how much carbon and gfo

[Zacktosterone]

I'm running a system with 200-220 gallons of total water volume. My system is sps dominant

Fish list
1 purple tang
1 hippo tang
1 one spot foxface
1coral beauty
1 royal gramma
1 red scooter blenny
1 lawnmower blenny
1 melenaris wrasse
2 clowns
2 anthias

I don't plan on adding any other fish.

I don't know what to buy, 2x two little fishes phosban 150 reactors or 2x 550 phosban reactors. I'm going to separate carbon and gfo.

I don't know how much of each to use "maximum quantity"

What size of reactor should I be getting.

If I wanted to daisy chain them what size of pump do I want? It will go through carbon then gfo

 

[Zacktosterone]

Seriously? 54 people looked but no one is yet able to answer? BRS states an enormous amount of media. Do I really need to run 3 cups of gfo? I think 1 cup would suffice would it not?

 

[teebone110]

start low and see how things respond. I think 1 cup of GFO is plenty. You don't want to shock your system especially if you are running high phosphates

 

[ThorEffex]

Personally I run carbon and GFO as needed. I put 1/8 cup GFO and 1/4 cup carbon for 60 gallons of water changed once every 2-3 months. Most of the time though I don't run it unless I have issues with algae or tissue neurosis. So I guess my advice is what your trying to achieve will depend on the amount you should use. 3 cups of GFO sounds pricey to me.

 

[sahin]

Most people run GFO continously. With respect to GAC, some run continously, others run oly 2-3 days per month.

I would use between 1/4 to 1/2 of BRS recommended GAC and 1/4 of BRS recommendations GFO.

For my tank which is almost 50G, I use 1 cup of GAC. This is a lot, but my tank is very new and I assume would be high is DOC. I will be lowering the amount to 1/2 cup after a few months.

I only run 30grams of GFO weighed out.

I run both in the same reactor, from water tee'd off my return. It works well, even though the flow isnt too much as I had had the PO4 drop from being around 0.14ppm to 0.02ppm with this setup. Exactly how much you need to use depends on how much PO4 in building up in your system on a daily basis from food input/biological processes and leaching from rocks and sand etc.

With respect to GFO usage, use enough that it maintains PO4 at less than 0.05ppm.

With GAC, dont go overboard; especially using Rox. Start 1/4 of BRS recommendation and work your way upto 1/2 of that. If you notice Corals lightening, back off and or remove GAC for a few days.

Every tank is different; so giving recommendations for amounts is difficult, but I suppose this should give you an idea.

 

[JPMagyar]

My reef has a total system volume of about 750 gallons (3000L) and I run 4 cups of Brightwell's XPort PO4 continuously and change it out monthly. I also use 2 cups of ESV GAC but I only keep it in for 2 days to a week after each water change. I keep both the GFO and the GAC in mesh bags in an area of moderate flow. I would call this a passive flow through arrangement. I do a 20% water change every 2 weeks. I use PURA mesh bags. Over the years I have tried several routines and reactors for GFO and GAC and I think the simplicity and effectiveness of passive flow through mesh bags is the best solution for me and my system.

I think you will find as many answers as there are reefs and I would agree with Sahin that too much GAC is worse than too little and I would add that some GFO products seem to have too many "fines" or dust and this can be problematic for some species of coral or anemone.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Can a majority of us agree that most recommendations by manufacturers or online stores is more for the purpose of marketing? Like.... 3 cups for a 200 gallon system seems nuts.

Secondly, what is better, BRS gfo, or rowaphos? What's a good brand of gfo?

Thirdly should I be buying two tlf 150 reactors or two 550?

If so which pump if I want to daisy chain them
Could I daisy chain 2 tlf, 550 with one mj1200?

 

[sahin]

Can a majority of us agree that most recommendations by manufacturers or online stores is more for the purpose of marketing? Like.... 3 cups for a 200 gallon system seems nuts.

Secondly, what is better, BRS gfo, or rowaphos? What's a good brand of gfo?

Thirdly should I be buying two tlf 150 reactors or two 550?

If so which pump if I want to daisy chain them
Could I daisy chain 2 tlf, 550 with one mj1200?

I would have to agree that the BRS recommendations are on the high side...especailly for Rox 0.8 which is a VERY strong GAC.

As to brand...stick with what's cost effective for you...Rowa costs more in the USA doesnt it? For those in the USA, I cant see why you would use anything other than BRS GAC; either Rox of the slightly cheaper Lignite Carbon. Stick with GFO from BRS too.

I dont peronally like Rowaphos as its a pain to wash out the fines...

With regards, to the size of the Phosban reactors, going by the size of Joe's system, the Phosban 150 is sufficient. The Phosban 150 can take about 2.5 cups of GAC as an example.

HTH.

 

[Zacktosterone]

I would have to agree that the BRS recommendations are on the high side...especailly for Rox 0.8 which is a VERY strong GAC.

