How much GFO?

[20gallonreefer]

My tank has been set up almost 10 months with no problems. No changes or anything and out of no ware 2 weeks ago within days algae grew on every inch of rock. There was previously no algae at all except the stuff on the glass that grew once in a while but now my tank is covered in algae and I didn't even change anything. I have 4 pounds of BRS GFO on hand so how much is safe to put in for about 550 gallons of water volume.

My ro/do is still showing 0tds
I think it may have been a bad batch of salt but please leave replies of other things it may be that caused this.

 

[noelskii]

what kind of algae is it? what's your phosphate and nitrate?

 

[20gallonreefer]

It's green hair algae. And I don't know I never test those levels because I usually keep up with regular maintenance and never have problems. I have the Hanna phosphate meter but it gives me a different number every time so it's very unreliable.

what kind of algae is it? what's your phosphate and nitrate?

 

[noelskii]

Did you add any frags with GHA on it already?? I just recently battled GHA myself. My PO4 was super high at .34 (hanna). I manually removed the GHA, started using GFO ( i used the recommended amount since my pO4 was high) I performed frequent WC. I did the 4 days lights out then did a WC and changed out the GFO. All the GHA disappeared from the rocks.

I still had some GHA growing on the sandbed which I siphoned out at every WC. I checked my PO4 every other day or so and kept it under .05. Everything seems better now...

There's a great thread about GHA on here. Search it and good luck!

 

[20gallonreefer]

There was probably some sort of frag with gha on it already but I think it would be impossible to remove it all by hand for a 450 gallon dt.

Did you add any frags with GHA on it already?? I just recently battled GHA myself. My PO4 was super high at .34 (hanna). I manually removed the GHA, started using GFO ( i used the recommended amount since my pO4 was high) I performed frequent WC. I did the 4 days lights out then did a WC and changed out the GFO. All the GHA disappeared from the rocks.

I still had some GHA growing on the sandbed which I siphoned out at every WC. I checked my PO4 every other day or so and kept it under .05. Everything seems better now...

There's a great thread about GHA on here. Search it and good luck!

 

[tomtoothdoc]

bulk reef supply calculator for gfo....@550 gal. using granular gfo ~ 8.6 cups

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

 

[20gallonreefer]

Thanks! I forgot all about that calculator. Now on top of the algae problem I realized one of my bulkheads was cracked yesterday. This is another ongoing problem. Every 5 or 6 months the bulkheads crack and I have to drain about 50 gallons of water and fix them. it's such a PITA and I cant figure out why. They just break on the edges all the time.

bulk reef supply calculator for gfo....@550 gal. using granular gfo ~ 8.6 cups

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

 

[noelskii]

You're probably tightening the bulkheads too tight? Hand tighten only.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

You're probably tightening the bulkheads too tight? Hand tighten only.

agreed with the over tightening but i would suggest hand tighten then a 1/4 turn with the wrench......unless you got hulk hand, hand tightening alone had shown some salt creep/super slow leak over time.....impe.

also make sure the gasket in on the wet side with some silicone lube design to be used with gaskets....some people mistakenly put the gasket on the dry side and then over tighten it to prevent the leak.

 

[20gallonreefer]

I have 2 pounds (half gallon) of GFO in the tank for the past week and the algae is still there. Even had the lights off for 3 days. Would it be beneficial or detrimental to change 50 gallons of water every day or every other day until it goes away?

 

[ecvernon]

I think it is important to try to get a phosphate reading and nitrate reading. Lets say you levels were super high the best way to tell if it is working is to see if the levels are decreasing. Also are you running the gfo in a reactor?

 

[20gallonreefer]

No my reactor broke, I have them in a partition of the sump. I know it's not as good as a reactor but I tried to place it in a position that the water had to flow through the GFO to get to the next stage.

I think it is important to try to get a phosphate reading and nitrate reading. Lets say you levels were super high the best way to tell if it is working is to see if the levels are decreasing. Also are you running the gfo in a reactor?

 

[ecvernon]

I have tried something similar in the past. Reactor in my opinion is the only way to go. The rate of removal is so much faster. If you were using a reactor I believe you would have seen a difference

 

[20gallonreefer]

Maybe I'll look into purchasing a new one. Just had so many expenses recently for this tank.

I have tried something similar in the past. Reactor in my opinion is the only way to go. The rate of removal is so much faster. If you were using a reactor I believe you would have seen a difference

 

[tomtoothdoc]

i have a precision marine media reactor converted to run bio pellets but can be convert back to run any media up for sale cheap....$50

sale thread link.

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...ctor-biopellet-media-reactor.html#post1251598

 

[Awibrandy]

OP, your right on that the Hanna is a bit of a pain. What I do is; I do 3 test, and go with the two closes. Do check those P04, and more importantly the Nitrates....
Your tank is still considered a new tank (baby stage). It takes some time for a marine aquarium to stabilize it self.
Try to get a reactor, and run the GFO through it. Doing 50 gallon water changes out of a 500 gallon system every other day should not be a problem. But I would first find out what are the trates, and P04.
How's your feeding schedule, how often, is there food sinking to the bottom, and just sitting there? Do you have a clean up crew? What about fish, any that likes algae? My tangs don't allow algae to grow in my tank. Even when I put a frag with algae on it in to my tank the algae doesn't have a chance. It is gone within a few hours.

 

[20gallonreefer]

I just added a reactor to the tank with 4 cups of high capacity gfo and left 2 pounds of regular gfo just in a partition of the sump. Any estimates of how long it will take for the GHA to die off. I don't have any phosphate readings because that hanna meter still doesn't give me an accurate reading.

 

[mbg75]

Are you holding the button on the Hanna meter when it says add c2. So that the 3 minute timer counts down?

What are the readings your getting?

 

[20gallonreefer]

I am using it correctly it just seems defective. no matter how many times I try it doesn't give a stable reading. It will say .03 the first time around then 1.2 the second and .07 the third. It's a new number every time.

Are you holding the button on the Hanna meter when it says add c2. So that the 3 minute timer counts down?

What are the readings your getting?