or worse. Right now you just have algae. Dinos come when your phos and nitrate bottom out entirely.
so yes-short answer is it could easily wreak havoc

 

[RedReefer]

Yes you can strip the water of phosphates with GFO. Be careful your running kind of low on Po4. Yes the corals will let you know if it gets too low.

 

[Gedxin]

Right now it’s around 0.25, and it’s making some of my corals irritated. I might double it for a day or two. I test nitrate and phosphate everyday usually

Excuse my ignorance, but why do you think the phosphates are irritating your coral...and not the chemical fluconazole?

 

[sdreef]

Corals can tolerate a phosphate of 0.25 no problem. I would be more concerned about adding another variable. Upping the gfo can affect alkalinity and lead to a swing in the nutrients as others mentioned. I would be concerned the instability might cause more irritation. My recommendation would be go slow and prioritize stability over any single number.

 

[Schraufabagel]

Excuse my ignorance, but why do you think the phosphates are irritating your coral...and not the chemical fluconazole?

From what I was reading, most people who used fluconazole to address bryopsis didn't see any affect on their corals. Naturally I assumed it was the high phosphate, but it's probably more likely something else. Just thought I'd ask since my phosphate jumped from 0.08 to 0.20 the next day (now at 0.25 2 days later).

 

[A Young Reefer]

From what I was reading, most people who used fluconazole to address bryopsis didn't see any affect on their corals. Naturally I assumed it was the high phosphate, but it's probably more likely something else. Just thought I'd ask since my phosphate jumped from 0.08 to 0.20 the next day (now at 0.25 2 days later).

yes so it isn't the fluconazole (I have used it ) or the "high" phosphates , its the continuous jumps in phosphates in a short period of time . decreasing it sharply will only make it worse

 

[Schraufabagel]

yes so it isn't the fluconazole (I have used it ) or the "high" phosphates , its the continuous jumps in phosphates in a short period of time . decreasing it sharply will only make it worse

Sounds good. I’ll leave it be until the treatment is done. And then just do a water change

 

[mindme]

Your best best is to try and remove as much of the bryopsis by hand as possible. The more that is in the tank when dosing, the more phosphates are going to be released as it dies.

So if you can remove more of it by hand, that will result in less phosphates entering the water, and the GFO should slowly decrease it.