Debating between NOPOX and GFO

Daddyrawg · 07/20/2018, 02:41 PM

3 month old tank.. have couple clowns and a tang.. couple soft frags no biggie...

getting hair algae and that nasties coating on the glass lately.. I know
this might be part of ugly stage so should I leave it alone and continue weekly water changes 10% or try attacking it with nopox or GFO?

I will be testing my phophate levels later today for the first time with my salifert kit.

specs.. 90 gal 20 gal sump great skimmer etc.. running carbon in duel reactor atm..

hkgar · 07/20/2018, 02:54 PM

It's probably all part of the aging process. Think of a tank as moving from infant to toddler to child to teenager All stages present some sort of problem until adulthood when it finally learns to take care of itself, if you treat it right.

Daddyrawg · 07/20/2018, 03:09 PM

or Flukanazole?

or maybe ill just be more patient and not do anything since the algae isnt overwhelming

reefgeezer · 07/20/2018, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

or Flukanazole?

or maybe ill just be more patient and not do anything since the algae isnt overwhelming

Probably a good idea. Maybe add some clean up crew members to help with the algae.

lapin · 07/20/2018, 03:41 PM

Yes to the clean up crew and you. When you start adding chemicals to fix one thing you end up with another, in a new tank. 90% of the time when I run GFO in a new tank I get cyano. Not a bad thing, but you may not want it.

Daddi0 · 07/20/2018, 03:51 PM

What are your nitrate/phosphate levels?

Daddyrawg · 07/20/2018, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddi0

What are your nitrate/phosphate levels?

Nitrates between 5 and 10.. I can never tell if its 5 or 10ppm

phoshates I will test tonight

Daddi0 · 07/20/2018, 04:26 PM

Nitrates are low enough to resist adding NoPox. Phosphate level will determine if GFO may be an option.

Daddyrawg · 07/20/2018, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddi0

Nitrates are low enough to resist adding NoPox. Phosphate level will determine if GFO may be an option.

ok I will get you that info in a couple hours or so

Daddyrawg · 07/20/2018, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

ok I will get you that info in a couple hours or so

phosphates seem high..salifert test kit showed 0.25 on the color comparison

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Uncle99 · 07/20/2018, 06:09 PM

IMO, too high at .25, shoot for .02-.04 if you keep corals, you can achieve that level with a GFO.

I do not reccomend Phosguard but highly reccomend ROWAPHOS.

Took my phosphate from .12 or so to .05 in a couple of days, .02 by weeks end, now I am going to take out the bag so I don't go any lower...

Also consider light, the amount, the intensity, the colour, it's also a big contributor to algae..

NoPox is an option if your nitrate starts to creep higher, I use NOPox to manage my nitrate between 5-10ppm, that's seems like the sweet spot for my corals

Daddi0 · 07/20/2018, 06:21 PM

.25 is higher than I like. It would be nice to find the source. Test both your R/O and saltwater for Phosphate.

Daddyrawg · 07/20/2018, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddi0

.25 is higher than I like. It would be nice to find the source. Test both your R/O and saltwater for Phosphate.

Ro is 0 tds from my unit...I have a feeling my purple real reef live rock leaches phosphates...atkeast thats what my LFS owner said about that rock...

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Daddi0 · 07/20/2018, 07:10 PM

Well probably not a bad idea to start running some GFO or equivalent. Start slow
Cheers! Mark

bertoni · 07/21/2018, 01:45 PM

I agree that phosphate at 0.25 ppm is a bit high, and might encourage a lot of algal growth. I suspect that the source is food, but some people get contaminated live rock. Those are the more common sources.

Daddyrawg · 07/21/2018, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

IMO, too high at .25, shoot for .02-.04 if you keep corals, you can achieve that level with a GFO.

I do not reccomend Phosguard but highly reccomend ROWAPHOS.

Took my phosphate from .12 or so to .05 in a couple of days, .02 by weeks end, now I am going to take out the bag so I don't go any lower...

Also consider light, the amount, the intensity, the colour, it's also a big contributor to algae..

NoPox is an option if your nitrate starts to creep higher, I use NOPox to manage my nitrate between 5-10ppm, that's seems like the sweet spot for my corals

Going with Rowaphos in my gfo reactor..will be delivered monday.

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Uncle99 · 07/21/2018, 05:23 PM

If you use a reactor, you want a slow tumble.
Comes with great instructs, have a read, keep an eye of the levels, I am going to have to stop mine soon before its strips all the phosphate, I do want to keep .02-.04 ish for my corals.
The small amount of algae I had disappeared in two weeks, my skimmer when unusually dark green, almost black.
It's benefit is is absorbs phosphate fast.....it's bad is it can strip all the phosphate fast...
Good luck!

