Change or not to change

[orby]

I have a 150gal reef and my filtation is as follows:
I have a 90gal store display with 15 cubicals and a wet/dry underneath. The 90gal is set up to do all the filtration. In all the cubicals i keep calurpa under 24hr lighting and weed out several pounds of it every couple of weeks. Also in all the cubicals is a deep sand bed of Araganite. The display tank is a bare bottom to prevent any build-up. I also have an undersized protein skimmer, 55gal/max. Here is my question, I still have a heavy accumulation of nitrates due to the heavly stocked display tank. Would any of you consider removing the bioballs in the wet/dry to decrease the biological filtration? any thoughts?

 

[cveach]

By removing the bioballs of a slow period of time you will notice a nitrates reduction.
The bio-balls are going to put out alot of Nitrates but if you have a refugium the problem that still faces you is, your Macro algae is not sufficent, Try cutting out more algae. While the Calurpa will hold the nitrates if you feed it to the main tank, alow it to die off and through normal metabolics, nitrates will be released back into the system. Try cutting more out, more often as well as introduce new types of Macro. Adding livesand to your display tank would be a fairly inexpensive way to lower those nitrates. Add 3-5inches of "Dead" regular sand for sale at the pet store. add about 15lbs Live Sand and you will have a nice seeded LSB. The best thing you can do for your tank is get a good skimmer. One can not stress enough how much the Protein Skimmer prevents the accumulation of Nitrates. Good Luck
[ April 21, 2001: Message edited by: cveach ]

 

[burnnspy]

Originally posted by cveach:
<STRONG>By removing the bioballs of a slow period of time you will notice a nitrates reduction.
The bio-balls are going to put out alot of Nitrates but if you have a refugium the problem that still faces you is, your Macro algae is not sufficent, Try cutting out more algae. While the Calurpa will hold the nitrates if you feed it to the main tank, alow it to die off and through normal metabolics, nitrates will be released back into the system. Try cutting more out, more often as well as introduce new types of Macro. Adding livesand to your display tank would be a fairly inexpensive way to lower those nitrates. Add 3-5inches of "Dead" regular sand for sale at the pet store. add about 15lbs Live Sand and you will have a nice seeded LSB. The best thing you can do for your tank is get a good skimmer. One can not stress enough how much the Protein Skimmer prevents the accumulation of Nitrates. Good Luck
[ April 21, 2001: Message edited by: cveach ]</STRONG>
WD filters are nitrate factories. Remove all bioballs from the WD in quarter steps.
Macro-algae will reach a point of equalibrium when some of it starts to turn white(or clear), you need to remove it before this happens to prevent nitrate leeching.
BurnNSpy