GFO

[PeregrinTook]

Anyone know where to get GFO and what the best kind is. My reactors should be here within the week and Im not sure where to buy it. The guy at Moby Dicks yesterday said they didnt have any. Im not down there mcuh just stopped because I was. I probably should have just got it from BRS but I figured I would find it elsewhere. I see some stuff on amazon and I have free two day shipping but Im not sure what Im looking for. I will probably go to Keys this week sometime too if they have some.

Carbon is carbon for the other canister right? or is there a specific kind i should look for of that?

[dputt88]

kees has it.

[binford4000]

Most LFS that carry salt fish and corals sell both GFO and carbon. Rawa and two ill fishes are good GFO's. Not all carbon is created equal tho honestly. If you are going to run carbon in a reactor you want a small grains carbon like BRS's .08 rox. You want the carbon to be fluidized or suspended in the reactor. Just my .02 tho. :oldman:

[PeregrinTook]

So I called ahead and the girl at keys says they have GFO. When I get there they don't have it and the guy says he has a new thing that "works just as well and is cheaper" called Phoslock?(not sure on the spelling). Its the closest place, I drove and hour, and I was excited to set up my dual reactor so trusted the guys and keys and bought this stuff. When I got home I set up my reactor with Phoslock and Carbon in them. If you don't know the name maybe you can picture it its white granuales.

Has anyone heard of this Phoslock stuff?

Also is there supposed to be a gap in between the mebia and the top sponge in my reactor or a big gap between the top sponge and the cap of the canister? It didnt say so.

[pinhigh1886]

Is it Phosguard? I use GFO and think it works great. I ran into the same situation once and couldn't get GFO. I bought Phosgaurd and I started getting a red algea in my sump and a little hair algea on my sand bed. Switched back to GFO and it was gone in 3 days. Could have been something else but I am sticking with GFO. I have also heard conflicting opinions about Phosguard leaching aluminum into the tank? May not be true so don't take my word for it!

[binford4000]

Phos guard does not leach aluminum into the water. I just switched to it and have had excalant results from it. It also last longer then GFO and cost a third off what GFO does now.

[PeregrinTook]

Yes its white granules. And that's what they said Its cheaper last longer and works just as good as GFO.

Im running it right now but Im not sure if I packed it to tight because only a part of it is tumbling and even if I turn the valve all the way open it doesn't change.

[pinhigh1886]

It's definately phosguard. I couldn't get mine to tumble either. I think it is just heavier and sticks together more than GFO. The Old Man is probably right about about the aluminum leaching. I thought it was more expensive? I paid $26 at Pruess's for a pretty small jar?

[binford4000]

It's definately phosguard. I couldn't get mine to tumble either. I think it is just heavier and sticks together more than GFO. The Old Man is probably right about about the aluminum leaching. I thought it was more expensive? I paid $26 at Pruess's for a pretty small jar?

It is heavier. I have my reactors comeing of my returns and it still doesn't tumble. Doesn't 't really have to. I got mine from drs. Foster and smith. 4# bucket for 50.00.

[jimsflies]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Bulk Reef Supply. They are the number one reef supplier of GFO in my opinion (and a sponsor :) ).

Regarding GO in general, I like to blend it with some carbon to minimize clumping.

[ReefTech]

It is heavier. I have my reactors comeing of my returns and it still doesn't tumble. Doesn't 't really have to. I got mine from drs. Foster and smith. 4# bucket for 50.00.

I agree with binford. phosgaurd is a heavier product and when running it in a reactor you dont need to worry about making it tumble, just adjust flow so that the water has decent contact time with the product in your reactor. Ive been using it on and off for the past five months and have had no negative side effects from using it. :thumbsup:

[dputt88]

i cant get my phosguard to tumble either. but on their website they mention that due to the spherical shape of phosguard it allows current to flow between granules easier. that my be why there is less tumbling. i use phosguard over gfo. i was have some big issues with GFO which happened suddenly after using it for well over a year.

phosguard is aluminum based, but you need a pH of 5.6 to get it to leach into the water. if your pH is that low you have bigger problems them aluminum.

[PeregrinTook]

I paid 8.99 a pound for the stuff I got from kees. For GFO if they had it I would have been paying twenty two something a pound. Its been a day or two havent noticed any results yet except where the algae I had before was a darker green it now seems to be turning a brighter green hopefully this means its dying off.

As for the tumbling there is some tumbling in a couple areas.

Chemically I will pry do a test this weekend and see.

Oh as for the pump its the one the recomended to me the cobalt mj1200.

The assembly was so easy for this dual reactor from BRS. I realy hope it does a great job for my tank.