about filters? need help

[movadoman21]

i just came back from a fish store and i told the guy that i have a 55gal fish tank with a runnning fluval 303 filter with bioxmax,chemipure,and foam inside it. he told me that was the wrong filter and i need a ecosystem hang on 40. for 250.00. hence i just bought 50lbs of fiji live rock. he said thats why my cycle hsasn't started yet. is he right by me needing a new filter or can i stay with the setup i have with my fluval 303 and can i buy three hermit crabs to clean the carpet algie?
thank you

 

[stacyt]

He's just trying to sell you something. I would add to the filtration by getting a skimmer. The fluval isn't the best, but it should be fine. Just make sure to keep it cleaned. The LR should've started your cycle, if it wasn't cured LR. If it was cured LR, then you wouldn't have seen a cycle. I would wait on adding any inverts. Have you tested your water? If so what where the results?

 

[logan15]

ok pretty much most LFS are going to try and sell you stuff you wont need or are good for your tank thats why before I get anything I post on the board like you did.I agree with stacy if the LR isnt cured it wouldnt of started a cycle so you could get some shrimp at the store and let the ammonia spike up some and then remove him the shrimp will smell very bad.Some people cycle with clowns or damsels.Also stacy is right uncured live rock will start the cycle and is usually cheaper then cured live rock but once your tank has started going only buy cured live rock so you dont start another cycle
Hope this helps,
Logan

 

[dreeves]

For a filter to work a few things need to be accomplished...
Mechanical- Some sort of element to trap sized debris (excess food, etc)
Biological- Something in which water flows on, over or through in which is an ideal place for bacteria to grow and do what the bacteria do...(bioballs, sponges etc), everything in your system will eventually harbor these bacteria to some point or another and all will aid in the process.
Chemical- Either resins, or organic matter (carbon, etc) which will absorb or attract potential contaminants in the water flow.
If you obtain a filter which accomplishes these three elements, and sized for an adequate water flow through your system...then it is a sufficient filter.
If you contruct a sump type filtration system...regardless of how you design or incorporate the three basic filtration elements into it...it is sufficient.
Additionally...if you do decide on another filter system...don't buy it from any LFS...they cannot compete with online sales which are available today.
I would wager that LFS just happened to have the 250.00 filter he was recommending as well...

 

[movadoman21]

ok i think i am confused i went to the fish store and i bought real live rock dont understand cured or not cured. i got it in a sealed box whith the rocks all damp from the fiji ilsands ( said on the box). well i think it worked cause i tested my water today and everthing has started to rise my ammonia went from 0 to 2.0,my nitrite went from 0 to 5+, my nitrate went from 5 to 10, ph stayed the same at 8.2. as to my filter i am running a fluval 303. inside the conerster theres three levels which i have on the first level (top) two pads of foam, second level bio max chips (looks like little macaroni pieces) bottom leve is a bag of chemi pure (looks like cole) are thoese good for my filter or do i need the bio balls (those are the blue little balls right) . i think the cycle has started just wondering if my filter is ok for a couple of months untill i save up for a real saltwater filter (eco system filter). on other thing the fish store guy said that i have to keep my light off for a week? is that true or not true? do fish usally live through the cycle? what kinda light is good to get dont know what i have in there now its just blue i think. are air radiers good to have to no? llike can i have bubbles comming from the tank or there should be nothing of the kind? i also have a visi jet protne skimmer installed but not running well i think thats all for now hope you all can help me with some advice
thank you

 

[poiboy]

Your 303 is good enough for the moment but you should upgrade to a sump or wetdry. Dont use the bioballs, in the longrun they will create a nitrate problem. And the live rock you got in the box sounds to me like it's uncured straight from the island. As far as the light being on or off during the cycle is up to you. I dont think it matters. The light you choose depends on the kind of livestock your planning (corals, inverts, fish only) bubbles is up to you but if have any sponge corals you should not have any bubbles, they will get caught in the pores and kill it. I think the tank looks more natural when you dont see any bubbles. my .02

 

[dreeves]

Bioballs do not create a nitrate problem...people create nitrate problems...
Bioballs are normally a plastic item hardly capable of creating any type of chemical reaction....
Nitrate is the result of nitrite being broken down...nothing more...and nothing less...
Cured vs. uncured live rock...
Cured-The organisms in which die off (normal) during the harvesting of the rock, transhipping, etc...have already been removed through the curing process..
Uncured- you will have to cure the rock (removing the normal die off) yourself...sometimes lengthy process, but, with curing it yourself...you get far more organisms which were on the rock, pods, hitchhikers, etc.
A "real" saltwater filter system doesn't begin nor end with ecosystem...
A "real" saltwater filter system is a filter in which will adequately filter your water...nothing more...nothing less...it is not brand specific.
As for the lighting being off...this is to help prevent an algea bloom during the cycle/curing process...some people do...some don't
Visi-jet protien skimmers (with my personal experience) are nothing more then rubble...
By reading your first post...and then your follow-up post, it seems as though you are not doing any research into this hobby you are embarking upon...
You should consider alot of research into the aspects of the hobby...learn about the very basics, then continue on with your pursuit. The more you learn now...the less you will have to try and learn when you encounter problems...

 

[poiboy]

hm... bioballs dont create nitrate. I know than can get dirty with dissovled particles and other material. Do you clean them and if you do how, without washing the benificial bactera off. I seen many threads on the board with people saying to take them out. They are nitrate bombs and factorys.
care to elaborate

 

[dreeves]

Nitrate is the end produce of Nitrite...particles which get trapped in them as you say...will decay...once decayed they are gone...very similar to any other biological media one may use for the process...be it live rock or whatever. Any product, live or not, which is designed to harbour bacteria will hold other particles as well...it is a porous surface.
As with any filtration system...keeping the unit and its components clean is a key to success...bioballs are no different.
To clean bioballs...one has a bucket (or whatever) with seawater in it...they rinse the balls in this water as to preserve the bacteria colonies contained on them.
Many users of this board are opinionated and generally follow the foot steps of others here. This by no means is indicative of any factual or non factual information.

 

[poiboy]

alright dreeves, thanks for clearing that up.

 

[dreeves]

Not a problem...