GFO: Yes or No?

[Bubba30]

I'm planning on setting up my 10g sump with a filter sock, Aquamaxx WS-1, 14" X 5" X 9" fuge for macros and some Seachem Matrix, then some carbon filter pads, and back to the display. My understanding is macros use nitrates 16 to 1 of phosphates. Would it make sense to run GFO? I read some people don't get much macro growth along with GFO and imagine the nitrates are the limiting factor. Is it redundant to have both?

[masterbuilder]

IMO...what determines if you need to use GFO is measuring the levels of PO4. Most people want to keep it at a barely detectable level (0.01-0.03 ppm), its not good to strip ALL the PO4 which GFO can easily do.

 

In general, PO4 kits range from not very good to near useless. I use a Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker and its about the only one that can reliably (to some extent) measure the levels we all want in our reef tanks.

 

So to answer your question...with macros growing I would skip the GFO all together, at least in the beginning. My 2 cents.

 

Mark

 

p.s. Same thing for nitrates...you want some. Too sterile is not a good thing.

[Bubba30]

Thanks Mark. I think I'll start with just the macros and then as I begin to add more corals/fish and start feeding heavier I will test PO4 and see if I need it.

 

I think I'm just looking for a reason to diy an acrylic reactor.

[bob115]

Phosphates are interesting I think. I've never gotten any result other than 0 on my Hanna ULR, but that's because algae was sucking it up about as fast as it was released. How does one achieve algae growth slower than the nutrients are released to get the low levels of phosphate and nitrate? Is some other nutrient limiting in that situation?