Speed of extraction GFO vs Aluminum beads

[norfolkgarden]

I don't use the Hana ultra low checker very often.
(I despise constant testing the way some people despise mowing the grass. Easy enough to do but I hate doing it.)

I was using aluminum beads for years. I usually changed them out pretty consistently 1 or 2 of the 3 strainer baskets every week.

If I missed a week or sometimes 2, the Canary in the coal mine was the long tentacle GSP. (Who would have suspected *that*.)

Frogspawn and Duncan show no visible change.

Anyway, I would swap out at least 2 of the 3 strainer baskets and within 2 days the long tentacle GSP would be happy again.


I recently started using GFO instead of aluminum beads. After replacing 2 of the strainer baskets with GFO in mesh bags, it has taken the long tentacle GSP 4 days to finally open 2/3 of the way.

How slow is GFO compared to aluminum beads?

If I was using 3 strainer baskets and changing out 2 of them or one of them every week when I was using the aluminum beads, can you suggest how often I should change out the GFO?

Thanks!

 

[Alfrareef]

I change GFO when PO4 starts going up.

 

[norfolkgarden]

I change GFO when PO4 starts going up.

Thank you. [emoji4]

I don't test often enough to have a good feel for that with GFO yet.

I was hoping for a ballpark estimate of how often I should change a 1/2 cup of GFO in a 75 gallon heavily stocked tank.

I would rather err on the side of wasted product and a little more money spent then wait until the corals tell me it's definitely time to change.

Thanks! [emoji4]

 

[Alfrareef]

Thank you. [emoji4]

I don't test often enough to have a good feel for that with GFO yet.

I was hoping for a ballpark estimate of how often I should change a 1/2 cup of GFO in a 75 gallon heavily stocked tank.

I would rather err on the side of wasted product and a little more money spent then wait until the corals tell me it's definitely time to change.

Thanks! [emoji4]

It’s going to depend of how much PO4 do you have already and the one that comes into the water everyday.
I suggest you do a close follow-up for 2-3 weeks and you’ll find out.

 

[Triggreef]

These both create problems especially for more delicate corals than mentioned. I stay away from both. And with the corals mentioned you shouldn't really need either one. Most likely coincidence about the gsp.

 

[norfolkgarden]

These both create problems especially for more delicate corals than mentioned. I stay away from both. And with the corals mentioned you shouldn't really need either one. Most likely coincidence about the gsp.

I have a heavy fish load and I feed heavily. No sump or skimmer. The gorgonians are happy.
Most advanced corals are a frog spawn and a Duncan.
The long tentacle GSP could be a coincidence, but it's the same coincidence that has been happening for a year and a 1/2 when I get too busy or complacent about maintenance and water changes. Observing them is the closest I do to regular testing.

Old normal.
GSP is unhappy. Change 2 of the 3 strainer baskets with aluminum beads. 2 days later GSP is happy again.

New normal, Swap out 2 strainer baskets of aluminum beads with 2 strainer baskets of GFO.
4 days later GSP is only 2/3 of the way open.


The frog spawn is 3 months old and the Duncan is 2 months old, so not a lot of track record with those.
They constantly show less reaction than the GSP.
Birdsnest or easy montis maybe in the distant future.

Thanks for responding.
[emoji4]

 

[Triggreef]

Without testing there's really no way to know what's going. What I can tell you is gfo leaches large amounts of iron over time. The corals you have may not decline over that but others especially sps may. The aluminum products you previously used leach aluminum which may have the same effect.

Once upon a time I tried to use them both opposite eachother with the plan of the aluminum product picking up the iron and vice versa. That plan didn't work. Bad plan cost me a lot of time, money, and frustration...

There are better ways to maintain po4. Lanthanum chloride is the cheapest best easiest way in my opinion. But do research it well as when used incorrectly can also cost a lot of $$ in losses. You don't need a skimmer to use it although it would be recommended. You do need a filter sock under 10 micron that can be utilized every time with no exception as well as a drip container for dosing the product as slowly as possible.

You know what they say about opinions. But I've had far less troubles with everything from zoas to lps to acros since ditching all forms of gfo and aluminum products. So much so that I feel that is the secret that so many reefers are looking for. It's not about some secret product. It's about what NOT to use.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I have used lanthium chloride successfully but as stated above, be CAREFUL it zapps up phosphate instantly!!

I run gfo because I am slightly overstocked in my sps tank. I have been trying to grow huge amounts of chaeto instead.. we will see how that works