Quote:
Originally Posted by
Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/320#post_3319037
Seems to me some very important parts of the post were ignored.
I am aware that the tank is new. I am aware that this rise in nitrates should be expected. However, I dont want it to get any higher for fear of it getting out of control an no real way sans chemicals to get it back down if it does get out of control.
@spanko : yea the tank is about a month old. In the first post of this thread is a time line at the bottom that details just how long this tank has been setup. My water change ritual is (and tell me if its not enough or too much) has been to do a 5 gallon change once a week. I did the first water change 3 days after getting the shrimp, and the second change 3 days after getting the clowns. This equates to about a 7.5% water change for the total system volume (based on my best guesstimates : 56 gallon tank - some for rock and sand + 16 gallon sump - protien skimmer - return pump - DSB in fuge - LR rubble - 2 bags of chemipure). So far it has only been those 2 changes since the water first entered the tank. I think I read somewhere to not do a change during the cycle if the ammonia stayed at a relatively low lvl. Let's just say that the sump volume is taken up (displaced) by the rock and the san in the system. That leaves about 56 gallons of water. 5 gallon change is about 9%. Not bad for a mature tank, but IMO a larger 20% per week until you see some leveling off on the nitrate production would be better.
@levin: i know I need to relax, but with all that has happened to my family lately, its kinda hard to do so.
@BTLD : I have listened to you and value your advice. Only a moron would ignore someone with soo many tanks and soo much experience under their belt. My issue is placement for the extra macro. The fuge section is practally full of calipura and i think i see cheato growing in it. I also have some of that cactus algea growing in there as well. The drain section is "full" with the protien skimmer in there and it's pump and the return section is "full" with the 2 bags of chemipure and the return pump. Basically, my fuge area is not large enough me thinks. I will be doing the vacuuming on friday night as the water should be done brewing then and my wife will be home to assist me in the vacuuming department. I plan to do a 13 to 14 ( i think i have 15 gallons brewing) gallon change on friday. This should be close to 20% change. This is good and should be kept up until the tank matures, the macro in the fuge takes over with the nutrient uptake. I fully expect to see the nitrates drop on saturday morning's test, but I also expect to see the nitrates go right back up to 20 by saturday evening.
Just so that I know I am not nutz, it is algea that takes the nitrate and converts it to a gas yes? No, uses it as food to grow. The gas given off by algae is oxygen. And if there is less algea in the tank now as opposed to earlier (due to the cactus algea die off) this could be a very important factor in the extra nitrate yes? The Halemida is not a big contributer in the uptake of nutrient, it is calcacerous and uses calcium and alkalinity to grow. And trimming back the calipura in the fuge would actually be detrimental to the whole nitrate problem yes? No. trimming will actually remove the nutrient from the system and give the algae room to grow and the ability for light and water to get through the ball.And WTF are these bubbles on the algea, is it starting to go sexual and should I cut this section off? Looks like grape Caulerpa
C. racemosa
Hope that helps a little.
