NoobtoSalt Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I have a GFO reactor and with the group buy going on this week I want to get some GFO but not sure what type to use. It's a two little fishes 150 GFO reactor. I plan on running one of them with carbon and the other with GFO. for carbon I will use the ROX carbon but still unsure what GFO to use. Any suggestions on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I have also been wondering the same thing...I am not positive but unlike carbon, I think there are less differences in quality in GFO, but more differences in granular sizes and styles. Carbon varies tremendously in quality of starting ingredient and can leech phosphates bad (poor qualities), and often comes prewashed (bogus). GFO seems to be the same basic starting material, and doesn't leech materials, but comes in small almost powder, to grandular, to pellet. I also dont know if I buy the whole double strength stuff either, anyone know more about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I use the granular sometimes with carbon in a BRS reactor http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/carbon-and-gfo/bulk-gfo-granular-ferric-oxide-phosphate-remover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 The other idea I've had was to do bio-pellets and run them both with that instead of carbon and GFO. It's going to be a large bio-load of fish and will run mainly softy corals in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattv Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Rowa is what I use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan in salem Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I've done almost the exact same thing for that past year with great results. I use the bulk GFO and with carbon in a two little fishes 150. Yep, I have GFO and carbon pellets in the same chamber. I know there is some controversy in doing this but my phosphates have been at 0 and the water is looking clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 I've done almost the exact same thing for that past year with great results. I use the bulk GFO and with carbon in a two little fishes 150. Yep' date=' I have GFO and carbon pellets in the same chamber. I know there is some controversy in doing this but my phosphates have been at 0 and the water is looking clear.[/quote'] Are you using the fine grade GFO as well or the larger pellets? I've been doing quite a bit of reserch on the bio-pellets and it sounds like there is still a lot of mixed reviews so I will more than likely do stick to GFO and carbon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan in salem Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I have been using the fine grade. In my mind, the larger the contact surface area the better. I just keep GFO percolating mode (suspended) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigjohnwoody Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 When I was reading a fair amount about GFO in the past, people highly recommending the highest level of GFO you can get. I know that for BRS, 90% of people recommend using the high capacity. Not 100% sure why over the other GFO's, but I remember being very convinced and not trying to save money on the cheaper stuff. I know that wasn't great technical advice, but figured it was at least a little insight. Here's a link http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/1-75-pound-794-grams-bulk-gfo-high-capacity-ferric-oxide.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 It's less of the saving money aspect as to which one will work best in a reactor I guess. From what BRS's website states that the granulated is a good one for a reactor. It states that the high capacity will remove twice the amount of Phosphates to the granulated but that contradicts what MVP was saying. (scratch) Either way right now I guess I don't have a heavy bio-load but in the near future I will and would love to not have to scrub this huge tank all the time..(laugh) Also another questions I just thought of... I have my two reactors daisy chained together off the same pump. If I plan on doing GFO and Carbon which one should run before the other? Carbon in the first chamber and then the GFO is what I'm thinking but does it really matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I run carbon before gfo for 2 reasons. SOME carbon has trace phosphates, so running gfo second might catch any phosphates. Also my carbon can take a higher flow rate than gfo. So my thinking in running it second is that it might be a little less turbulent for the more fragile gfo. And carbon seems to last less time for me so its kind of a prefilter and clogs less, which means less tweaking I hope it didnt seem like i was dissing the high capacity gfo. I just dont understand how it works, so I cant weigh the benefits. I was hoping for some input also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 I hope it didnt seem like i was dissing the high capacity gfo. I just dont understand how it works, so I cant weigh the benefits. I was hoping for some input also I just figured you weren't sold on the sales pitch of the double the strength. I think I miss-read that one. My bad. If it's really worth the extra money I'm all in for it. How often are you having to change your GFO? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I agree. I just watched the sales pitch videos and the carbon one was much more informative about why its better and about differences. About the gfo they just say double capacity. But they say its twice as dense which almost seems like it might be a bad thing, for clogging and such. I do like the less dust factor cuz some it really dusty. I usually change every 3 months or so. Some more some less. My reef easily goes like 6 months but i like to change it earlier. It kinda depends how much you use. They say to test (obviously) but i also look at algae levels etc. I prefer to stay ahead than to wait for a climb in levels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 Based on their reef calcuator it would only take 2 cups vs 4 cups of the granular. So I guess the length of down the road it would cost about the same either way in the long run. So if I get additional benefits from it being amazing and it costs close to the same it would make sense to use the high capacity. I guess I should have looked into that one as well. It also states every 4-8 weeks but I have heard plenty other reefers doing it every 3-4 months as well but they don't say what they notice when they change etc. Sounds like an algae bloom on the glass is the first signs of needing to be changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmike Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 IMO Get the high capacity GFO... not that it is soo much greater than the regular capacity, but it is much, much harder which means you can regenerate it using some cheap chemicals and have brand new GFO... The cheaper GFO turn to mush when you try to regen them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 IMO Get the high capacity GFO... not that it is soo much greater than the regular capacity, but it is much, much harder which means you can regenerate it using some cheap chemicals and have brand new GFO... The cheaper GFO turn to mush when you try to regen them. Had no idea you could even regenerate them. Now you've got me thinking even more...DOH! I'm leaning towards the high capacity anyways since it takes less to clean the same amount, but regenerating it sounds even better yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 yes, regeneration is interesting...what chemicals are involved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bicyclebill Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I'd been running the BRS high capacity stuff. I could go for 2 months or so before my phosphates came up above zero. I think it's worth the extra money because I'm a little lazy that way. I'm running biopellets now though and they've finally kicked in over the last couple weeks, so I'm not running gfo anymore. Shoot, I've got a brand new pound of the BRS gfo that I haven't even opened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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