hello SWF!

subie41ife

subie41ife

Member
Well first let me introduce my self! My name is Dustin and I have been searching around the forums for the past few months and finally signed up a week ago. From everything I can tell this is a great place for everyone and many helpful people on here!
Anywho, I had a 20 gallon FOWLR for a little over two years. I had live sand and 25lbs of live rock. About 4 weeks ago I upgraded and got myself a 46 gallon bow front! I also got a Fluval 405 canister, Coralife super skimmer, 25lbs of NON-LIVING rock, two more bags of living sand, new heaters ect... When I was setting up my 46gal I combined everything from my old 20gal setup into my new 46gal setup. I'm still going to do a FOWLR for now.
I have been checking my levels and right now they are,
Ammonia-0
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-between 5 and 10
I have done two water change because the nitrates were higher and tank has been cycled for like two weeks now...
So when I got my new canister I got myself all the bio media, which as follows:
~ Foam blocks
~ Pre-filter media
~ Carbon media
~ Biomax filter media
OK now on to the question(s)
1. How long will it take for the other 25lbs of NON-Living rock to become living?
2. 50lbs of living rock and inch and 1/2 sandbed is more then enough to filter my tank without bioballs, correct?
3. The more and more I read I am seeing I should not have bioballs in my canister but, when should I start taking them out(slowly of course) after all my rock is living? now?
4. When I take out all of my bioballs, what should I put in that tray of the canister? Small pieces of LR?
5. What about the carbon? Any opinions on carbon in my canister?
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Originally Posted by subie41ife
http:///forum/post/3253228
Well first let me introduce my self! My name is Dustin and I have been searching around the forums for the past few months and finally signed up a week ago. From everything I can tell this is a great place for everyone and many helpful people on here!
Anywho, I had a 20 gallon FOWLR for a little over two years. I had live sand and 25lbs of live rock. About 4 weeks ago I upgraded and got myself a 46 gallon bow front! I also got a Fluval 405 canister, Coralife super skimmer, 25lbs of NON-LIVING rock, two more bags of living sand, new heaters ect... When I was setting up my 46gal I combined everything from my old 20gal setup into my new 46gal setup. I'm still going to do a FOWLR for now.
I have been checking my levels and right now they are,
Ammonia-0
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-between 5 and 10
I have done two water change because the nitrates were higher and tank has been cycled for like two weeks now...
So when I got my new canister I got myself all the bio media, which as follows:
~ Foam blocks
~ Pre-filter media
~ Carbon media
~ Biomax filter media
OK now on to the question(s)
1. How long will it take for the other 25lbs of NON-Living rock to become living?
How long has it been up with the contents of the other tank and what are the contents of the other tank bio load wise?
2. 50lbs of living rock and inch and 1/2 sandbed is more then enough to filter my tank without bioballs, correct?
Yes it should be depending on the bioload you put in the tank and the canister filter media used.
3. The more and more I read I am seeing I should not have bioballs in my canister but, when should I start taking them out(slowly of course) after all my rock is living? now?
Not that you should not have the bio balls, just that they are an added maintenance item that need attention quite regularly. You will get mixed reviews on their usage. If you are going to remove them you are correct, it must be done slowly as they are a part of you biofiltration now. Remove them about 1/3 per week at water change time this will allow the bacteria levels to readjust and grow on other surfaces.
4. When I take out all of my bioballs, what should I put in that tray of the canister? Small pieces of LR?
If you replace the bioballs with live rock you have created the same scenario for maintenance of the live rock only harder to do. I would suggest you not do that. ChemiPure Elit, Purigen, Some sort of phosphate remover are all good alternatives.
5. What about the carbon? Any opinions on carbon in my canister?
See answer to number 4, yes a bag of carbon would be okay but will be expended in it's abilities quickly. Most people are going with the Chempure or Purigen as this will last up to 6 months before needing a change. Carbon may last and be effective only for a week or so.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!
Good stuff so far, keep asking questions and welcome to SWF.com
 
subie41ife

subie41ife

Member
1. How long will it take for the other 25lbs of NON-Living rock to become living?
How long has it been up with the contents of the other tank and what are the contents of the other tank bio load wise?
I have the 25lbs of live rock, live sand, and the 20 gallons of water from my old 20gal tank combined my new 46 gallon for 4 weeks now.
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3253233
Good stuff so far, keep asking questions and welcome to SWF.com
thank you!
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3253242
HELLO and WELCOME to SWF....
Thank you!
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Your dry rock now has a good population of bacteria on it, providing you have been feeding the tank, or have fish that are pooping etc. for a protein source. If not the bacteria level has probably just balanced itself to the available food.
 
subie41ife

subie41ife

Member
ok, I have 3 clownfish, 3 emerald crabs and 3 scarlet hermit crabs in the tank for2 weeks now and are doing great.
so I should start taking out my bioballs now slowly?
 
subie41ife

subie41ife

Member
I also have a big jug of carbon, so im going to finish using that and fill my canister with chemipure, purigen and not sure for the last tray yet...
Is it ok to put these all in the same tank? i feel if anything it will all just be very filtered
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Yup go ahead and start the process of bio ball removal. How about some filter floss in the tray where the water first comes in, or is there some type of pad there already? Just gotta be sure to change it at the very least at water changes once per week.
 
subie41ife

subie41ife

Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3253553
Yup go ahead and start the process of bio ball removal. How about some filter floss in the tray where the water first comes in, or is there some type of pad there already? Just gotta be sure to change it at the very least at water changes once per week.
huh, lol kinda lost me. what do I gotta be sure to change at the very least at water changes once per week?
ok great, I will start on the bioball removal this weekends water change.
my fluval 405 has foam pads for when the water enters then it also has 4 trays. so once water goes into my canister is goes though foam pads, then through pre-filter media then I still have 3 more trays for whatever i want.
 
subie41ife

subie41ife

Member
ok great! thank you meowzer and spanko for all you help!!!
Is it ok to put chemipure, purigen and not sure for the last tray yet...all in the same canister? I feel if anything it will all just be very filtered
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Yeah you can, and you don't have to fill all the trays either......I have 2 canisters (for flow only) I keep those ceramic rings in them...and just let the water flow thru the rest
I use a sump/refugium on my 225G
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Change the filter floss when you do w/c's at least once a week...IF NOT MORE.
I know as much about canister filters as i know about winning Meowzers heart nor would i go against my old friend and fellow hobbyist Henry but you are saying he needs to change his filter floss at least once a week and if he can more often then that
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
YEAH...Did you also read Henry's post #8......I change the floss in my sump every few days...sometimes more.....it's just floss that is catching debris....I have a piece in my top sump tray, and also a piece between the refugium and before the return pump
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
..Did you also read Henry's post #8
umm let me think (I use the term loosely) yes i did that's why i included him in my post.
I change the floss in my sump every few days
no comment
 
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