Cheto ?
- Thread starter fishsta
- Start date
1journeyman
Active Member
My guess is that it depends on several factors:
-How fast your macro algae grows
-How much flow you have through your refugium
-The current level of nitrate
-etc...
I don't have numbers for you, but about 2-3 weeks after I installed a macro rich refugium in my system (210 gallon tank with 6 inch sand bed, 20 gallon refugium) the algae on the back of the tank died off.
-How fast your macro algae grows
-How much flow you have through your refugium
-The current level of nitrate
-etc...
I don't have numbers for you, but about 2-3 weeks after I installed a macro rich refugium in my system (210 gallon tank with 6 inch sand bed, 20 gallon refugium) the algae on the back of the tank died off.
popnfrresh
Member
Depends. Im adding a refuge above my tank(29g). Water will pump up then gravity feed back. Planning around 250-300 gph. You can do so many things with sumps/refuge. Depends on how much you wanna spend and what you want it to do. DO you want a ATS or a FUGE?
fishsta
Member
My nitrate level is off the scales lol, and i dont know y. I have havent had any fish in the system for at least 2 months now because fear of killing them because of nitrate levels. My levels just kept going up and up even without fish in the system. I have live sand about 75 lbs worth and 75 lbs lr. All i have in the tank is 10 nassarius snails, sea stars, bristle star, coral banded shrimp, and a couple of mexican turbo snails. I dont know y my nitrate levels got so high. Is it true that cheto feeds of nitrate. If so it will grow like crazy in my tank!!! Now by feeding off the nitrate does that mean its lowering the amount in my system??? Thanks!!!
popnfrresh
Member
It uses the nitrate and phosphates and the light to make sugars to feed off of. So in effect it is lowering the nutrients in the water,.
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by Fishsta
My nitrate level is off the scales lol, and i dont know y. I have havent had any fish in the system for at least 2 months now because fear of killing them because of nitrate levels. My levels just kept going up and up even without fish in the system. I have live sand about 75 lbs worth and 75 lbs lr. All i have in the tank is 10 nassarius snails, sea stars, bristle star, coral banded shrimp, and a couple of mexican turbo snails. I dont know y my nitrate levels got so high. Is it true that cheto feeds of nitrate. If so it will grow like crazy in my tank!!! Now by feeding off the nitrate does that mean its lowering the amount in my system??? Thanks!!!
Take your water to the pet store and have it tested.... maybe your test kit is off. Nitrate will normally affect inverts before it harms fish.
also, water changes should really help nitrates lower. Have you checked to make sure your water that you are using to fill the tank is clear?
My nitrate level is off the scales lol, and i dont know y. I have havent had any fish in the system for at least 2 months now because fear of killing them because of nitrate levels. My levels just kept going up and up even without fish in the system. I have live sand about 75 lbs worth and 75 lbs lr. All i have in the tank is 10 nassarius snails, sea stars, bristle star, coral banded shrimp, and a couple of mexican turbo snails. I dont know y my nitrate levels got so high. Is it true that cheto feeds of nitrate. If so it will grow like crazy in my tank!!! Now by feeding off the nitrate does that mean its lowering the amount in my system??? Thanks!!!
Take your water to the pet store and have it tested.... maybe your test kit is off. Nitrate will normally affect inverts before it harms fish.
also, water changes should really help nitrates lower. Have you checked to make sure your water that you are using to fill the tank is clear?
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by Fishsta
I have done water changes and they dont do anything! lol Yea im using RO water . I dont know what to do anymore?!?!?! Please help!w
Check your test kit then... something odd is afoot.
I have done water changes and they dont do anything! lol Yea im using RO water . I dont know what to do anymore?!?!?! Please help!w
Check your test kit then... something odd is afoot.
rberhow
Active Member
I would definitely take your water in to be tested at the LFS or by a friend who has a different kit. How old is your tank? What kind of fish did you have in there before you went fishless? What kind of filtration are you running? If you aren't cleaning your filters very regularly that could be a major source as well.
houndhome1
Member
My first question is, are you talking about nitrites or nitrates. They are very different. If your lr was not fully curred and placed in your tank, anything dying off from the rock will cause your levels to go way up. Nitrates are the end result of the cycle and are caused by detris . With no fish in the tank I would have to guess that your rock would be causing some of this.