Lowering Nitrates By Removing Biowheels?
- Thread starter metweezer
- Start date
nordy
Active Member
It shouldn't help reduce nitrates unless the biowheels are so gunked up w/algae etc that they are creating more nitrate issues in your tank.
As long as the spray bar is working properly and the biowheel is spinning properly, it is essentially producing nitrates as it does its job on any ammonia and nitrites in your tank so I can't see any reason to remove them, unless they doen't work anymore and you have adequate additional biological filtration in your tank (LR, Sump, etc).
As long as the spray bar is working properly and the biowheel is spinning properly, it is essentially producing nitrates as it does its job on any ammonia and nitrites in your tank so I can't see any reason to remove them, unless they doen't work anymore and you have adequate additional biological filtration in your tank (LR, Sump, etc).
lovethemfish
Member
Doing water changes on a regular basis will reduce nitrates. If you remove your bio wheels, then you get rid of alot of you benificial bacteria that breakes down amonia very quickly. I would reccomend against it unless you have a very well established refugium.
jerryatrick
Active Member
Hey Steve,
Up here in PA we have a LFS that has a saltwater employee that is knowledgable. He battled nitrates for months and on each tank he was running a bio wheel. He doesn't know what made him decide to remove the bio wheel but a month later the nitrates dropped.
Up here in PA we have a LFS that has a saltwater employee that is knowledgable. He battled nitrates for months and on each tank he was running a bio wheel. He doesn't know what made him decide to remove the bio wheel but a month later the nitrates dropped.
aztec reef
Active Member
Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2742031
Will removing the biowheels from my emperor 400 help reduce nitrates? Is anybody doing it?
Not really, if anything it helps prevent them through biowheel's ammonification process .. but if the wheel is fermented and really dirty it may help reduce them..
U could remove the biowheel with no ill effects, there is a larger host of beneficial bacterial colonies present in your aquarium already ..
http:///forum/post/2742031
Will removing the biowheels from my emperor 400 help reduce nitrates? Is anybody doing it?
Not really, if anything it helps prevent them through biowheel's ammonification process .. but if the wheel is fermented and really dirty it may help reduce them..
U could remove the biowheel with no ill effects, there is a larger host of beneficial bacterial colonies present in your aquarium already ..
metweezer
Active Member
The spray bars are working well and the wheels are turning and they don't look dirty. I just thought that removing or even replacing them I would be able to lower my trates (40). I have some corals (no SPS) and I want to give them the best shot by getting my trates as low as possible. I do 16% water changes weekly but the trates stay the same.
socal57che
Active Member
Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2742819
I want to give them the best shot by getting my trates as low as possible. I do 16% water changes weekly but the trates stay the same.
What substrate do you have?
Do you have any areas of low flow (like barnacles) that may be collecting food and waste? If too much waste builds up in one place it can become a little nitrate factory.
Do you have macroalgae?
If you really think the bio wheels are adding to your trates, replace them. (one at a time)
http:///forum/post/2742819
I want to give them the best shot by getting my trates as low as possible. I do 16% water changes weekly but the trates stay the same.
What substrate do you have?
Do you have any areas of low flow (like barnacles) that may be collecting food and waste? If too much waste builds up in one place it can become a little nitrate factory.
Do you have macroalgae?
If you really think the bio wheels are adding to your trates, replace them. (one at a time)
metweezer
Active Member
Originally Posted by socal57che
http:///forum/post/2742863
What substrate do you have?
Do you have any areas of low flow (like barnacles) that may be collecting food and waste? If too much waste builds up in one place it can become a little nitrate factory.
Do you have macroalgae?
If you really think the bio wheels are adding to your trates, replace them. (one at a time)
Substrate is LS. I have over 1150 gph flow in my 29. Macroalgae? You tell me. This red stuff came attached to my pulsing xenia when I bought the frag from a fellow reefer. I don't know what it is.
http:///forum/post/2742863
What substrate do you have?
Do you have any areas of low flow (like barnacles) that may be collecting food and waste? If too much waste builds up in one place it can become a little nitrate factory.
Do you have macroalgae?
If you really think the bio wheels are adding to your trates, replace them. (one at a time)
Substrate is LS. I have over 1150 gph flow in my 29. Macroalgae? You tell me. This red stuff came attached to my pulsing xenia when I bought the frag from a fellow reefer. I don't know what it is.
socal57che
Active Member
Looks like a red macroalgae. It's hard to see, but it looks like it has leaves. I found a pic that kinda resembles yours, but the leaves in yours are hard to see from the pic...
