gfo affecting corals and rbta (1 Viewer)

[d.j.]

hey guys.....couple of questions....

i started running a gfo reactor alil over a week ago with 20tbsp(1cup) of media and after a few days i noticed that my algae was getting better BUT hair algae started to grow on the out side of the over flow and on a couple of rocks....
no big deal there it hasnt spread and my pink urchin and tangs are keepin it in check.

BUT my RBTA and lavender star polyps STOPPED opening. the RBTA used to be about the size of a dinner plate and now it just barely sticks out of its hole on the rock it calls home.
and my lavender star polyps (ALL OF THEM) stopped opening along with a few zoas.

any ideas why? or is it just things getting used to the new change?

im no where near running what the instructions said to run so that i didnt shock the system right off the bat.

i have a 90g with a 30g sump. 1tbsp per gallon of water is what the directions said but i started off with only 20tbsp to slowly introduce the tank to the stuff.

thanks for help or ideas......

 

[Matt D.]

I started running GFO shortly after the frag swap and both the xenia and anthelia I got from the swap died recently, but my anemone and everything else in the tank is perfect. I received the anthelia from DamselDebbie and this is what she described happen to her as well.

I think you are mistaken on the proportions. It's 1 tablespoon per 4 gallons, 80 gallons on the calculator shows 20tbsp, which is 1.25 cups.

 

[deathmatch782]

I've also experienced the same with my GSP.

Prior to, it was out all the time, now just a few polyps come out at all.

 

[mattb]

Having some GSP die off isn't a bad thing... that stuff is the equivalent of reef dandelions. Yes you probably had high phosphate levels.... algae only needs trace amounts of phosphates, you likely have elevated nitrate levels as well...

 

[Zylski]

The gfo shouldn't naturally affect your anemones, but it naturally can affect your sps and lps corals. There is always the possibility that it can affect anything if something is wrong with it. I thought i was having the same problem once. I used BRS gfo and started reading up and others were having the same problem linked to the BRS GFO. I never followed up on it, i still use it thought and havent noticed problems.

 

[d.j.]

according to my jug the directions are 1tbsp per gallon for weak or 2 tbsp per 4g for a stronger mix. unless im misreading it or something....but ill double check....

well according to my tests kits all levels are 0 but my po4 was up a bit which i could tell by the algae growing on the glass....but i dont tryct the tests kits i have since they are getting lil dated...time for some new ones i think....

 

[mattb]

dj, I wouldn't trust hobbyist test kits to be accurate at all Sure they're inthe ballpark.... but they don't test well in the ranges that our animals come from (which is what we should be striving for), ie NO3 as .05 - .007 Even the reefs will have some small amounts of algae, but since micro algae are so efficient at nutrient uptake, even the trace amounts of no3 can be utilized. It the herbavores that keep the reefs nice and (nearly) algae free.

 

[manycolors]

FWIW- http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/reef-calculator

*Seems to be 1 per 4 gal.

I would think you'd want lower amounts of anything when introducing it into the system for low/slow impact, but not sure if you run different amounts with a reactor or not??

 

[jjwhiteboy]

Did your ph change at all after running it?

 

[Taklu]

I'm not entirely convinced but I think my Aussie Elegance gave up the day I started GFO...didnt help the elegance even after the gfo was stopped after running it for two days.

 

[d.j.]

FWIW- http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/reef-calculator

*Seems to be 1 per 4 gal.

I would think you'd want lower amounts of anything when introducing it into the system for low/slow impact, but not sure if you run different amounts with a reactor or not??

yeah i used the calculator as well as going by whats on my jug....the calculator say 22tbsp as a starting point....the jug says 1 tbsp per gallon of water or 2 tbsp per 4 gallons of water....

im using the *pellets* but it looks more like the granules....what i have is fine and nowhere near what i would call PELLET form.....

 

[d.j.]

Did your ph change at all after running it?

no change in ph...but again this is going by my kits.....gota buddy comin over with his to test to see if i get a difference.....i still have to doa WC today as well...

 

[Brent]

Some people have good results with GFO and others have negative results. I myself started GFO very slowly in a BRS reactor and love the job that it does for me. I have found that I run it too heavily and it has pasteled my SPS corals. People have told me to scale back my amount and that should return the color to the SPS, so I'm in the process of doing so. I think you started out too heavily. GFO is very strong if used in large amounts. I think it was on youtube that a guy ran tests with a digital Phos meter showing the almost immediate results that GFO can have on phoshates in a tank. See if you can find those videos and you'll see what I mean. Scale it back and ramp up slowly DJ.