Building my 56 gallon Column reef tank
- Thread starter monsinour
- Start date
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317572
The only thing out of "whack" is the nitrate at 20. Suggestions on how to reduce that?
Bigger water change.
Are you running carbon yet?
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317572
The only thing out of "whack" is the nitrate at 20. Suggestions on how to reduce that?
Bigger water change.
Are you running carbon yet?
monsinour
Active Member
Did a 5 gallon change last week and the nitrates went from 20 to 5 for a day. right back to 20 the next day.
Running the chemipure elite in the sump, but there isnt that much flow where it is and IF I stuff it into the baffels, it reduces the flow too much in the sump.
I ahve 6 gallons brewing for a water change/top off for monday since I am getting fish tomorrow. 5 gallons is about 10% water change, how much are we thinking? 25%? about 15 gallons?
Running the chemipure elite in the sump, but there isnt that much flow where it is and IF I stuff it into the baffels, it reduces the flow too much in the sump.
I ahve 6 gallons brewing for a water change/top off for monday since I am getting fish tomorrow. 5 gallons is about 10% water change, how much are we thinking? 25%? about 15 gallons?
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317646
Did a 5 gallon change last week and the nitrates went from 20 to 5 for a day. right back to 20 the next day.
Running the chemipure elite in the sump, but there isnt that much flow where it is and IF I stuff it into the baffels, it reduces the flow too much in the sump.
I ahve 6 gallons brewing for a water change/top off for monday since I am getting fish tomorrow. 5 gallons is about 10% water change, how much are we thinking? 25%? about 15 gallons?
I do 20% weekly on all my tanks.
Odd that it jumped right back up that quickly. You haven't been feeding the inverts, have you?
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317646
Did a 5 gallon change last week and the nitrates went from 20 to 5 for a day. right back to 20 the next day.
Running the chemipure elite in the sump, but there isnt that much flow where it is and IF I stuff it into the baffels, it reduces the flow too much in the sump.
I ahve 6 gallons brewing for a water change/top off for monday since I am getting fish tomorrow. 5 gallons is about 10% water change, how much are we thinking? 25%? about 15 gallons?
I do 20% weekly on all my tanks.
Odd that it jumped right back up that quickly. You haven't been feeding the inverts, have you?
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317716
I fed them once. Well it wasnt really a feeding, i was trying to catch the bristle worms. The shrimp ate half of the food and I left it in there for a few hours trying to catch the bristle worms. When no worms entered the glass after 3 hours, I removed the excess food.
Yeah, no excess food was left in the tank after that though ...
Hmm, I hate your nitrate kit. Try to get the carbon in a little more flow....
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317716
I fed them once. Well it wasnt really a feeding, i was trying to catch the bristle worms. The shrimp ate half of the food and I left it in there for a few hours trying to catch the bristle worms. When no worms entered the glass after 3 hours, I removed the excess food.
Yeah, no excess food was left in the tank after that though ...
Hmm, I hate your nitrate kit. Try to get the carbon in a little more flow....
monsinour
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317719
Yeah, no excess food was left in the tank after that though ...
Hmm, I hate your nitrate kit. Try to get the carbon in a little more flow....
No excess food was left in the tank overnight. The shrimp did take some and drag it out of the glass causing it to swirl around in the tank, but what can you do about that. There was about a quarter of the food cube left in the glass (I started with half a cube knowing the shrimp would eat some), I am guessing on that, and I removed that.
You hate the API nitrate test? I will do both API and RS for nitrate tonight to see what the 2 tests say. I am going to the LFS tomorrow, if they sell the salifert nitrate test seperately, I can pick it up if you suggest doing so. You have seen pics of my sump, where would you put it? It is currently in the skimmer section all the way to the right, stuffed under the baffle as best i can without restricting flow too much.
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317719
Yeah, no excess food was left in the tank after that though ...
Hmm, I hate your nitrate kit. Try to get the carbon in a little more flow....
No excess food was left in the tank overnight. The shrimp did take some and drag it out of the glass causing it to swirl around in the tank, but what can you do about that. There was about a quarter of the food cube left in the glass (I started with half a cube knowing the shrimp would eat some), I am guessing on that, and I removed that.
You hate the API nitrate test? I will do both API and RS for nitrate tonight to see what the 2 tests say. I am going to the LFS tomorrow, if they sell the salifert nitrate test seperately, I can pick it up if you suggest doing so. You have seen pics of my sump, where would you put it? It is currently in the skimmer section all the way to the right, stuffed under the baffle as best i can without restricting flow too much.
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317723
No excess food was left in the tank overnight. The shrimp did take some and drag it out of the glass causing it to swirl around in the tank, but what can you do about that. There was about a quarter of the food cube left in the glass (I started with half a cube knowing the shrimp would eat some), I am guessing on that, and I removed that.
You hate the API nitrate test? I will do both API and RS for nitrate tonight to see what the 2 tests say. I am going to the LFS tomorrow, if they sell the salifert nitrate test seperately, I can pick it up if you suggest doing so. You have seen pics of my sump, where would you put it? It is currently in the skimmer section all the way to the right, stuffed under the baffle as best i can without restricting flow too much.
