Opinion

[heath]

What is the difference between GFO or PHOSBAN.. or are they the same.. what is everyone's preference...have a helluva time getting my po4 down...

 

[dale]

gfo is short for granulated ferrous oxide,, some companies have proprietary mixes..

 

[AdInfinitum]

gfo is short for granulated ferrous oxide,, some companies have proprietary mixes..

..and some companies sell aluminum oxide based products...there are mixed reviews as to how safe they are with corals...eg Phosguard

 

[dale]

i use phosguard for my tanks but im switching to gfo for my fowlr to see i i get better results.. im thinking the phosguard is better suited for smaller tanks will see if the switch makes a difference

 

[Nighthawk26]

I had FAR better results with BRS High Cap GFO over RowaPhos

 

[AdInfinitum]

I had FAR better results with BRS High Cap GFO over RowaPhos

I think it depends on what you consider "better" results...

I found that you had to be very careful with the HiCap for maintenance use since it would strip the PO4 too low, too fast. One of the big advantages to lanthanum chloride IMO, is that where it will strip huge amounts of phosphate very very inexpensively, it will not strip the water too clean as it becomes less effective at low concentrations.

 

[Kman]

Phosban has ferric oxide hydroxide and it precipitates PO4 out of the water vs bind it like GFO.

 

[yveterinarian]

Just a word of caution: if you are thinking of using it on the seahorse tank just be very careful that you don't accidentally use Rowaphos. Rowaphos will damage their gills and they will die. Phosban is OK, I don't know about GFO because I can't remember off the top of my head what the ingredient is in Rowaphos that damages the seahorses. I use Phosban for that reason. If you are thinking of it with the seahorses, check on Seahorse.org about the GFO. Someone there will know the answer.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Just a word of caution: if you are thinking of using it on the seahorse tank just be very careful that you don't accidentally use Rowaphos. Rowaphos will damage their gills and they will die. Phosban is OK, I don't know about GFO because I can't remember off the top of my head what the ingredient is in Rowaphos that damages the seahorses. I use Phosban for that reason. If you are thinking of it with the seahorses, check on Seahorse.org about the GFO. Someone there will know the answer.

Interesting...Rowaphos is just a type of GFO made with a different manufacturing process to create a slightly different particle form.

I would definitely be careful using lanthanum chloride based products without proper filtration as the fine, sticky precipitate is known to coat the gills of sensitive species...notably Acanthurus tangs as well.

Many of the lanthanum chloride products just recommend adding directly to the tank assuming that all precipitate will just stick to the substrate. IMO this is irresponsible marketing, making it seem safer and easier than it actually is...disregarding the risks to sensitive species.

 

[heath]

Just a word of caution: if you are thinking of using it on the seahorse tank just be very careful that you don't accidentally use Rowaphos. Rowaphos will damage their gills and they will die. Phosban is OK, I don't know about GFO because I can't remember off the top of my head what the ingredient is in Rowaphos that damages the seahorses. I use Phosban for that reason. If you are thinking of it with the seahorses, check on Seahorse.org about the GFO. Someone there will know the answer.

its not the pony tank, its the 75g mixed tank,, I would never use anything on my babies that could hurt them...

 

[Nighthawk26]

I think it depends on what you consider "better" results...

I found that you had to be very careful with the HiCap for maintenance use since it would strip the PO4 too low, too fast. One of the big advantages to lanthanum chloride IMO, is that where it will strip huge amounts of phosphate very very inexpensively, it will not strip the water too clean as it becomes less effective at low concentrations.

100%, as witnessed myself. I have been dealing with a big GHA issue. ran 3 cups GFO and it started killing it at a good clip. However it took out a Rainbow mini acan colony and took one to the brink so I will be smarter next time with it. The issues with other problems it can create, I was not aware of. So is Rowa a Lanthanum chloride product? Maybe it is better for maintaining, but in my experience, not with dealing with a big outbreak issue.

I know Fauna Marin makes a product that will not strip it below .4 or something like that.

 

[heath]

the tank that I was asking about is my 75g mixed tank.. I have no visible signs of algae, its showing up in my readings and its high. I had been using cheaper test kits so I invested in some good test kits so I am thinking that the readings are accurate..
I am running GFO ( well over 1 mth) and the levels have not moved.. I have suspected that it is leaching out of my rock, I can't change it out, there are softies growing on each one..
I started using the vodka method at the beginning of the week and I will be testing again today..hopefully I see some results that its going down,,

 

[AdInfinitum]

100%, as witnessed myself. I have been dealing with a big GHA issue. ran 3 cups GFO and it started killing it at a good clip. However it took out a Rainbow mini acan colony and took one to the brink so I will be smarter next time with it. The issues with other problems it can create, I was not aware of. So is Rowa a Lanthanum chloride product? Maybe it is better for maintaining, but in my experience, not with dealing with a big outbreak issue.

I know Fauna Marin makes a product that will not strip it below .4 or something like that.

Mentioned above...Rowa is a type of GFO...different manufacturing process, different crystal form, a bit slower acting.

For very high PO4 or maintenance of large systems Lanthanum is far more cost effective but requires some care in use. I can strip off the charts PO4 from my 40,000ish litre pool down to almost nothing for about $25. in tank PO4 maintenance for pennies without the risks of stripping nutrients too low too fast and harming my LPS and SPS but precipitate must be kept out of the tank IMO and reckless overdosing can cause alk and CA issues.

