need some help, opinions, thoughts whatever is good lol...

travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubnb79 http:///forum/thread/387060/need-some-help-opinions-thoughts-whatever-is-good-lol#post_3403727
so i've been reading on *** forum and it was kinda dated but would like updated info on what i've read on controlling nitrate with my w/d sump...from what i've read i need to slowly replace bioballs with live rock in the sump
only when the tank is well established and everything is really doing good, because bioballs have a moist enviornment with lots of oxeygen, which is really good for bacteria that convert nitrites to nitrates. on the other hand, lr hosts bacteria that processes nitrates and it needs a very low oxeygen envoirnment.
your best bet would be to have lots of live rock in the tank, a clean up crew, and bio balls in the sump.
(question is does the sump need seperate lighting??? sump doesnt fit inside stand so it's behind it out in the open)
it only needs seperate lighting if you plan to do a refugium, which is recommended, but you could also have macro algae in your dt
also was saying to have 4-6 in bed of sand...i have partial covered hood b/c of cat....so thinking im not getting full nitrogen evaporation from tank???
no it's fine... my tank is completley covered, I have a glass top.
note i still dont have skimmer but was thinking of getting cheap skimmer till i can afford a good one...note i know most of you dont agree with that...but i got to do what i got to do with what i have to work with...
I get you... I can't go ahead as fast as I would like but I don't have the $ either...
i want to start working with reefs to more visual effects but im thinking the tank isnt ready after 7months...now with the info from you guys i have plenty feather dusters kicking it and a few sponges im thinking something is going right...any info is thanked...
it does look good... what you have on your live rock is a very good sign!
 
cubnb79

cubnb79

Member
thx traveler for all your help its greatly thanked...once things start to calm down (nitrate, which picked up skimmer today) i will raise the salinity slowly im thinking .001 per water change as of right now it sits at 1.0205 for fish only...i've noticed two more things growing one looks like a small green fern only couple leafs and another is still green but looks like a bubble leaf in a way if anyone knows what im talking about w/o pictures....also my skimmer is in sump and putting out a lot of air bubbles is this normal until its through its first starting up cycle???
 
cubnb79

cubnb79

Member
ok so got my new seachem nitrite/nitrate kit today...here are some pics of all three test i have on hand let me know what you think....
all 3 together api on the left...red sea in the middle...and seachem on the right

api held upto light it's between 40 and 80ppm

red sea held upto light its between 50 and 100ppm

seachem was right around 5ppm so which one is right????
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
The answer is: They are all right. You have nitrate still in your system. Focus on making all of those readings lower. :D
Each test kit can and will have defects. If you don't do a step just right - it will throw off the results. If you are really that concerned... take it to your LFS and get them to read it. In most cases, they should do it for free.
 
cubnb79

cubnb79

Member
i know there are some in there but there's a huge diffrence there...one of my lfs uses strips to test and the other uses the red sea kit that i already have so im on my own basically
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubnb79 http:///forum/thread/387060/need-some-help-opinions-thoughts-whatever-is-good-lol#post_3403628
i tested the new saltwater before i put it in the tank and it read zero...plus tap water here isnt allowed to read over .05ppm for nitrate...im not saying your wrong but in my case i dont see the tap water doing this to my tank since it was fine the first 5 months the tank was up and running is all im saying
Seachem has a way to doube test your results for accuracy. .05 is not too bad for a new tank concerning nitrates. A new tank is a system under 6 months to a year old. Water changes and don't overstock your tank and nitrates should disappear.
Nitrates in the tap water is not a concern. The other chemicals that you can't test for are, the flouride for healthy human teeth for example. Chlorine was easy to be rid of....there are lots more that the city water treatment folks added, and they were put there to kill all live things in the water for humans to be able to drink it and not get sick. That water is chemically treated to kill the very bacteria we want in our tanks.
Nitrates are the result of your good bacteria doing it's job. You have to remove those nitrates from your system. Good surface aggitation helps the nitrates that have become gas to evaporate and leave the system that way, and doing water changes.
If you have bioballs or keep carbon in the system too long, they begin to hoard nitrates, since they are not being rinsed away and can't escape. So regular maintenance is needed to keep the bioballs clean and no hiding places for nitrates to build up. You don't rinse your media in freshwater because you kill the good bacteria that breaks the ammonia and nitrites down into nitrates. You want to rinse your media (bioballs) in old saltewater after water changes (to save money) that way you rinse away the nitrates that have built up over time and not leave them trapped.
You have invested quite a bit of money in your saltwater fish tank, and then go and use water that isn't healthy for your fish...that makes no sense. Walmart sells water for 37 cents a gallon, well worth the effort in my opinion.
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
no idea... but I agree with snake, you have nitrates! Well I know that you know that but, I can remind you, can't I?
 
