I also made sure to buy ferric oxide and not aluminum.
Firewater, I think what people fail to realize is just how well GFO really works. For example, if you put in the MFG recommended amount and your tank has been suffering from habitually high phosphates you might see problems arise w/ a sudden drop in the phosphates. As noted in the research article of GFO it can drop your levels within hrs. As far as fluctuating Alk, test often. I think they mention in one of those threads or articles that people will turn the reactor on for a short period and back off again to give livestock a chance to adjust.
Edit: The 4-6 months per change of GFO probably won't cut it if your levels are high. I think once you have achieved a target level you can begin using less (given you aren't adding a lot more phosphates back into the water). What a lot of people find out is that their rocks are leaching out for a long time after. My tank used to an aggressive FOWLR and phosphates were an issue. I went reef w/ rodi h2o and GHA vanished. In the last few months been seeing a leaching effect. Then my skimmer went offline for a couple weeks. That's why I chose GFO and carbon dosing. The GFO nipped in the bud while carbon dosing will continue to use up the excess, given I keep my skimmer in top condition lol. I plan on stopping DOC before I reach the ULN stage. It's not in my plans and requires too much time for me to enjoy.
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