phosphate reduction warning/ myth busters?

[grouper therapy]

Question for you GFO users. It has been said that too quick of a reduction in phosphates can cause ill effects (rtn.stn) on some corals.
My question is if that holds true then how is buying a coral from a system high in phosphates and then placing them in your ULN system any different?
Both scenarios represent quick phosphate reduction, actually the latter being the quickest.

 

[grouper therapy]

No one?

 

[ralph atl]

that was bs unless levels were way outta wack before GFO was commonly used.

 

[grouper therapy]

Even if they were way out how is that different than going from a high po4 to a low po4 system like buying from another member and taking it to your system.

 

[camellia]

Ive bought 2 strawberry shortcake's from one of our ltrusted LFS. I do not know his parameters however both times I've put this strawberry shortcake in my tank it immediately looks like death, no gradual turn, just looks very pale.
I must admit last time which (last week) I did not see it when he picked it up out of his tank, I was looking at other coral and trusted a hundred percent he was getting me a nice piece... As I DO trust him!
This could be a total coincidence, I do not buy that many SPS but however it's disappointing and a week later has no polyp extention!
However, my PO4 is not super low either!

 

[freezerrat]

I've had the same experience as Camellia. There are just some differences from tank to tank that will never be known. While there are practices that are demonstrated to be beneficial across the board there also seems to be quite a bit that is educated guesswork and not truely proven. I believe a lot of the problems experienced in this hobby arise from needs and parameters that are unknown or not understood and not measured.

 

[ricky5415]

There are some other factors like type of light using, coral placement...to consider as well

 

[ralph atl]

Dave, technically their would be little difference, however, moving them from higher than normal to normal levels would prob not kill it, albeit it might stress out and take a couple of months to begin encrusting. Taking some from normal levels (0.03 ppm) and moving them to a higher than optimum level will more than likely kill it.
Most of the frags that we buy (at least the ones that I do) come from coral frag tanks without much fish, so it is usually right at where it needs to be.

 

[grouper therapy]

Ralph ATL;1077271 wrote: Dave, technically their would be little difference, however, moving them from higher than normal to normal levels would prob not kill it, albeit it might stress out and take a couple of months to begin encrusting. Taking some from normal levels (0.03 ppm) and moving them to a higher than optimum level will more than likely kill it.
Most of the frags that we buy (at least the ones that I do) come from coral frag tanks without much fish, so it is usually right at where it needs to be.

I agree . I think that is probably the reason most survive.
You got what I was asking.

 

[skriz]

My suspicion is that's it's not phosphates at all, but a function of gfo itself. Gfo is a repurposed media with differing qualities. We've found that it's useful for our purposes to remove phosphates, but it's initial intended purpose is different. So what else can gfo do/remove? I think in that answer, you may find your answer.

Generally speaking, I tend to favor a rapid introduction into quality water. So, if a coral is in nasty conditions, I don't opt for a lengthy acclimation with water samples. If I was in a contaminated pool, don't change the water one cup at a time, get me the hell out of there and into a pool of clean water yesterday!

 

[camellia]

Skriz;1077303 wrote: My suspicion is that's it's not phosphates at all, but a function of gfo itself. Gfo is a repurposed media with differing qualities. We've found that it's useful for our purposes to remove phosphates, but it's initial intended purpose is different. So what else can gfo do/remove? I think in that answer, you may find your answer.

Generally speaking, I tend to favor a rapid introduction into quality water. So, if a coral is in nasty conditions, I don't opt for a lengthy acclimation with water samples. If I was in a contaminated pool, don't change the water one cup at a time, get me the hell out of there and into a pool of clean water yesterday!

Lol

When my phosphates were discovered high, I jammed in GFO, did two water changes Of 30 gallons night and next night. TWV of 90 gallons... Everyones happier

 

[brandonmason]

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Crappie pic but didn't feel like turning my lights on. I'm no expert for sure, but I believe that maybe the coral being transfered from a tank with "normal levels" of phosphates likely has adapted to many levels. Just like temp, it's said a coral that lives in a tank with "some" temp swings can build up an "immune" to it. If coral can do that with temp do you think it's possible to deal with other parameter swings? However, with that being said, the picture is my red candy canes located at the very bottom of my 210. I come home from out of town and did my routine maintenance (wc, cleaned the glass, powerheads, etc) The only thing I did differently this time vs other times was I changed out my gfo, but I added more because there wasn't quite enough to change out again before I had to purchase another thing of gfo. Behold 2-3 days later my candy canes "bleached" along with a few sps and other lps. Nothing died but lost all color. Everything has since recovered minus this candy cane.

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[grouper therapy]

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