Daddyrawg · 07/21/2018, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

If you use a reactor, you want a slow tumble.
Comes with great instructs, have a read, keep an eye of the levels, I am going to have to stop mine soon before its strips all the phosphate, I do want to keep .02-.04 ish for my corals.
The small amount of algae I had disappeared in two weeks, my skimmer when unusually dark green, almost black.
It's benefit is is absorbs phosphate fast.....it's bad is it can strip all the phosphate fast...
Good luck!

Thank you sir! ok light tumble and stop using when phates drop got it.

so running it 24/7 is bad idea . check

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Daddi0 · 07/21/2018, 06:11 PM

Good Luck!

Daddyrawg · 07/21/2018, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddi0

Good Luck!

thanks

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Vinny Kreyling · 07/22/2018, 08:00 AM

Nothing wrong with Nitrates under 10 in a reef tank.
Phosphate should be lower.
There is a well known 20.000 reef tank here on LI that runs extremely well with phosphate around .16

Daddyrawg · 07/23/2018, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

IMO, too high at .25, shoot for .02-.04 if you keep corals, you can achieve that level with a GFO.

I do not reccomend Phosguard but highly reccomend ROWAPHOS.

Took my phosphate from .12 or so to .05 in a couple of days, .02 by weeks end, now I am going to take out the bag so I don't go any lower...

Also consider light, the amount, the intensity, the colour, it's also a big contributor to algae..

NoPox is an option if your nitrate starts to creep higher, I use NOPox to manage my nitrate between 5-10ppm, that's seems like the sweet spot for my corals

How much Rowaphos should I put in my reactor based off of my specs?

I have 100 ml container coming today.. again my phosphates are at 0.25 and tank is 90 gallons with 15 gallon sump

Thanks

ReefWreak · 07/23/2018, 11:18 AM

I'm still going to go back to "this is part of the ugly stage" since I was just there a few months ago and it's still fresh in my mind. I did a big water change, siphoning out as much of the algae as possible, and tripled my clean-up crew (went from 10 snails to 30), as well as added a conch for my own entertainment.

Between the siphoning, the developing maturity of the tank, and the herbivores, the algae was gone within 2 weeks.

And once it's gone, it doesn't come back as long as you have a healthy clean-up crew. I was trying to feed these damn anthias enough for them to stay alive, feeding 3-4 times a day of a mix of frozen and pellets, and my nitrates started going up, but not the algae. I've reduced it down since then, however really once your clean up crew is rock solid, you won't have to worry (as long as it's an edible form of algae; if you get inedible algae like bubble algae, you're toast).

Remember, whatever you do (other than siphoning out algae), go slowly. Rowaphos can strip phosphates very quickly that could harm corals. Other rapid phosphate reducers can harm fishes (lanthanum chloride drops). It's a general rule to do things slowly. Good things take time, only bad things happen quickly.

Good luck, I hope you find a solution to your algae issue. Remember it takes time!

Daddyrawg · 07/23/2018, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReefWreak

I'm still going to go back to "this is part of the ugly stage" since I was just there a few months ago and it's still fresh in my mind. I did a big water change, siphoning out as much of the algae as possible, and tripled my clean-up crew (went from 10 snails to 30), as well as added a conch for my own entertainment.

Between the siphoning, the developing maturity of the tank, and the herbivores, the algae was gone within 2 weeks.

And once it's gone, it doesn't come back as long as you have a healthy clean-up crew. I was trying to feed these damn anthias enough for them to stay alive, feeding 3-4 times a day of a mix of frozen and pellets, and my nitrates started going up, but not the algae. I've reduced it down since then, however really once your clean up crew is rock solid, you won't have to worry (as long as it's an edible form of algae; if you get inedible algae like bubble algae, you're toast).

Remember, whatever you do (other than siphoning out algae), go slowly. Rowaphos can strip phosphates very quickly that could harm corals. Other rapid phosphate reducers can harm fishes (lanthanum chloride drops). It's a general rule to do things slowly. Good things take time, only bad things happen quickly.

Good luck, I hope you find a solution to your algae issue. Remember it takes time!

so you are saying your snails helped with hair algae? what kind of snails if so? still gonna run gfo to get my phates to drop to acceptable

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ReefWreak · 07/23/2018, 11:32 AM

Manual removal is always key for large algaes. After that, yes, the snails helped. I didn't think they would, but I didn't get all of the thick algae, someone must have eaten it (before I put tangs in my tank).

My snails were all banded trochus snails. A departure from the astrea snails that I had always had in my reefing career. Needless to say, I'm a big fan of banded trochus snails now.