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...&ct=image&cd=1
From what I have read, the color does not matter. It will export nitrates from your water. This being said, it is removing nitrates thus lowering your test reading. You may have a larger nitrate issue than you realize.
How often do you service your emperor?
Do you see any areas where food/waste might accumulate?
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...&ct=image&cd=1
From what I have read, the color does not matter. It will export nitrates from your water. This being said, it is removing nitrates thus lowering your test reading. You may have a larger nitrate issue than you realize.
How often do you service your emperor?
Do you see any areas where food/waste might accumulate?
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2742819
The spray bars are working well and the wheels are turning and they don't look dirty. I just thought that removing or even replacing them I would be able to lower my trates (40). I have some corals (no SPS) and I want to give them the best shot by getting my trates as low as possible. I do 16% water changes weekly but the trates stay the same.
Steve, do about 30% or so changes every three days until the nitrates are as low as you want them. If the bio wheels are not clumped with yuck then they are fine. You don't need them anymore though. They are good when the tank is new, but this tank has been set up for quite some time. You can pull them off. Rinse them and keep them, should you need them later. You do have a QT right? So there will be no emergency set ups.
http:///forum/post/2742819
The spray bars are working well and the wheels are turning and they don't look dirty. I just thought that removing or even replacing them I would be able to lower my trates (40). I have some corals (no SPS) and I want to give them the best shot by getting my trates as low as possible. I do 16% water changes weekly but the trates stay the same.
Steve, do about 30% or so changes every three days until the nitrates are as low as you want them. If the bio wheels are not clumped with yuck then they are fine. You don't need them anymore though. They are good when the tank is new, but this tank has been set up for quite some time. You can pull them off. Rinse them and keep them, should you need them later. You do have a QT right? So there will be no emergency set ups.
metweezer
Active Member
Originally Posted by socal57che
http:///forum/post/2743468
Looks like a red macroalgae. It's hard to see, but it looks like it has leaves. I found a pic that kinda resembles yours, but the leaves in yours are hard to see from the pic... I'll try to post a better pic.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...&ct=image&cd=1
From what I have read, the color does not matter. It will export nitrates from your water. This being said, it is removing nitrates thus lowering your test reading. You may have a larger nitrate issue than you realize.
How often do you service your emperor? I change or rinse off my media about every 3 weeks.
Do you see any areas where food/waste might accumulate?
Possibly, I have a lot of flow but I also have caverns.
Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2743540
Steve, do about 30% or so changes every three days until the nitrates are as low as you want them. Sep, Some of my corals (GSP & Xenia) are pretty close to the top of the tank. Replacing 5 gals at a time is about all I can do without exposing them. If the bio wheels are not clumped with yuck then they are fine. You don't need them anymore though. They are good when the tank is new, but this tank has been set up for quite some time. You can pull them off. Rinse them and keep them, should you need them later. I think I will pull the biowheels and clean them and save them for future use.You do have a QT right? So there will be no emergency set ups.
Yeah, I have a QT set up.
socal57che
Active Member
The pic looks like a type of mesophyllum algae.
When you do water changes, do you blow out the caverns wih a turkey baster first? If not, you might want to start. I routinely blow mine off. Some people use a powerhead, but I think it wreaks too much havoc. With the debris suspended in the water, you can pull it out with the old water.
Also, since you only remove 5g at a time, your water changes are less effective. Every time you draw water out you are removing some of the new water you just introduced, thus lessening your dilution of the remaining water. It won't hurt your coral to expose them for a short period duing a water change. In your case the water change will do them more good than the air exposure causes harm. BTW, do not expose sponges to air.
Keep us posted.
When you do water changes, do you blow out the caverns wih a turkey baster first? If not, you might want to start. I routinely blow mine off. Some people use a powerhead, but I think it wreaks too much havoc. With the debris suspended in the water, you can pull it out with the old water.
Also, since you only remove 5g at a time, your water changes are less effective. Every time you draw water out you are removing some of the new water you just introduced, thus lessening your dilution of the remaining water. It won't hurt your coral to expose them for a short period duing a water change. In your case the water change will do them more good than the air exposure causes harm. BTW, do not expose sponges to air.
Keep us posted.