Is it bad to run gfo and gac and biopellets at the same time?

Novice101 · 02/08/2015, 02:31 PM

Just thought they could maybe be taking too much po4 and nitrates out of the system. any thoughts? Could too low nutrients be the reason my softies never grow? Toadstool and zoas rarely ever grow or split. Should I cut back on some of the gfo or just stop using it altogether? I want to see better results in the tank as a whole

tkeracer619 · 02/08/2015, 03:35 PM

What do your nitrates and phosphates measure?

zachfishman · 02/08/2015, 05:52 PM

I saw a significant change in my softies when I started dosing vodka. I think all the extra bacteria in the water feeds them. FYI this was a high nutrient system (NO3 >50, PO4 >0.5) before dosing and the softies were lackluster.

fishchef · 02/08/2015, 06:44 PM

Some softies do not do well in low nutrients. We have a couple of Toadstools that have been around for 15 years. My nitrates were generally high about 25+.
For the last 6 years they have been in a 125 and the nitrates tend to be around 12/25 ppm. They've gotten quite large. We did have a large Finger Leather that faded away when the nutrients dropped. All the mushrooms disappeared at low nutrient levels.

02/08/2015, 02:31 PM	#1
Novice101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 160	Is it bad to run gfo and gac and biopellets at the same time? Just thought they could maybe be taking too much po4 and nitrates out of the system. any thoughts? Could too low nutrients be the reason my softies never grow? Toadstool and zoas rarely ever grow or split. Should I cut back on some of the gfo or just stop using it altogether? I want to see better results in the tank as a whole

02/08/2015, 03:35 PM	#2
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	What do your nitrates and phosphates measure? __________________ 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.

02/08/2015, 05:52 PM	#3
zachfishman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St Petersburg, FL Posts: 3,577	I saw a significant change in my softies when I started dosing vodka. I think all the extra bacteria in the water feeds them. FYI this was a high nutrient system (NO3 >50, PO4 >0.5) before dosing and the softies were lackluster. __________________ Patience is a reefer's best tool. Secret Xenia lover. M.S. Marine Biology Staff - Marine Discovery Center, St. Petersburg FL Tampa Bay Reef Club BOD 2018 Current Tank Info: 34g modded Solana

02/08/2015, 06:44 PM	#4
fishchef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,222	Some softies do not do well in low nutrients. We have a couple of Toadstools that have been around for 15 years. My nitrates were generally high about 25+. For the last 6 years they have been in a 125 and the nitrates tend to be around 12/25 ppm. They've gotten quite large. We did have a large Finger Leather that faded away when the nutrients dropped. All the mushrooms disappeared at low nutrient levels.