GeoffM1968's 24 Gallon Reef Tank Log » GFO

Observations

Geoff — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:20:19 +0000

Still conducting my ZEOvit experiment seeing minimal results three weeks into it. May be related to skimmer not performing up to par so I adjusted it to skim a little more wet. As part of my ZEOvit experiment, I will be adding an additional reactor with the ZEOvit to see if that part of the ZEOvit system has any impact. There are arguments it has minimal impact in a marine environment and I want to test those arguments.

Reduced Vodka dosing from 2.5 ml/day to 2.0 ml/day as part of transition to ZEOvit supplements. Was seeing bacteria bloom on the glass so knew time to decrease again.

Conducted a 4 gallon water change. Did not need to change GFO but need to ensure it is not caking or I see numbers increase. Changed GAC as part of the monthly routine. Notice the skimmer was not skimming because the pump was plugged. Cleaned skimmer.

The air pump for my air stones stopped working and need to replace. Disappointing as it is only a few months old. Using it as part of solution to combat low pH due to high level of CO2 levels in house. Air pump was located on outside of house to import external air to tank. Will need to replace. Looking at a higher end pump but will replace with cheap brand until I want to invest in more expensive model.

Placed the LiterMeter III which is dosing Kalk top off on a RKE timer so it is only dosing during dark phase of the photo period to stabilize the pH swings. Will need to adjust the liters per day to compensate for the change. It was set at 3.40.

My orange hammer is seeing STN now it has been retracted since bumping it with the teal acro a couple months ago. I am afraid I am going to lose it. Acros are showing good polyp extension with some color returning after the Flatworm Exit treatment. Adjusted photo period from eight hours of daylight to six hours as before treatment was seeing washed out colors from the NEP T5s. Still hoping the other light bulb companies jump on board by October to make the 18w size bulbs for my 20 inch fixture as I am looking at replacing them by then or upgrade to a 24w fixture. I want to utilize better bulbs than those provided by Current. I really like my NEP T5 fixture and do not want to replace it. Looking at the ATI 24 inch 6 bulb fixture.

Running into an issue with my RKE as the timers not working properly. My RKE with the latest firmware version 1.11 not recognizing the DoW (day of week) settings. This is impacting my new settings for separate timers for weekend photo period.

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Changed GFO

Geoff — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:09:10 +0000

Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) with 1 cup of GFO and cleaned reactor. Phosphate reading was up to 0.05 ppm from 0.02 ppm on 4/20. At this current regime, I am needing to replace GFO every 3 to 4 days. I am failing to see any improvements using the ZEObak (1 drop twice week) and ZEOstart2 (0.2 ml per day) after one week of usage. Still using Vodka dosing as did not want to totally eliminate all at once. I will expect to see improvements in both Phosphates and Nitrates after four weeks so lets see in a few more weeks.

Changed GFO Changed the GFO in the TLF Reactor as notice algae...
GFO Changed Changed GFO today as PO4 creeping up....
Changed GFO and GAC Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)...

Changed GFO and Performed Water Change

Geoff — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 02:24:53 +0000

Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (1 cup GFO) and preformed partial water change (1.5 gal). Observe Hammer Coral still retracted and other Acropora corals have browned. Attribute Acropora browning to high nutrients. Still have an issue with flatworms but waiting for additional treatment with Flatworm Exit.

Water Change Doing a water change trying to get salinity up to...
Water Change (2 gal) Performed water change and some maintenance. Cleaned the Skimmer and...
Water Change (3 gal), Maintenance, and New Equipment Completed a water change by vacuuming the chamber holding the...

Changed GFO

Geoff — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 02:53:21 +0000

Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and cleaned reactor. Used 1 cup of GFO. Switched out Maxi Jet 400 for 1200 to get better tumble as think that is reason GFO not lasting 14 – 30 days as it is caking.

Changed GFO and GAC Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)...
Changed GFO and GAC Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)...
Changed GFO Changed as not seeing marked decrease in PO4 for some...

Changed GFO and GAC

Geoff — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:16:34 +0000

Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and cleaned reactors. Used about 1 cup of GFO and 2 cups of GAC.

Changed GFO and GAC Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)...
Changed GFO Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and cleaned reactor. Used 1...
Changed Carbon Changed the Carbon in the TLF Reactor. Used about 3...

General Maintenance and Changed GFO

Geoff — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:21:11 +0000

Changed GFO (1 cup), blew rocks, stirred sand bed a bit, and pulled some algae which has been trying to grow. All corals look good except for the Orange Hammer which is still mostly retracted from being bumped when the Teal Acro was introduced and the Teal Acro which never colored up when it was placed. Getting good polyp extension from the Teal Acro. The rest of the Acro frags are growing or encrusting with great polyp extension and color. The Red Planet Acro lost its green underlying color but suspect because the T5s are too bright for it.

Replaced the Micro Jet 320 with an Eheim Compact 300 (80 gph) for theKalk Drip Chamber to keep the detris suspended and stir the Kalk chamber.

Using Zeo Sponge Power and Amino Acids concentrated (1 drop/day) to see what they can do to help on color and growth. Been dosing these for about two weeks. Not sure if it because of these but seeing good growth and encrusting than I was seeing before.

I am not too impressed with Vodka dosing as not seeing much from it which may be due to the deep sand bed from what I am reading. I should be dosing a maximum of 1 ml/day for my tank but I am up to 5 ml/day trying to find maintenance dosage. Not going to increase more than that and looking at discontinuing it. The nitrates are staying at 17.6 ppm with little impact on phosphate levels.

Changed GFO Changed the GFO in the TLF Reactor as notice algae...
GFO Changed Changed GFO today as PO4 creeping up....
Changed GFO and GAC Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)...

Changed GFO

Geoff — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:22:34 +0000

Changed as not seeing marked decrease in PO4 for some reason. Refilled with 1 cup GFO.

GFO Changed Changed GFO today as PO4 creeping up....
Changed GFO Changed the GFO in the TLF Reactor as notice algae...
Changed Carbon Changed the Carbon in the TLF Reactor. Used about 3...

Changed GFO and GAC

Geoff — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:19:52 +0000

Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and cleaned reactors. Used about 1 cup of GFO and 2 cups of GAC. Will need to cut down on GFO as took a big pH hit this time.

Changed GFO and GAC Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)...
Changed GFO Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and cleaned reactor. Used 1...
Changed Carbon Changed the Carbon in the TLF Reactor. Used about 3...

GFO Changed

Geoff — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:51:50 +0000

Changed GFO today as PO4 creeping up.

Changed GFO Changed the GFO in the TLF Reactor as notice algae...
Changed GFO Changed as not seeing marked decrease in PO4 for some...
Changed Carbon Changed the Carbon in the TLF Reactor. Used about 3...

Reactor Maintenance

Geoff — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:04:10 +0000

Cleaned both the MJ 600 (Carbon Reactor) and the MJ 400 (GFO Reactor) pumps for the reactors. The MJ 600 was making a rattling nose which was driving me crazy and I was hoping this would resolve it. It did not so I ordered a new Eheim 600 Compact Pump as they are suppose to be whisper quiet.

Water Change (3 gal), Maintenance, and New Equipment Completed a water change by vacuuming the chamber holding the...
Changed Carbon Changed the Carbon in the TLF Reactor. Used about 3...
Changed GFO Changed the GFO in the TLF Reactor as notice algae...