With gfo can you feed more?

[JMurphy97]

It's my understanding that with biopellets you really cannot overfeed. Is this the same with gfo?

[Tamberav]

Where did you get that idea?

 

You can overfeed if your filtration (combination of any sort of filtration) can handle it.

 

If you ran just GFO, then no, probably not. If you ran just biopellets, probably not. Biopellets is for nitrate (mostly) and GFO is for phosphate. If you ran both, you could probably overfeed if you have a big enough skimmer for the biopellets.

 

I overfeed my system greatly. To the point where the whole tank is just covered in food. I use biopellets and macroalgae with an over-sized skimmer. GFO would serve the same purpose as the macroalgae.

 

Basically, find a way or a combination of filration to control both nitrate and phosphate and you can overfeed. Many ways to do it, carbon dosing, deep sand beds, GFO, large fuges, activated carbon, large skimmers, purigen, extra water changes, ect.

[JMurphy97]

Pretty much everything I've read sayings don't mix biopellets with carbon/gfo and I'm not sure about macros. Also you're actually encouraged to dose the tank with food since the pellets strip the nutrients so well.

[Tamberav]

Pretty much everything I've read sayings don't mix biopellets with carbon/gfo and I'm not sure about macros. Also you're actually encouraged to dose the tank with food since the pellets strip the nutrients so well.

 

If it strips it too low, yes. Lots of people use GFO with pellets. It isn't always needed though or even recommended. It will be totally dependent on your specific tank.

 

Biopellets reduce nitrates faster than phosphates, but it needs both in order to reduce either. If it runs out of nitrates you will be left with phosphate and then you run GFO to get rid of the remaining phosphate. If it runs out of phosphate, you are left with nitrates in which case you would not want GFO.

 

Start with just pellets and add GFO later if the phosphate remains high.

 

It isn't like the combo is going to make the tank catch on fire.

 

I don't see how activated carbon matters, it does not significantly impact nitrates or phosphates. I use it in all my tanks for chemical warfare and pollutants. That's pretty much a big red flag that whatever you read wasn't accurate.

[JMurphy97]

Wouldn't you think with adding all that food and waste that would keep the balance in check with nitrates/phosphate?

[Tamberav]

Wouldn't you think with adding all that food and waste that would keep the balance in check with nitrates/phosphate?

 

Do you mean by not starving the corals?

 

Carbon reduces nitrates and phosphates at different rates. That's why sometimes, GFO is needed and other times it is detrimental.

[Dark_ice]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but why do you want phosphates? Simply put you don't feed more and the tank will run it's own course. You want the least amount of nitrates and phosphates

[JMurphy97]

Corals need some phosphate. Very little. I'm just trying to decide on using biopellets or gfo/carbon. Also I feel like fish and/or corals shouldn't be starved so you can have a clean tank with no nuisance algae.

[Tamberav]

Corals need some phosphate. Very little. I'm just trying to decide on using biopellets or gfo/carbon. Also I feel like fish and/or corals shouldn't be starved so you can have a clean tank with no nuisance algae.

 

I would start with biopellets and activated carbon and then add GFO later if needed if your goal is to overfeed. Be sure to start with a low dose of pellets.

 

That's for overfeeding though, you shouldn't have to starve your fish to keep nitrates and phosphates low. There are numerous tanks with adequately fed fish that don't use pellets.

[Dark_ice]

A non over feed tank will still produce both, keep in mind getting to zero on both is very very hard. Supplements work for coral also. I use 4-5 things every other day

[thegambler26]

I'm kinda late to this party here, but why do you have to over feed? I've always target fed everything. That way everyone ends up fat and happy and the excess is cut down to a minimum. The bio pellets and macro I run can easily handle the excess.