cubnb79

cubnb79

Member
once i sell some stuff ill be getting a ro unit for under my sink...so its a work in progress...and part that was missing from new skimmer should be here tomorrow so that should be up and running as well...good info there flower...i will be in the process of replacing bioballs slowly with live rock...have been rinsing them off in old water the past few changes....travelerjp im sure you'll let me know every time lol....
 
cubnb79

cubnb79

Member
lol traveler once i get the part that was missing in the box (finger crossed for tomorrow but i doubt it) ill see what i bought last thursday work the proper way
 
cubnb79

cubnb79

Member
so am i...im hoping for a dirty ******* collection cup...but i am excited my snails have survived vs the test results of nitrate of my two other test kits...and boy/girl are they working hard...so in saying that im leaning towards trusting the seachem nitrate results...
please no cussing.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubnb79 http:///forum/thread/387060/need-some-help-opinions-thoughts-whatever-is-good-lol/20#post_3405879
anyone got a recommendation on a under sink RO filtration system???
Hi,
I'm not handy, I also have some super horrible well water. I was concerned that I would be spending a small fortune on filters if I got my own RO unit.....So my solution was to call Culligan. $39.99 a month and they take care of the filters. They installed a 5 stage unit under my sink with a little faucet and a TDS meter right on it, if the little light goes from green to red..they come and swap the filters. I pay the $39.99 a month and that's it, and I have all the RO pure drinking water I want.
We use it for cooking, drinking, top offs for the 2 fish tanks and water changes. The TDS meter read 4 last time the guy came. He said that wasn't the normal reading he gets, 4 was super good. I use my unit so much it keeps the numbers low. The more you use it the lower the TDS reading, something about the pressure on the membrain that doesn't force junk into the system and the water is cleaner.
I think I have had the Culligan water system about 3 years now.
 
M

mxsnow145

Guest
@Flower There are differences between RO water for fishtanks and RO water you drink.. one of the filters make the water undrinkable which makes it just for fishtanks. so do some research on the RO unit you have and what makes RO just for fishtanks.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mxsnow145 http:///forum/thread/387060/need-some-help-opinions-thoughts-whatever-is-good-lol/20#post_3406081
@Flower There are differences between RO water for fishtanks and RO water you drink.. one of the filters make the water undrinkable which makes it just for fishtanks. so do some research on the RO unit you have and what makes RO just for fishtanks.
The RO water you drink is purer. I liked the water at Walmart, it is for drinking and it is the unit I had installed on purpose. I have seen units for sale that clearly say NOT FOR DRINKING. IMO they can keep said unit to themselves...I want the best. My water goes through 5 stages before it is a finished product. The one for fish only I believe have three filters.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
I believe you guys are refering to the DI cartrige on an RO/DI filter. RO is fine for drinking. Once it goes through the deionizing faze it then becomes ultra pure water where all salts and minerals are removed from the water. If you have an RO unit with a DI filter you can install a Tee and a valve on the line before the DI cartridge and have your self some good drinking water. And then when you want water for your tank just close off the Tee so the water can pass through the DI cartridge. Mark over at Meleve's sells his units this way so you can have the option.

http://www.ehow.com/about_6717686_deionized-water-dangerous-drink_.html


"Drinking DI Water

  • A 2004 report from the World Health Organization concluded that DI water without further enrichment with some minerals might not be fully appropriate for consumption. The possible health consequences of low mineral content water consumption includes intestinal mucous membrane problems, decreased intake and metabolism of calcium, magnesium and other essential elements, possible increased dietary intake of toxic metals and possible increased bacterial growth."
 
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