07/20/2018, 02:41 PM	#1
Daddyrawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 814	Debating between NOPOX and GFO 3 month old tank.. have couple clowns and a tang.. couple soft frags no biggie... getting hair algae and that nasties coating on the glass lately.. I know this might be part of ugly stage so should I leave it alone and continue weekly water changes 10% or try attacking it with nopox or GFO? I will be testing my phophate levels later today for the first time with my salifert kit. specs.. 90 gal 20 gal sump great skimmer etc.. running carbon in duel reactor atm..

07/20/2018, 02:54 PM	#2
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	It's probably all part of the aging process. Think of a tank as moving from infant to toddler to child to teenager All stages present some sort of problem until adulthood when it finally learns to take care of itself, if you treat it right. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

07/20/2018, 03:41 PM	#5
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	Yes to the clean up crew and you. When you start adding chemicals to fix one thing you end up with another, in a new tank. 90% of the time when I run GFO in a new tank I get cyano. Not a bad thing, but you may not want it. __________________ Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening

07/20/2018, 03:51 PM	#6
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	What are your nitrate/phosphate levels? __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/20/2018, 04:26 PM	#8
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Nitrates are low enough to resist adding NoPox. Phosphate level will determine if GFO may be an option. __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/20/2018, 03:09 PM	#3
Daddyrawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 814	or Flukanazole? or maybe ill just be more patient and not do anything since the algae isnt overwhelming

07/20/2018, 06:09 PM	#11
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	IMO, too high at .25, shoot for .02-.04 if you keep corals, you can achieve that level with a GFO. I do not reccomend Phosguard but highly reccomend ROWAPHOS. Took my phosphate from .12 or so to .05 in a couple of days, .02 by weeks end, now I am going to take out the bag so I don't go any lower... Also consider light, the amount, the intensity, the colour, it's also a big contributor to algae.. NoPox is an option if your nitrate starts to creep higher, I use NOPox to manage my nitrate between 5-10ppm, that's seems like the sweet spot for my corals

07/20/2018, 06:21 PM	#12
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	.25 is higher than I like. It would be nice to find the source. Test both your R/O and saltwater for Phosphate. __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/20/2018, 07:10 PM	#14
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Well probably not a bad idea to start running some GFO or equivalent. Start slow Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/21/2018, 01:45 PM	#15
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that phosphate at 0.25 ppm is a bit high, and might encourage a lot of algal growth. I suspect that the source is food, but some people get contaminated live rock. Those are the more common sources. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/21/2018, 05:23 PM	#17
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	If you use a reactor, you want a slow tumble. Comes with great instructs, have a read, keep an eye of the levels, I am going to have to stop mine soon before its strips all the phosphate, I do want to keep .02-.04 ish for my corals. The small amount of algae I had disappeared in two weeks, my skimmer when unusually dark green, almost black. It's benefit is is absorbs phosphate fast.....it's bad is it can strip all the phosphate fast... Good luck! Last edited by Uncle99; 07/21/2018 at 05:29 PM.

07/21/2018, 06:11 PM	#19
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Good Luck! __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/22/2018, 08:00 AM	#21
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Nothing wrong with Nitrates under 10 in a reef tank. Phosphate should be lower. There is a well known 20.000 reef tank here on LI that runs extremely well with phosphate around .16 __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

07/23/2018, 11:18 AM	#23
ReefWreak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 10,159	I'm still going to go back to "this is part of the ugly stage" since I was just there a few months ago and it's still fresh in my mind. I did a big water change, siphoning out as much of the algae as possible, and tripled my clean-up crew (went from 10 snails to 30), as well as added a conch for my own entertainment. Between the siphoning, the developing maturity of the tank, and the herbivores, the algae was gone within 2 weeks. And once it's gone, it doesn't come back as long as you have a healthy clean-up crew. I was trying to feed these damn anthias enough for them to stay alive, feeding 3-4 times a day of a mix of frozen and pellets, and my nitrates started going up, but not the algae. I've reduced it down since then, however really once your clean up crew is rock solid, you won't have to worry (as long as it's an edible form of algae; if you get inedible algae like bubble algae, you're toast). Remember, whatever you do (other than siphoning out algae), go slowly. Rowaphos can strip phosphates very quickly that could harm corals. Other rapid phosphate reducers can harm fishes (lanthanum chloride drops). It's a general rule to do things slowly. Good things take time, only bad things happen quickly. Good luck, I hope you find a solution to your algae issue. Remember it takes time!

07/23/2018, 11:32 AM	#25
ReefWreak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 10,159	Manual removal is always key for large algaes. After that, yes, the snails helped. I didn't think they would, but I didn't get all of the thick algae, someone must have eaten it (before I put tangs in my tank). My snails were all banded trochus snails. A departure from the astrea snails that I had always had in my reefing career. Needless to say, I'm a big fan of banded trochus snails now.