Colors gone in birdnest after GFO

[saltwater4life1]

Hey guys so i had an algae problem so i bought a dual reactor and i'm running BRS GFO and Rox but after starting it about 1.5-2months ago I've lost alot of color and TE in my bird nest also one of my Acros bleached after being fine for 6+months. All my other SPS seem to be doing fine as far as i can tell. Just kind of weird that it has no color anymore. Should i stop running the reactor 24/7? maybe just during the day? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
~Nick

 

[Ken Good]

I run GFO all the time. Your issue sounds like a problem with the initial use of it. GFO works so well that it can be a shock to some corals. Since you have already being using it, I would just keep going. You know that keeping everything stable is the best for your tank and corals. So keep going and the ones shocked will hopefully gradually come back.

Ken

 

[Tajjo]

How much do you guys use?

 

[saltwater4life1]

Thanks,
I was wondering that, I started at 1/2 recommend amount then changed about a month later to the recommend amount for my tank.

Thanks, I am using 15tbsp in my 55gal. 1tbsp per 4gals is what my container of GFO says, but i put in an extra tbsp since my total volume is closer to 60gal (HOB skimmer + reactor)

 

[nemmy]

Starting GFO can really mess with your alk and PH, did you take notice to the changes in those parameters when you started?

 

[saltwater4life1]

Thanks,
I didn't know that. I usually only test once a week so i could of missed any big changes... That could explain the bleach in my Acro.

 

[nemmy]

Thanks,
I didn't know that. I usually only test once a week so i could of missed any big changes... That could explain the bleach in my Acro.

Yeah PH and ALK tend to drop from adding it, i dont know the chemistry behind it but it happened to me and i looked into it some more. The info on why is out there if you google it. But my 8.17 ph dropped to 7.90 when i caught it. While 7.90 isnt bad it could have gotten bad if i didnt notice it. My alk only dropped 1-2 dkh.

Nice to see more Jersey people! I'm down in salem county.

 

[saltwater4life1]

Thanks i'll have to check that out. Is it only when first added to the system or everytime i replace it?
haha yeah they're a bunch of us actually

 

[nemmy]

Thanks i'll have to check that out. Is it only when first added to the system or everytime i replace it?
haha yeah they're a bunch of us actually

Should just be when you first introduce it to the system so it can re stabilize to it.
As long as you replace it before phosphates start to build up you should be ok (but dont quote me on that). I would still test before adding it, and 6-8 hours after adding it to see what it does.

 

[sjfishguy]

I think GFO binds CaCO3 to its surface initially. Thus, you have a drop in alk and ca, and a subsequent drop in pH. The Ca drop is not as big a deal as the reservoir in the tank is much larger. This is why it is recommended to add new GFO slowly instead of all at once and monitor alk while you do it.

 

[Ken Good]

I found a couple of interesting threads about GFO:

1. about how quickly GFO works. It is here.

2. a general chemical article on how GFO works can be found here.

After scanning through Number 2, I would speculate that your initial use of GFO affected your cal., and alk and this sudden change was the culprit for your coral issues. Now that the inital shock is over, I would continue. You do not want to do it again.

Ken

 

[Ken Good]

Here is another thread that discusses initial Alk changes can be the culprit for sps initial changes. You can find it here.

Ken

 

[JMBoehling]

My PO4 is high, and I just started dosing GFO. I have experienced similiar issues to you in the past, and was VERY reluctant to use it. Well, this time I am going real slow. I have approximately 110 gallons of water, my PO4 was .24 ppm before I started GFO. I added 3 Tablespoons in a filter sock that is hung in a high flow area. I measured my PO4 today, 5 days after the initial dose, and it was .17 ppm. Every instruction sheet I could find suggests using much more than I used, and this would definately have shocked my reef.

Go SLOW with this stuff

Later,

Jim