My GFO disaster

[larrysaltisfun]

So in an effort to lower my phosphates, I have switched from aluminum oxide to GFO. Following BRS instructions of 1 tablespoon per 4 gallons and thoroughly rinsing it I filled an aqua MaxXreactor 2/3 of the way up. I added enough GFO for 200 gallons of water.

even after a thorough rinsing with RO water, there was a huge plume of rust colored soot , which left the reactor and is now sitting on the bottom of my sump I don’t think much made it to the return portion of the sump. I would estimate somewhere under a tablespoon is in there, but it is so fine. It looks like a lot.

My sump is too large to remove and the only way to get it out would be to take the tank off and pull it the top of the stand , horrible planning.

Any thoughts on whether or not I’ve got an emergency on my hands to get this GFO out of the bottom of my sump if so, any ideas?

 

[BluesClues]

So in an effort to lower my phosphates, I have switched from aluminum oxide to GFO. Following BRS instructions of 1 tablespoon per 4 gallons and thoroughly rinsing it I filled an aqua MaxXreactor 2/3 of the way up. I added enough GFO for 200 gallons of water.

even after a thorough rinsing with RO water, there was a huge plume of rust colored soot , which left the reactor and is now sitting on the bottom of my sump I don’t think much made it to the return portion of the sump. I would estimate somewhere under a tablespoon is in there, but it is so fine. It looks like a lot.

My sump is too large to remove and the only way to get it out would be to take the tank off and pull it the top of the stand , horrible planning.

Any thoughts on whether or not I’ve got an emergency on my hands to get this GFO out of the bottom of my sump if so, any ideas?

I had something similar happen a year ago still finding iron fillings on magnets, maybe check your pumps?

 

[Timfish]

What's your PO4? If it's dropping fast and getting close to .03 mg/l it would be better to try to remove it as quick as possible. You should be able to siphon it out. It may be awkward getting a siphon started but if you fill the siphon tube full of water and hold your fingers over both ends until one end is in your sump and the other end is in a container and below the water level in your sump you should get a siphon going.

 

[fishface NJ]

Use a utility pump

Ultra Zero Utility Pump

The Sicce Ultra Zero is a multi-purpose utility pump, perfect for when you just need a sturdy pump to move water from one place to another, such as for pumping freshly mixed saltwater to your tank after a water change, or refilling reservoirs. The Ultra Zero has plenty of power to pump water...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[larrysaltisfun]

What's your PO4? If it's dropping fast and getting close to .03 mg/l it would be better to try to remove it as quick as possible. You should be able to siphon it out. It may be awkward getting a siphon started but if you fill the siphon tube full of water and hold your fingers over both ends until one end is in your sump and the other end is in a container and below the water level in your sump you should get a siphon going.

.20

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Use a utility pump

Ultra Zero Utility Pump

The Sicce Ultra Zero is a multi-purpose utility pump, perfect for when you just need a sturdy pump to move water from one place to another, such as for pumping freshly mixed saltwater to your tank after a water change, or refilling reservoirs. The Ultra Zero has plenty of power to pump water...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Can you give me a little bit more information on how to do that? Do I stick it in the sump and the run water out of my sump to effectively clean it out?

 

[BryanM]

Utility pump for the win.

That said, Rowaphos wants you NOT To rinse it.... I'm not sure why, and I wouldn't not rinse any GFO, but I wonder if its that big of an issue when one vendor says just use it as it was delivered.

 

[Ks4726]

MJV-SC Vacuum Attachment

Turn your Sicce Syncra Nano or Marineland MaxiJet (MJ) Pump Into an Aquarium Cleaning Vacuum! Perfect for cleaning bare-bottom aquariums or sumps of detritus buildup, the Vivid Creative Aquatics Vacuum Attachment can connect to any pump with a 3/4" slip input or tubing. The specialized shape...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[BryanM]

Can you give me a little bit more information on how to do that? Do I stick it in the sump and the run water out of my sump to effectively clean it out?

Exactly.

 

[design.maddie]

MJV-SC Vacuum Attachment

Turn your Sicce Syncra Nano or Marineland MaxiJet (MJ) Pump Into an Aquarium Cleaning Vacuum! Perfect for cleaning bare-bottom aquariums or sumps of detritus buildup, the Vivid Creative Aquatics Vacuum Attachment can connect to any pump with a 3/4" slip input or tubing. The specialized shape...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

This would be my choice to try.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

For the time being is this harmful to the fish/corals if it gets into the main display tank?

 

[larrysaltisfun]

MJV-SC Vacuum Attachment

Turn your Sicce Syncra Nano or Marineland MaxiJet (MJ) Pump Into an Aquarium Cleaning Vacuum! Perfect for cleaning bare-bottom aquariums or sumps of detritus buildup, the Vivid Creative Aquatics Vacuum Attachment can connect to any pump with a 3/4" slip input or tubing. The specialized shape...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

This would be my choice to try.

Can you please tell me exactly what I need in total….. is it a utility pump plus a crevice vacuum?

 

[exnisstech]

Utility pump for the win.

That said, Rowaphos wants you NOT To rinse it.... I'm not sure why, and I wouldn't not rinse any GFO, but I wonder if its that big of an issue when one vendor says just use it as it was delivered.

I always rinse rowaphos. It's much cleaner than regular GFO but i still get a lot of fines that I wouldn't want in the tank.
I find all GFO to be messy and a pita to use. I rinse as much as i can then fill a container with rodi let the reactor run in the container recycling the water but not pulling from the bottom so elevating it an inch or so with egg crate works. The fines settle to the bottom of the container and the water eventually runs clear. I get no fines in the sump doing this.

 

[CoralNewb]

Can you please tell me exactly what I need in total….. is it a utility pump plus a crevice vacuum?

You can just use the utility pump. That is enough. Or you can use the crevice tool if you want to be able to suction out the crevices, but it will suction out slower than the utility pump. No need to get both.

 

[CoralNewb]

Can you please tell me exactly what I need in total….. is it a utility pump plus a crevice vacuum?

You don't need to buy both, just pick one of the options. The utility pump will be faster, but you won't be able to get into the crevices. The Vivid Aquatics head will allow you to suction into the crevices, but you will need to attach it to a Sicce Syncra nano pump (which is a separate purchase if you don't have one lying around). Of course, the suction speed will be much slower than the Sicce utility pump. THe utility pump cannot be used with the Vivid Aquatics Head.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

So essentially, I am using the utility pump just to drain my sump, completely dry and cleaning out as much as I can at the time?

 

[fishface NJ]

So essentially, I am using the utility pump just to drain my sump, completely dry and cleaning out as much as I can at the time?

yes. I move mine around slowly so it pickup muck from the bottom of the sump.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Thanks, and all I need is the utility pump by itself and that’s it no other attachments?

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

I just stick a bit of polyfill on the exit side of the reactor to catch any fines from either carbon or GFO. Seems to work well in preventing this.

 

[BluesClues]

Utility pump for the win.

That said, Rowaphos wants you NOT To rinse it.... I'm not sure why, and I wouldn't not rinse any GFO, but I wonder if its that big of an issue when one vendor says just use it as it was delivered.

That’s the one I used and it stuck to all my pumps wearing out the impellers over time. PhosphateRX is the way to go I’ve been dripping 10 drops per day slowly I’ve gone from 0.87-0.13 super precise. Going to start figuring out how many drops I need weekly as a management dose.