FIltration Overkill?
- Thread starter mithrax
- Start date
mithrax
Member
I have 7 fishes (1 chromis, 1 damsel, 1 hippo tang, 1 mimic tang, 1 goby, 2 yellow chromis), soft corals, LPS, 2 derasa clams, and 1 huge crocea(and planning to collect each kind of clam available...love them),polyps, and mushroom anemones...polar bear in shipment 
Will this set up harm my inhabitants? Supplementations are up to par.Oh, yes clean-up crew came from here (blue-leg hermits, turbos, mithrax, brittle stars, sally,CBS).The fishes are fed once a day with specially prepared seafood and seaweed puree 1/2 inch cube(frozen) consumed in less than a minute.
[ May 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mithrax ]
[ May 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mithrax ]
[ May 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mithrax ]
Will this set up harm my inhabitants? Supplementations are up to par.Oh, yes clean-up crew came from here (blue-leg hermits, turbos, mithrax, brittle stars, sally,CBS).The fishes are fed once a day with specially prepared seafood and seaweed puree 1/2 inch cube(frozen) consumed in less than a minute.[ May 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mithrax ]
[ May 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mithrax ]
[ May 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mithrax ]
broomer5
Active Member
Ah yes ...
Always two ways to look at things;
Your sump is half empty - pesimist
Your sump is half full - optimist
In my opinion - there are WAY too many variables to make an accurate prediction, so I will just comment on your questions the best I can.
I have a 55 mixed fish and reef, with 6 fish and various corals, live rock, protein skimmer and mixed aragonite and sand substrate. Cleanup crew similar to yours.
I run a wet/dry filter because of the fish load.
I do water changes once a month and test my water often.
I too add suplements.
I agree with BurnNSpy on the clams - although I do not keep them, everything I have read says they need excellent lighting.
If yours are doing well - then it's a moot point.
What are you using in the canister filter and why ?
Two protein skimmers - I have the CPR Bak-Pak II - it works pretty good - don't have much knowledge on the Seaclones. Some say you can overskim a tank - others say not. As long as your getting good dry skimmate out of both units - then I see no harm - no foul.
Supplements - if dosed properly and measurements are done - again no problem, although many will disagree on this as well.
DSB - good thing !
Sounds like you take the time to prepare "special" food puree - that's cool - obviously you're concerned with their diet requirements. Food all consumed within 1 minute - I would imagine not much food makes it to the substrate - good thing !
I also agree that you should keep an eye on your nitrate levels. Depending on the amount and type of biomedia in your wet dry and canister - may lead to increase nitrate over time.
The only way to know for sure if your setup will harm your tank inhabitants is to watch their behavior, look for signs of stress, monitor their health and test your water often.
If you see good growth and healthy animals - then you are doing it right.
If you notice a decline in their health, have disease or lose an animal - then you must take corrective measures.
Every tank is different and every hobbiest has different ways to setup, maintain keep their tanks.
There are as many ways to run a sucessful mixed fish and reef tank as there are mixed fish and reef tank hobbiests.
Have fun and enjoy
Brian
Always two ways to look at things;
Your sump is half empty - pesimist
Your sump is half full - optimist
In my opinion - there are WAY too many variables to make an accurate prediction, so I will just comment on your questions the best I can.
I have a 55 mixed fish and reef, with 6 fish and various corals, live rock, protein skimmer and mixed aragonite and sand substrate. Cleanup crew similar to yours.
I run a wet/dry filter because of the fish load.
I do water changes once a month and test my water often.
I too add suplements.
I agree with BurnNSpy on the clams - although I do not keep them, everything I have read says they need excellent lighting.
If yours are doing well - then it's a moot point.
What are you using in the canister filter and why ?
Two protein skimmers - I have the CPR Bak-Pak II - it works pretty good - don't have much knowledge on the Seaclones. Some say you can overskim a tank - others say not. As long as your getting good dry skimmate out of both units - then I see no harm - no foul.
Supplements - if dosed properly and measurements are done - again no problem, although many will disagree on this as well.
DSB - good thing !
Sounds like you take the time to prepare "special" food puree - that's cool - obviously you're concerned with their diet requirements. Food all consumed within 1 minute - I would imagine not much food makes it to the substrate - good thing !
I also agree that you should keep an eye on your nitrate levels. Depending on the amount and type of biomedia in your wet dry and canister - may lead to increase nitrate over time.
The only way to know for sure if your setup will harm your tank inhabitants is to watch their behavior, look for signs of stress, monitor their health and test your water often.
If you see good growth and healthy animals - then you are doing it right.
If you notice a decline in their health, have disease or lose an animal - then you must take corrective measures.
Every tank is different and every hobbiest has different ways to setup, maintain keep their tanks.
There are as many ways to run a sucessful mixed fish and reef tank as there are mixed fish and reef tank hobbiests.
Have fun and enjoy
Brian
jimi
Active Member
I tend to agree with the above. I think you will have nitrate problems which will lead to the demise of your corals and clams. I would lose the canister and back pack and buy a good skimmer. If you decide to do this dont just pull both filters at once. Do one at a time over a week or two period. Upgrading to a decent skimmer will make up for the two filters without producing more nitrate.