New tank, too much gfo?

oldpaddy · 10/27/2014, 04:15 PM

Hi all, I started a new 80gal tank 5 days ago. I installed a BRS dual reactors and added 2 cups of gfo and filled the carbon reactor to the top about an hour ago. Due to the location of the tank, I had to hang the reactors on s hooks. The dual reactors are at an approx 45deg angle because I had to hang them. Will the angle of the reactors or the amount of gfo & carbon used have adverse effects?
Thanks

80 gal tank
4" sand bed
NSW
Seaclone 100 skimmer
6x54w T5
2x 800gph wave makers
50 lbs of base rock from reefrocks.net
2 lbs of liverock from petco.
2 hermit crabs, baby snails, and other hitchkers from liverock
2hrs ago .25 ammonia, 0 nitrites. PH 8-8.2
Brown algae started showing up yesterday and tank started getting cloudy soon after.

tkeracer619 · 10/27/2014, 08:23 PM

Nope, but they have a screw on the lower bracket that should allow you to adjust them so they sit straight iirc.

Welcome to your first diatom bloom

Don't change the water for a couple weeks, they are likely feeding off silicates in the tank and will pass with time.

GFO can hurt stuff if you drop levels too fast. after 5 days there shouldn't be too much to pull out unless the rock was already loaded with phosphates. You also shouldn't have anything to hurt after 5 days

.

Cloudy water is likely bacterial (you did rinse the GFO first right??) and there really is nothing you can or should do at this point.

john08007 · 10/27/2014, 10:09 PM

Is it worth running gfo at this stage of the cycle?

tkeracer619 · 10/27/2014, 10:39 PM

That really depends on the rock/sand and how much phosphates it comes with.

If the rock is loaded with phosphates sure, otherwise I doubt it.

oldpaddy · 10/28/2014, 04:21 AM

Thanks tke, I did rinse it out first. I added the reactors after it started getting cloudy. Not because I was worried, but because that's when it arrived

Just woke up and the tank is pretty much clear.

oldpaddy · 10/28/2014, 04:54 AM

I just checked my water parameters and zero nitrites and approx .25 ammonia. So the big question is, did the reactors clear the tank, did the bacteria stop blooming, or a combo of both? The tank isn't completely clear, but it's night and day from last night.

tkeracer619 · 10/28/2014, 07:15 PM

Your welcome. The bacteria is doing its thing. Pretty soon you will see nitrites

The reactor didn't clear it up other than maybe catching a bit in the media but nothing of significance. Carry on carrying on

.

10/27/2014, 04:15 PM	#1
oldpaddy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cape Cod, Mass Posts: 326	New tank, too much gfo? Hi all, I started a new 80gal tank 5 days ago. I installed a BRS dual reactors and added 2 cups of gfo and filled the carbon reactor to the top about an hour ago. Due to the location of the tank, I had to hang the reactors on s hooks. The dual reactors are at an approx 45deg angle because I had to hang them. Will the angle of the reactors or the amount of gfo & carbon used have adverse effects? Thanks 80 gal tank 4" sand bed NSW Seaclone 100 skimmer 6x54w T5 2x 800gph wave makers 50 lbs of base rock from reefrocks.net 2 lbs of liverock from petco. 2 hermit crabs, baby snails, and other hitchkers from liverock 2hrs ago .25 ammonia, 0 nitrites. PH 8-8.2 Brown algae started showing up yesterday and tank started getting cloudy soon after. Last edited by oldpaddy; 10/27/2014 at 04:58 PM.

10/27/2014, 08:23 PM	#2
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Nope, but they have a screw on the lower bracket that should allow you to adjust them so they sit straight iirc. Welcome to your first diatom bloom Don't change the water for a couple weeks, they are likely feeding off silicates in the tank and will pass with time. GFO can hurt stuff if you drop levels too fast. after 5 days there shouldn't be too much to pull out unless the rock was already loaded with phosphates. You also shouldn't have anything to hurt after 5 days . Cloudy water is likely bacterial (you did rinse the GFO first right??) and there really is nothing you can or should do at this point. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/27/2014, 10:39 PM	#4
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	That really depends on the rock/sand and how much phosphates it comes with. If the rock is loaded with phosphates sure, otherwise I doubt it. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/28/2014, 07:15 PM	#7
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Your welcome. The bacteria is doing its thing. Pretty soon you will see nitrites The reactor didn't clear it up other than maybe catching a bit in the media but nothing of significance. Carry on carrying on . __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/27/2014, 10:09 PM	#3
john08007 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Myrtle Beach SC Posts: 307	Is it worth running gfo at this stage of the cycle?

10/28/2014, 04:21 AM	#5
oldpaddy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cape Cod, Mass Posts: 326	Thanks tke, I did rinse it out first. I added the reactors after it started getting cloudy. Not because I was worried, but because that's when it arrived Just woke up and the tank is pretty much clear.

10/28/2014, 04:54 AM	#6
oldpaddy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cape Cod, Mass Posts: 326	I just checked my water parameters and zero nitrites and approx .25 ammonia. So the big question is, did the reactors clear the tank, did the bacteria stop blooming, or a combo of both? The tank isn't completely clear, but it's night and day from last night.