Does Pellet reactor = no GFO reactor?

[finrod2]

Hey guys,
I'm setting up a 240 and have one of the new Reef dynamics 500 pellet reactors. I also will be running a refugium with reverse light cycle, a Reeflo 250 protein skimmer, and calcium reactor. Do I still need a GFO reactor?
Thanks

 

[rehype]

No need for the GFO reactor.

 

[karsseboom]

IMO I wouldnt use gfo of I was running pellets. The pellets will do a good enough job removing po4 as it is.

 

[The Grizz]

I run 3 reactors ( carbon, vertex pellets & HC GFO ) and I know of several others that do the same. You can only pump so much water into a reactor & alot goes right past especially in large tanks.

 

[sirreal63]

Pellets are still bound to the 16:1 ratio, you may very well have to run gfo with pellets if your PO4 is too high. I still have to run GFO with pellets, as most do.

 

[sjfishguy]

I started pellets and turned my gfo reactor off. Po4 built up and a lot of my stuff browned out. Took months to recover. Been doing vodka for year now and running gfo at the same time with great results.

 

[karsseboom]

I started pellets and turned my gfo reactor off. Po4 built up and a lot of my stuff browned out. Took months to recover. Been doing vodka for year now and running gfo at the same time with great results.

Are you using the pellets, gfo and vodka?

 

[sjfishguy]

No. Stopped the pellets to put the gfo back in the phosban reactor. Haven't used the pellets since but I am thinking of stopping the vodka and starting the pellets again for simplicity.

 

[tmz]

I use gfo with organic carbon dosing; but much less than before.. Many do.

Organic carbon dosing removes diproportionate amounts of nitrate vs phosphate,typically leaving extra PO4 .

The nitrate is taken by bacteria for food in approximately the same ratio to phospahte as foods to the tank provide. If that was the end of it all of the PO4 would be used and no other removal would be required.

But it's not; the rest of the story:

the bacteria also use more NO3 for the oxygen in anaerobic acitivity leaving N2 gas which bubbles out of the tank. Thus overall using more NO3 than PO4 comapred to what's coming in from foods. A little gfo cleans up the PO4 left over.