my filter system question

[new one]

Hi all,
I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what kind of maintenence I need to do with my filter system. Or if there is a site out there with info about it. All I know is it's called a Sea Reef and it's a sump. The guy I bought the tank from had the tank for over a year and never touched the filter. He bought it when it was already a few years old. I'm sure things need to be changed, but I don't know where to begin. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
BTW my tank is doing great, I discovered a new anemonie this morning, long tentacles, clear body, when I fed it I could watch the food go through him. Totally cool, anyone tell me what he's called??
Thanks again
Tammie

 

[dreeves]

Just keep debris out of the sump...if you have some sort of bio media...bio-balls or related..make sure you rinse them as well. When you rinse them, do it in saltwater, it is easiest to rinse the media with water from a water change at the same time.
Make sure everything with tubes is un-obstructed as well.

 

[new one]

thank you so much. I have those balls and also a long net "tube"of white charcoal? Does that need to be replaced? When I was looking around in the system I found tons of brittle starfish living in there, and a bunch of other wiggly things. This is so cool!!

 

[daniel411]

Originally posted by New One
I have those balls and also a long net "tube"of white charcoal?
Can you explain the tube of white charcoal or show a picture? I can't imagine what that could be???

 

[sleasia]

didn't you say a net of white charcoal? probably a media bag with either kent's phosphate or nitrate remover in it, in which case especially if you don't know what it is, its probably due to be changed.. did you get the tank full of everything or did you get it all clean and empty and start yourself. because if you got it full, you need to know alot of stuff to maintain a reef tank! lets find out what you know, and then get the reef people on this message board to give you advice...I do fish only f/o tanks.

 

[new one]

I bought the tank up and running. The guy I bought it from was moving. He brought it to my store, set it up, gave me the all the stuff to check my levels, (everythings fine) the tank has been going for at least three years. I have had it a few weeks. There are all sorts of things living in the filter tank, including lots of brittle starfish, and many as of yet unidentified wiggly things.
The tube runs the width of the filter tank and is sitting on top of a piece of foam that is attached to the bottom. It is a net bag and is filled with what looks like white charcoal. The bag is about as big around as if you make an OK sign using your thumb and second finger.
The filter tank is divided in half. The balls are on one side and that's where the tank water comes in. It then has to pass through that bag in the second half of the tank and is sucked through another filter thing and up through a second pipe that comes out on the oppisite side of the aquarium.. I hope this makes sense to whoever was brave enough to read all this through to the end. I wish there was a store in my area that dealt with salt water!
Thank you everyone,
Tammie

 

[dreeves]

Read, read and read some more...
Marine aquaria is very challenging, demanding and unforgiving...But...very worthwhile.
The tube is a media, you do not know what it is...so take it out. Empty the media and rinse the bag, you can reuse the bag.
The sponge clean the same way as the bio-balls...rinse in saltwater.
Oh and read, read and read some more...oh wait..I already typed that...

 

[dreeves]

Oh and did I mention read?

 

[sleasia]

It sounds like you have a wet dry trickle filter so the net bag is just a media bag that something was put in to absorb something bad out of the tank water. White "media" or gravel looking stuff was probably something to take out nitrates, silicates or phosphates or all of the above. Take it out dump it and save the bag. Test the water frequently for salinity ph nitrite nitrate phosphate and silicate When you see something climb you will need to adjust it or do a water change or both and you may need to use the net bag for this. I use purigen and phosguard to filter my saltwater and this combo works pretty well. The small wiggly things could be anything brine shrimp, worms from the live rock. reef people are better placed to answer all of this.