Redrosetuscan
New member
I think perhaps the biggest problem with gfo is that people have used it incorrectly. If you are using gfo and don't change it out and your levels rise then all of a sudden you chuck a new load in it will strip the phosphate very very fast which will definitely cause stn or rtn in my past experience.
I use gfo and gac. I don't see any negative effect from either tbh. I have found that by not stressing about zero coming from the reactor that the media lasts a lot longer and maintains low levels which are essential. Straight zero is not good.
I used to keep sps around ten years ago and did alright, I certainly didn't have a system like I do now and I certainly wasn't as anal with it. I have forgotton a lot as well. I do remember having problems with stn and rtn though, some of which was down to poor gfo use.
I am going to run a small experiment with gfo, I have a large algae bed and on this next due change of gfo I'll see where levels go, I would love to eliminate it, for cost more than anything.
I found that by running the gfo with zero coming out the reactor I was having to change it every 2-3 weeks and the algae bed wasn't growing at all, now I've sped the flow up through the reactor the algae is growing well
My tank does seem to lose some colour when gfo needs changing. I will say that. I'll also say at the moment my colour could be a lot better. My system runs zero or unmeasurable nitrate and very low phos. I recently changed to a ati hybrid and have been very careful with the light as I know how powerful it is. I believe I need to up the led, every time I do it seems a bit better. Low nutrients high light, higher nutrients lower light.
Even though the nutrient levels are low I've seen some acros brown off a bit since the lighting, this makes me believe more light is needed (btw I've had led set around 30-40% I'm now at 50 and adding a couple of percent every couple of days.
I use gfo and gac. I don't see any negative effect from either tbh. I have found that by not stressing about zero coming from the reactor that the media lasts a lot longer and maintains low levels which are essential. Straight zero is not good.
I used to keep sps around ten years ago and did alright, I certainly didn't have a system like I do now and I certainly wasn't as anal with it. I have forgotton a lot as well. I do remember having problems with stn and rtn though, some of which was down to poor gfo use.
I am going to run a small experiment with gfo, I have a large algae bed and on this next due change of gfo I'll see where levels go, I would love to eliminate it, for cost more than anything.
I found that by running the gfo with zero coming out the reactor I was having to change it every 2-3 weeks and the algae bed wasn't growing at all, now I've sped the flow up through the reactor the algae is growing well
My tank does seem to lose some colour when gfo needs changing. I will say that. I'll also say at the moment my colour could be a lot better. My system runs zero or unmeasurable nitrate and very low phos. I recently changed to a ati hybrid and have been very careful with the light as I know how powerful it is. I believe I need to up the led, every time I do it seems a bit better. Low nutrients high light, higher nutrients lower light.
Even though the nutrient levels are low I've seen some acros brown off a bit since the lighting, this makes me believe more light is needed (btw I've had led set around 30-40% I'm now at 50 and adding a couple of percent every couple of days.