 

[Nighthawk26]

Mentioned above...Rowa is a type of GFO...different manufacturing process, different crystal form, a bit slower acting.

For very high PO4 or maintenance of large systems Lanthanum is far more cost effective but requires some care in use. I can strip off the charts PO4 from my 40,000ish litre pool down to almost nothing for about $25. in tank PO4 maintenance for pennies without the risks of stripping nutrients too low too fast and harming my LPS and SPS but precipitate must be kept out of the tank IMO and reckless overdosing can cause alk and CA issues.

The issue I have is a big GHA issue and never one time has PO4 been at an even slightly elevated level. In fact tests 0 most of the time or close enough to it, and done so with various test kits. I known the statement is it shows 0 cause algae is consuming it but I have always tested and its always shown as mentioned above.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

 

[AdInfinitum]

the tank that I was asking about is my 75g mixed tank.. I have no visible signs of algae, its showing up in my readings and its high. I had been using cheaper test kits so I invested in some good test kits so I am thinking that the readings are accurate..
I am running GFO ( well over 1 mth) and the levels have not moved.. I have suspected that it is leaching out of my rock, I can't change it out, there are softies growing on each one..
I started using the vodka method at the beginning of the week and I will be testing again today..hopefully I see some results that its going down,,

Carbon dosing is primarily to reduce Nitrates and will remove only negligible amounts of Phosphate. Most organic material and living things are full of Phosphate. It is one of the key compounds of life, therefore all of the food you give to your creatures is full of Phosphate and all that is not consumed by growth comes back out as Phosphate. If you put it into the tank you have to remove it as well or else it builds up...

 

[heath]

but how, help..is there something else I should be doing or using and uping/bigger my water changes.. after running the GFO I did loose 2 finger leathers.. which once I get this figured out I will be looking for 2 more...

my goal for this tank is add a few pieces of sps, nothing crazy, monti caps, chalice..things like that..birdsnest...

 

[AdInfinitum]

The issue I have is a big GHA issue and never one time has PO4 been at an even slightly elevated level. In fact tests 0 most of the time or close enough to it, and done so with various test kits. I known the statement is it shows 0 cause algae is consuming it but I have always tested and its always shown as mentioned above.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

How good is your coraline? The main reason we encourage it is it gives off algicidal compounds.

Have you tested with a Hanna Ultra Low range? (the one Hanna that I like)

Honestly once an algae colony becomes big enough it becomes somewhat self supporting as any die back releases nutrients to fuel the next bloom so Manual control is best to break the cycle but really only Bryopsis to some degree and absolutely Cyano can live with very low to zero Phosphate. You're sure its not Bryopsis (strands are slightly feathery on your finger out of the water not just straight and hairlike?).

 

[heath]

this is what I have done this morning;

~ tested ro water in storage container.. po4 = 0
~ tested tank po4 = 1.0+++
~ tested water coming from the gfo reactor outlet po4 = 1.0++

test kit used is the NYOS, the expiry date is 11/18..

I have no visible signs of any algae other than a couple of small patches of red slime...

just don't know what to do, extremely frustrated and that is why I was going to sell this tank...

 

[AdInfinitum]

but how, help..is there something else I should be doing or using and uping/bigger my water changes.. after running the GFO I did loose 2 finger leathers.. which once I get this figured out I will be looking for 2 more...

my goal for this tank is add a few pieces of sps, nothing crazy, monti caps, chalice..things like that..birdsnest...

The how to on GFO is basically set up reactor...check PO4 of effluent vs PO4 of tank...once those numbers are the same the GFO is exhausted...fill it up again and repeat until you get to maintenance levels. If your PO4 is high the GFO may only last a day or 2 before it is exhausted...this may happen several times depending on the quantities used and the amount of food going into the tank everyday. Once concentrations in the water column start to get low, then the cleaner water will start to strip the PO4 out of your rocks and the whole process will plateau again for a while until that is exhausted. Dont go on and off using GFO just raise or reduce quantities as required. As with everything else consistency is key...you are adding PO4 everyday feeding so you need to be removing it everyday.

Bigger water changes will help but are difficult and expensive and not the only answer....getting any excessive feeding under control will make a world of difference as well...the less that goes in...the less that you need to remove.

BTW...chalice (LPS) are very finicky ask @Salty Cracker and his system is as solid as any I've seen. When my nitrates were high I could grow Acro's like crazy but couldn't keep a Monti alive for a week and right now with my frag tank that has no reactors or dosing or or...the monti's are the first things losing colour trying to tell me that I am behind on water changes...so easy is a very relative term. All are challenging compared to Acan's or Blasto's all the happy LPS...

General rule The more flesh=The more tolerant.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Think of GFO like any physical filter it can only remove so much until it is clogged. If you put water from a mud puddle into your Brita it would be clogged in minutes instead of lasting for a month or whatever (I don't have one) and you would not be surprised... same deal here you just cant see the "dirt" that it is trapping and the only way to know if it is full is by testing...just like the TDS from your RO tells you its time to change filters/membrane.

Don't mean to offend by over simplifying but its easy to get wrapped up in the chemistry and lose sight of the pragmatic reality of how it functions.