I do not recommend the Salifert nitrate kit. Go with SeaChem or Elos. I prefer SeaChem, it comes with a testing solution, it tests nitrite and nitrate.
I'll have to look at the sump design again ...
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317723
No excess food was left in the tank overnight. The shrimp did take some and drag it out of the glass causing it to swirl around in the tank, but what can you do about that. There was about a quarter of the food cube left in the glass (I started with half a cube knowing the shrimp would eat some), I am guessing on that, and I removed that.
You hate the API nitrate test? I will do both API and RS for nitrate tonight to see what the 2 tests say. I am going to the LFS tomorrow, if they sell the salifert nitrate test seperately, I can pick it up if you suggest doing so. You have seen pics of my sump, where would you put it? It is currently in the skimmer section all the way to the right, stuffed under the baffle as best i can without restricting flow too much.
I do not recommend the Salifert nitrate kit. Go with SeaChem or Elos. I prefer SeaChem, it comes with a testing solution, it tests nitrite and nitrate.
I'll have to look at the sump design again ...
meowzer
Moderator
WOW....it really does look like the spiny star astrea....I have tried to buy them...LOL...1st I got the wrong thing....and then they are always out of stock
http://www.***********.com/images/categories/product/p-38976-astrea.jpg
http://www.***********.com/images/categories/product/p-38976-astrea.jpg
monsinour
Active Member
water test from last night
80.1
1.025
8.0 for API and 8.0 for RS
between 0 and .25 for API 0 for RS
0 for API .02 for RS
20 for API 12.5 for RS
this morning i am running only the API tests and the results are
80.1
1.025
7.8
0
0
20
So I still have nitrate in there, aside from doing water changes, what else can I do to get rid of it naturally?
80.1
1.025
8.0 for API and 8.0 for RS
between 0 and .25 for API 0 for RS
0 for API .02 for RS
20 for API 12.5 for RS
this morning i am running only the API tests and the results are
80.1
1.025
7.8
0
0
20
So I still have nitrate in there, aside from doing water changes, what else can I do to get rid of it naturally?
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317877
So I still have nitrate in there, aside from doing water changes, what else can I do to get rid of it naturally?
Add more plant life to your refugium. I would suggest chaeto. I have had the best success with Caulerpa, but it needs a longer light cycle than some of the others and you have to watch that it doesn't go sexual, or it makes a mess of the tank.
It might be time to change out the carbon, I can't remember what type you're using.
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317877
So I still have nitrate in there, aside from doing water changes, what else can I do to get rid of it naturally?
Add more plant life to your refugium. I would suggest chaeto. I have had the best success with Caulerpa, but it needs a longer light cycle than some of the others and you have to watch that it doesn't go sexual, or it makes a mess of the tank.
It might be time to change out the carbon, I can't remember what type you're using.
monsinour
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317885
Add more plant life to your refugium. I would suggest chaeto. I have had the best success with Caulerpa, but it needs a longer light cycle than some of the others and you have to watch that it doesn't go sexual, or it makes a mess of the tank.
It might be time to change out the carbon, I can't remember what type you're using.
Time to change the carbon? I just put the chemipure elite in there about 1 week ago. I cant imagine that the one bag only lasts for a week. That would be a waste of $11 every week then, in my mind.
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317885
Add more plant life to your refugium. I would suggest chaeto. I have had the best success with Caulerpa, but it needs a longer light cycle than some of the others and you have to watch that it doesn't go sexual, or it makes a mess of the tank.
It might be time to change out the carbon, I can't remember what type you're using.
Time to change the carbon? I just put the chemipure elite in there about 1 week ago. I cant imagine that the one bag only lasts for a week. That would be a waste of $11 every week then, in my mind.
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317887
Time to change the carbon? I just put the chemipure elite in there about 1 week ago. I cant imagine that the one bag only lasts for a week. That would be a waste of $11 every week then, in my mind.
Ah, you are using Chemi Pure, I couldn't remember. That should not be the issue then, but I think you need 2 bags for your size tank, don't you? I think one bag is only good for 40G.
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317887
Time to change the carbon? I just put the chemipure elite in there about 1 week ago. I cant imagine that the one bag only lasts for a week. That would be a waste of $11 every week then, in my mind.
Ah, you are using Chemi Pure, I couldn't remember. That should not be the issue then, but I think you need 2 bags for your size tank, don't you? I think one bag is only good for 40G.
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317896
I got the 11 oz bag. On their website it does not say how much to use per certain sized tank, atleast not that I could find. When we go to the LFS today to get the fish, I will ask them and get some, if they have any.
That size jar is meant for 40g. You'll need two in your tank.
I used to run 2 on my 40g reef. I now have to run the Grand Elite, plus I use regular no name carbon as well.
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/260#post_3317896
I got the 11 oz bag. On their website it does not say how much to use per certain sized tank, atleast not that I could find. When we go to the LFS today to get the fish, I will ask them and get some, if they have any.
That size jar is meant for 40g. You'll need two in your tank.
I used to run 2 on my 40g reef. I now have to run the Grand Elite, plus I use regular no name carbon as well.