Running GFO and Bio Pellets?

[randallino]

Originally Posted by Bblinks

I run carbon, rowaphos, and pellets. The only reason I run rowa phos is because I found that pellets reduced nitrate faster then phosphate and once one of the two element has been depleted, the bacteria can not remove the other, so the rowa finishes the rest of the phosphate.

I have been doing exactly the same thing for over a year now.

[Douglas]

I have tested my tank with a Hanna Checker ULR. I have a phosphate level, of 4ppb. Which is .0004 ppm. I don't believe running a phosphate reactor is nessesary. And fear, it could acctually harm my corals, by stripping the water totally, and causing the bio-pellets to not do their job properly, or bleach out my corals. Could this happen?

[Delphinus]

The pellets can only reduce PO4 so long as they can reduce NO3. Once NO3 is 0, they cannot reduce PO4 any further. Thus, there is a case to be made to run both GFO and pellets.

Carbon should be run on a reef tank regardless. Not a good idea at all not to have carbon in there as there are too many allelopaths released by corals, (softies and leathers are especially bad for this), plus it polishes up the water clarity. Here's a good writeup on the topic: http://joejaworski.wordpress.com/200...k-need-carbon/

[Pinchy]

I run all three plus Chaeto...

[Lampshade]

I notice that my PO4 goes up after a cheato harvest. I imagine it's because the cheato regrowing it taking up nitrates, and so my biopellets are no longer balanced. But i've not seen a need for GFO while running pellets, everything seems to stay nice and balanced, with even some extra nitrates that i'll bomb with vodka every once in awhile.

[Dive_dry]

i run all 3 And when i started i told to run pellets first for a month than start the GFO.

[Chowder]

I run all three . I started running GFO when I couldn't get rid of the hair algae. It did a good job at depleting it.

Chris