Okay I have to ask this...

[the monkey]

Originally Posted by jdragunas
I was not telling anyone they have to get more rock and they have to get a biowheel.

Originally Posted by jdragunas
you definately need more LR

Originally Posted by jdragunas
40lbs of LR is not ok If you only have 40lbs of LR, you cannot possibly have enough bacteria to process the ammonia from 4 fish!

Originally Posted by jdragunas
A good filter is a bio-wheel... these are just like those powerfilters, but they have a bio-wheel, which is meant to house the dentrifying bacteria, so it's just like adding LR.
uh huh.

 

[darth tang]

You know, I would sooner back up the poster that gave the advice, "get more live rock" than the one that gave the advice, "nitrites aren't toxic to fish".

 

[birdy]

I should have phrased that better, nitrites are not as toxic to fish as ammonia, and nothing to freak out about. I get most of my knowledge from experience , I have been in this hobby for 10yrs and I own a small aquarium maintenance company, I do know what I am talking about. I hate to see people going to drastic measures in aquariums when something simple is usually sufficient. Even Bang Guy recently had a post (which I cannot find now) talking about how nitrites do not seem as lethal to saltwater fish as most people assume. I have personally seen several tanks with nitrite levels that I would have thought would be toxic but those fish were fine and thriving, no it is not a good situation and it does mean that there is a disturbance in the biological filtration, but everyone was telling this poor girl to go to drastic measures when all she needed to do a was a few water changes.
So anyway take it easy people no need to start attacking one another. Suzi did the water changes her levels came down, all is good in the world.

 

[darth tang]

That I WILL agree with. I apologize if I seemed rude. But from your post someone could have taken it as if nitrites weren't harmful at all.

 

[jdragunas]

Originally Posted by The Monkey
uh huh.
i didn't ever say they HAVE to get LR, i was saying that IMO, they should have more LR to process the amount of ammonia added... ugh. you're not even worth it...

 

[the monkey]

did you even read the posts I made up there where you said "you definitely need more rock"?
I mean - be an adult and admit when you're called on something....

 

[sleasia]

Well, you folks can keep fighting it out, but the truth is you are all right...there are so many factors to consider in this saltwater hobby. a biowheel can be fine for a small tank with few hardy fish when the hobbiest is careful and meticulous about maintenance, and when they are using r/o water. I have no nitrites in my hospital tank with a penguin bio wheel alone no protein simmer, no uv, no refugium, no and I repeat no live rock (but the tank is a 15 gallon tank) Larger tanks do much better with the wet dry filter, protein skimmer, and or refugium set up. My 200 gallon tank has a 50 gallon diy wet dry with 20 gallons ofs bio balls and an asmg 4X skimmer. I have tons of live rock in the tank and in the sump. I also have a 36 watt uv. some people swear by uv's (I being one of them) some people think they do nothing at all. There are also obviously some fish and corals which are much more difficult to keep because they are much more sensitive to changes, and unless you are willing to monitor things daily, you probably should avoid these kinds. so there are always alot of variables. If you do not arrive at a 0 nitrite point, you need to move up to bigger guns either in your filtration, live rock, refugium or if you don't have r/o water get it....That is probably the single most important thing to do. sorry I'm so long winded. It s because I'm old

 

[jdragunas]

Originally Posted by The Monkey
did you even read the posts I made up there where you said "you definitely need more rock"?
I mean - be an adult and admit when you're called on something....
and IMO, she definately needs more live rock. That's not saying she has to go out and buy more LR. With 40 lbs of LR in a 55 gallon tank, and no filter, yes i believe she definately needs more LR. Everything on this website is an opinion. That's the point. The point is not to come on here and tell everyone they're wrong. IME, more live rock is always better. Birdy said she needs to do water changes. I say she needs more LR... it's all according to our own experience and knowledge, and it's not appreciated when people like you come on here... if you don't like it, don't come.

 

[the monkey]

You're right - everything is opinion. Some of it right, some of it wrong...