two little fishies reactors

[tgriffin]

I am planning on hooking up my two little fishies reactors. I was going to run GFO in one and Carbon in the other. I have started using matrix and so far I haven't noticed anything other than possibly accelerated algae growth. Maybe it was just coming and I didn't know it. Anyway, I am hoping it will take care of my nitrates (as well as adding a fuge with cheato), the GFO my phosphates, and the carbon my clarity.

The two products I'm looking at and am wondering if they will work in my reactors are


http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/half-gallon-2-pounds-bulk-gfo-granular-ferric-oxide.html">http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/half-gallon-2-pounds-bulk-gfo-granular-ferric-oxide.html</a>

[IMG]http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/review/product/list/id/1225/category/210/">http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/review/product/list/id/1225/category/210/</a>

I'd like to hear folks opinions on these two products as well as those that have used the two little fishies reactors running GFO and Carbon

Thanks

Tyson

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

I've run two of the TLF reactors set up just the way you plan for some time and they do just fine. As a reminder, GFO needs a slower flow rate than carbon so just keep that in mind.

 

[tgriffin]

Great.... Thanks Jeff. What GFO and Carbon do you use? I know there are a million different kinds. I don't know anything about them. For all I know they are all the same.

 

[silver surfer]

I like Renew for carbon and phosgaurd for "gfo" Both by seachem.

 

[seth the wine guy]

With your bioload I think you could just do more frequent WC and come out cheaper than GFO and your corals will be happier for it too.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

tgriffin;750285 wrote: Great.... Thanks Jeff. What GFO and Carbon do you use? I know there are a million different kinds. I don't know anything about them. For all I know they are all the same.

I used BRS products. They worked just fine. I will say that I quit running both after I got some issues cleared up and I just do water changes now. 10% every other week on a 93 cube.

 

[ff337]

I have 2 TLF 550 reactors off my main pump. I built a manifold with ball valves to control flow to the reactor and the ball valves supplied with the reactors to fine tune the GFO tumble.

I use brs GFO and for carbon I bought a 52.5 lb bag from a lfs for about 50 bucks. Been using it for years with no issues.

 

[tgriffin]

Seth The Wine Guy;750300 wrote: With your bioload I think you could just do more frequent WC and come out cheaper than GFO and your corals will be happier for it too.

I can't get rid of this algae that covers my glass. In two days it gets bad regardless of water changes. I actually think it has gotten worse with adding the Pond Matrix

Edit:

porpoiseaquatics;750304 wrote: I used BRS products. They worked just fine. I will say that I quit running both after I got some issues cleared up and I just do water changes now. 10% every other week on a 93 cube.

This is what I'm hoping to do. We have the same tank so I'd love to get to where I'm only doing a 10% every two weeks. I'm doing 10-15% weekly now. Are you running a calcium reactor?

 

[seth the wine guy]

Is the matrix located pre or post skimmer in the sump?

 

[tgriffin]

post

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

tgriffin;750336 wrote: This is what I'm hoping to do. We have the same tank so I'd love to get to where I'm only doing a 10% every two weeks. I'm doing 10-15% weekly now. Are you running a calcium reactor?

I do not run a calcium reactor. Thought about it but I've had great growth since I moved to LED lighting and just doing water changes. Ocassionaly I dose some Calcium and Mg but only when I think about it.

 

[superclown]

I just ordered a tlf 150 reactor as well i have a problem w hair algae right now with doing weekly 5g water changes i suspect mine is more from older bulbs though i tested my ro water last week and my skimmer has been pulling plenty of sludge out but the algae keeps coming

 

[tgriffin]

I will be changing bulbs too very soon. Mine is 10 months old

 

[thanhreef]

I have been using two of the TLF reactors for years. I love it. I buy GFO (High Capacity) and Carbon from Bulk Reef Supply.

 

[tgriffin]

I have heard some "not so great" things from BRS GFO. Can anyone who has used these products and didn't like the speak up? I'm just wanting to get a good idea of what I might be getting should I go this route. I have heard that GFO will bleach corals at first

 

[thanhreef]

I have used BRS GFO for years and I have not had any problems at all. I change the media 3-4 weeks. For the first time to be safe, you use just half or lower what it recommended. You can increase it a little over next few months.

 

[ripped tide]

Algae control is a very opinionated subject. I hope you find a route that works well for you. I was impressed and dissapointed with gfo. It is impressive how quickly it will drop the phates, but dissapointing when our corals start to look like crap when deprived of food. About 70% of my sps bleached out while using gfo. Its probably more my fault than gfo's. I got a new photometer and didn't stop changing the gfo until it read 0.01ppm. There was no algae.... Or color left.

I've since then abandoned gfo And taken up biopellets. They seem to be doing their thing. Not nearly as aggressive as gfo, so my numbers don't stay too low, but don't get too high either.