How much GFO to run in my reactor?

oceanlife1982 · 03/26/2011, 06:46 PM

I currently have high phosphates in my 25g solana and was wondering how much gfo I should place in my two little fishies reactor? I've heard you're only suppose to use a very small amount or you risk bleaching your corals.

bertoni · 03/26/2011, 06:49 PM

I'd likely start with a couple of tablespoons and see how long it lasts. Just test the output of the phosphate reactor to see whether the media is still adsorbing anything. What's the phosphate level now?

oceanlife1982 · 03/26/2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

I'd likely start with a couple of tablespoons and see how long it lasts. Just test the output of the phosphate reactor to see whether the media is still adsorbing anything. What's the phosphate level now?

My phosphates were reading around .53 a few days ago, so they are definitely too high at the moment.

bertoni · 03/26/2011, 07:25 PM

Ouch! Okay, I'd still be careful about adding too much GFO, but that's fairly high.

Lynnmw1208 · 03/26/2011, 09:17 PM

take a look at this calculator it'll let you know how much http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/reef-calculator

oceanlife1982 · 04/01/2011, 09:15 AM

I ended up running just a teaspoon of gfo and my phosphates went from .41 to .38 in a bout a 12hr period. I assume that it's safe to run a tablespoon of it now?

Randy Holmes-Farley · 04/01/2011, 10:53 AM

Yes, 12 hr at that high level likely depleted the GFO, assuming there was reasonable flow over it (assuming the test is accurate).

oceanlife1982 · 04/03/2011, 11:41 AM

Yesterday my phosphates tested at 0.19 so I placed a table spoon of gfo in the reactor, but then 12 hrs later my phosphates tested at 0.22. I'm confused as to how the phosphates could rise that fast after placing in a fresh table spoon of gfo? Is my system already building up a tolerance to the gfo or could the gfo be burning out so quick that it begins to put phosphates back into the water?

bertoni · 04/03/2011, 02:48 PM

The GFO will work as long as there's phosphate in the water, and it won't release phosphate back into the water column. The rise might be due to testing noise, or perhaps something was fed?

oceanlife1982 · 04/03/2011, 03:30 PM

Is it true that the water coming out of the reactor should always test .0 and if it doesn't it's time to replace the gfo?

bertoni · 04/03/2011, 03:35 PM

If the water out of the reactor is not significantly lower than the tank water, then it's time to switch the media. I'm not sure that the output always will get to zero, especially with a small amount of media.

oceanlife1982 · 04/03/2011, 04:01 PM

I just placed in two table spoons in the reactor and it's reading .17, while the water in the tank is reading .22. I'm wondering if the flow is too weak or maybe the sponge is clogged up so it could be blocking off a lot of flow?

Randy Holmes-Farley · 04/03/2011, 05:55 PM

I can't say what might be happening in the reactor, but I agree with Jonathan: it need not be zero in the effluent, just lower than the tank.

tmz · 04/03/2011, 07:36 PM

I replace mine when the effluent PO4 level is near( within .02ppm or so) or equal to that of the tank water.

03/26/2011, 06:46 PM	#1
oceanlife1982 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 39	How much GFO to run in my reactor? I currently have high phosphates in my 25g solana and was wondering how much gfo I should place in my two little fishies reactor? I've heard you're only suppose to use a very small amount or you risk bleaching your corals.

03/26/2011, 06:49 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'd likely start with a couple of tablespoons and see how long it lasts. Just test the output of the phosphate reactor to see whether the media is still adsorbing anything. What's the phosphate level now? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/26/2011, 07:25 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Ouch! Okay, I'd still be careful about adding too much GFO, but that's fairly high. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/26/2011, 09:17 PM	#5
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,306	take a look at this calculator it'll let you know how much http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/reef-calculator __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

04/01/2011, 10:53 AM	#7
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Yes, 12 hr at that high level likely depleted the GFO, assuming there was reasonable flow over it (assuming the test is accurate). __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

04/01/2011, 09:15 AM	#6
oceanlife1982 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 39	I ended up running just a teaspoon of gfo and my phosphates went from .41 to .38 in a bout a 12hr period. I assume that it's safe to run a tablespoon of it now?

04/03/2011, 11:41 AM	#8
oceanlife1982 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 39	Yesterday my phosphates tested at 0.19 so I placed a table spoon of gfo in the reactor, but then 12 hrs later my phosphates tested at 0.22. I'm confused as to how the phosphates could rise that fast after placing in a fresh table spoon of gfo? Is my system already building up a tolerance to the gfo or could the gfo be burning out so quick that it begins to put phosphates back into the water?

04/03/2011, 02:48 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The GFO will work as long as there's phosphate in the water, and it won't release phosphate back into the water column. The rise might be due to testing noise, or perhaps something was fed? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/03/2011, 03:30 PM	#10
oceanlife1982 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 39	Is it true that the water coming out of the reactor should always test .0 and if it doesn't it's time to replace the gfo?

04/03/2011, 03:35 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If the water out of the reactor is not significantly lower than the tank water, then it's time to switch the media. I'm not sure that the output always will get to zero, especially with a small amount of media. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/03/2011, 04:01 PM	#12
oceanlife1982 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 39	I just placed in two table spoons in the reactor and it's reading .17, while the water in the tank is reading .22. I'm wondering if the flow is too weak or maybe the sponge is clogged up so it could be blocking off a lot of flow?

04/03/2011, 05:55 PM	#13
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	I can't say what might be happening in the reactor, but I agree with Jonathan: it need not be zero in the effluent, just lower than the tank. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

04/03/2011, 07:36 PM	#14
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I replace mine when the effluent PO4 level is near( within .02ppm or so) or equal to that of the tank water. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

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