As to brand...stick with what's cost effective for you...Rowa costs more in the USA doesnt it? For those in the USA, I cant see why you would use anything other than BRS GAC; either Rox of the slightly cheaper Lignite Carbon. Stick with GFO from BRS too.

I dont peronally like Rowaphos as its a pain to wash out the fines...

With regards, to the size of the Phosban reactors, going by the size of Joe's system, the Phosban 150 is sufficient. The Phosban 150 can take about 2.5 cups of GAC as an example.

HTH.

How much gfo though? And what size of pump???

 

[DDon]

No experience with those reactors, using the NexReef MR-1s. On a approx. 300 gallon system volume I run 1 cup of BRS high capacity GFO and 1 1/3 - 2 cups of ROX carbon.
I agree the manufacturer recommendations are high, especially when just starting with GFO. Better to start with small amount and run for shorter time slowly working volume upwards. Don't want a rapid reduction or PO4.
Both run off 1 pump but built a manifold with ball valves to to control flow to each reactor independently.

 

[JB NY]

I think people tend to use more than necessary. But a lot depends on your bio load, how much you do water changes etc. Start with 1/3 to 1/2 and see work you way up or down accordingly. FWIW I use 1/2 cup on a 400 gallon system.

 

[rovster]

I was using just under a cup of GFO in my 120ish gallon system. My phos would hover between 0.04-0.07 but would not go lower. They started to creep up so this time I increased it to 1.5 Cups. I'm using the high capacity. I think BRS recommends around 3/4C as a starting point for my system.

One thing worthy of noting is that my nitrates have been pegged at 0 since I started the tank, reads crystal clear on salifert kit. My other tank has readable nitrates so its not the kit. I'm wondering if that is affecting my tanks ability to naturally process phosphates. I'm not shooting for for 0, but would like it below 0.04.

I think ultimately it all depends on how much phos you are dealing with, and how well your tank and husbandry is doing at controlling it. I see the use of GFO as an adjunctive method to "take up the slack". Finding how much is going to depend on each case.

In my 30 gallon, I would use 2-3 table spoons. If I ever went higher, I'd peg the phos to 0 and corals would start to bleach.

Not sure if this helps or not. I'm running my GFO in a ridiculously oversized reactor T-d off my return. Not sure why I bought such a thing, LOL! I'm literally using like 1.5" of its 18" length. At least I got some extra water volume:wildone:

 

[JPMagyar]

Can a majority of us agree that most recommendations by manufacturers or online stores is more for the purpose of marketing? Like.... 3 cups for a 200 gallon system seems nuts.

Secondly, what is better, BRS gfo, or rowaphos? What's a good brand of gfo?

Thirdly should I be buying two tlf 150 reactors or two 550?

If so which pump if I want to daisy chain them
Could I daisy chain 2 tlf, 550 with one mj1200?

Just curious . . . are you not considering my recommendations?

1) No reactor; mesh bags and passive flow.
2) Brightwells Xport PO4 and ESV GAC.
3) As little as 1 cup of GAC and 2 of GFO for a 300.

And some pictures of how corals look in my tank today . . .

 

[Zacktosterone]

Why not run them in a reactor? You said you just don't because it works for you.

 

[rovster]

What is that purple coral pictured? I need me one of those!

 

[sahin]

Why not run them in a reactor?

Joe's tank is an excellent example of passive flow with GAC + GFO working so well.

If you suspect excess nutrients or have algae issues, then it would be advisable to run in a reactor certainly as it is a more efficient way...

Howeve, running passively works well and is probably better for the SPS corals. Our combined filtration systems these days are so capable.

One thing I have learnt is to take/consider the advice of SPS keepers who can show an amazing tank and corals.

 

[sahin]

What is that purple coral pictured? I need me one of those!

Must be Purple Monster. Very much an old school acro and an amazing one too.

 

[sahin]

Just curious . . . are you not considering my recommendations?

1) No reactor; mesh bags and passive flow.
2) Brightwells Xport PO4 and ESV GAC.
3) As little as 1 cup of GAC and 2 of GFO for a 300.

And some pictures of how corals look in my tank today . . .

Absolutely love your tank mate. Would you like to mentor me? I'm certain I can improve my SPS keeping skills learning from you.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Joe no offence to you. I was just planning on getting a reactor anyway. I'll take your amounts and types into consideration for sure

 

[jda]

Don't use either of these unless you are sure that you need to. Too little N or P is more dangerous than being slightly high. Also, if your tank is relatively new, you will inpeded the cycle. If you have any amount of sand or LR, then the tank will eventually be able to handle the N on it's own. It might be able to handle the P as well, but if not, then you need to know where you are so that you can dose appropriately. Just using carbon and GFO from the get-go or without measure could be a disaster IMO.

What are your N and P levels?