Overstocked, Under filtered 55?

[ed d]

My 55 has been up for about a year now. It was given to me by a friend with a zebra moray eel and a blue damsel. Filtration was a power head for circulation. Since that time I have been contually adding to it. The tank seems pretty healy right now, but I can no longer keep the nitrates below 20-40 mg/l and hair and bubble alge have been increasing. Any comments on my tank loading, filtration and algea would be appreciated.
Live stock
1 - 22" Zebra Moray
1 - Kole Tang
2 - Blue Damsels
2 - Tomato Clowns
1 - Domino Damsel
1 - Sergent Majo Damsel
1 - 3 Stribed Damsel
10-15 - Blue leg hermis
2 - Turbo Snails
10 - Astela Snails
1 - Cleaner shrimp (Shrimpy Been with the eel for 9 months now!)
1 - Seprhent Star
Filtration
* CPR Baack pack with plastic media removed and 1L of Pourous ceramic rings for biological filter media.
* Rio 1700 power head for circuilation
* 25lbs of live rock
Substrate
* Unused under gravel filter
* 2.5" Crushed coral and gravel with a lot of critters in it - coacoa pods, Bristle worms, and other types of worms.
What do you think? What else can I add?

 

[thereefman52]

Well since you have some live rock i would recomend getting a protein skimmer. Also, to help with the nitrates, maybe you should consider switching the CC to Ls about 4" of it. And also with nitrate, add some Macro Algea it will help with the problem.

 

[flydan]

Hey,
If it was me, and it's not, I'd add a protien skimmer and another power head. I'd remove the tang.
Once things settle down I'd remove the cc and go with a dsb. Once that was in I'd slowly add more lr, maybe one 5lb piece at a time, until I got up to 100lbs.
I would not add any more fish.
Just my .02

 

[ed d]

I do have a protien skimmer. The CPR Back Pack is a hang on protien skimmer rated for upto a 60g tank.
Why would you remove the tang? I just bought it to try and help with algea control.
What is dsb??
Thanks for the comments!

 

[krazzydart]

Originally posted by Ed D:
<STRONG>I do have a protien skimmer. The CPR Back Pack is a hang on protien skimmer rated for upto a 60g tank.
Why would you remove the tang? I just bought it to try and help with algea control.
What is dsb??
Thanks for the comments!</STRONG>
The "DSB" means deep sand bed.... it is a "thing " everyone is doing NOW.... I have a mix of sand and crushed coral(cc) in all of my tanks[this gives everyone a place to live and hide]{the critters that is} as for the Tang I do not know why they are telling you to get rid of it( I used to get "BUGGED" for my THOUGHTS on them) they are ich magnets,,, and you will need a good clean up crew.... Cleaner shrimp!!!!! about 4 in your tank...... as long as your filtration going you should be O.K.

 

[ed d]

Well I read about ICH and the Tang gets ICH. xxxx. I am going to try the galic thing.
Warning.
[ October 31, 2001: Message edited by: BurnNSpy ]

 

[car guy]

increase circulation, add more lr, and switch to live sand, also your back pack is a protein skimmer

 

[ed d]

The CPR Back PAck is a protien skimmer with an area filled with plastic media for biological filtration. My lfs sold me the porous ceramic media to incrase the surface area of my biological filtration.
The only mechanical filtration I have is foam element on a Rio 1700 power head.
I was thinking about adding some more filtration, but don't really like all the stuff hanging on the tank.
Does anyone think a power filter like the emperor 400 bio wheel would be a good choice.

 

[peasly1]

check the phosphate level for the alge

 

[burnnspy]

I recommend adding another 1.5 inches of LS of Caribseas Seaflor reef sand.
Getting rid of the ceramin rings(nitrate factory).
Vacuuming the gravel every week and adding 2 more powerheads of sufficient size to have 10+ turn overs of the tank an hour.
BurnNSpy

 

[ed d]

Can I add the sand ontop of the crushed coral? I know it will slowly work it way down.
Why are the ceramic rings a nitrate factory? My lfs told me they would increase my bioligical filtration. I thought this would help remove more ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?
Any recomendations on increasing my filtration? Or will adding sand and powerheads be enough.

 

[ironreef]

the ceramic when get dirty can create nitrates. You have LR you don't need them. Put carbon in there it may help and use another powerhead. Or you can just get a BIGGER skimmer= remora pro. I would try removing the ceramic and adding a powerhead= maxijet first. More circulation is alway good. If you don't have much

 

[nm reef]

big ed....personally I think filtration on a fowlr would be
as much lr as you can get(approximately 1-2 lbs per gal...a DSB(deep sand bed) of approximately 3-4 inches...the skimmer without the media...ph to circulate(turn over) the water approximately 6-8 times per hour...and if possible a sump/refugium to add to tank volume...these methods have been successful for me...

 

[mal]

If you want more surface area for bio-filtration, put the blue filter ribbon back into your CPR. I forget the exact numbers but the ribbon provides a huge surface area when you add it all up. Personally I think the pourous rock diminished your surface area. I have a CPR on my fowlr, and it does well with the ribbon, if I change it to a reef tank, I will add a sump and take the ribbon out. Get more ph's for circulation and add a sump if you can like NM Reef said. More water volume can only help.

 

[marinelover]

I think the bio-wheel is a great idea. I have that and a double whisperer and a protien skimmer along with the LR in the tank and have never had a filtration prob.
Hope I helped.

 

[marinelover]

Forgot to mention it but as far as the Tang is conerned, well my love affair with them are over. Mine got ick and died taking 2 other fish with it as well. They just seem too jittery in the tank and stressed every thing else out.

 

[sonny]

Nobody has addressed the fact that your tank is grossly overstocked. I am surprised you haven't lost fish. Just the moray eel is a big waste producer, and add all of those fish, even if some are small, I really can't believe your nitrates are that low. Your problem will not be solved without a bigger tank or fewer fish.
Sonny

 

[davidcanupp]

Ed D: you mentioned adding some mechanical filtration to handle the fish load. I agree 100%. The best hang on unit that i know of is the Emperor 400 Biowheel system. It pumps 400gph, has four slots for activated carbon or phospate, and has the biowheels. In your case, you want to reduce nitrates- the best thing to do is to buy the Emperor 400 and removed the biowheels because you already have live rock and other biological filtration. The combo of the big mechanical emperor and the biological bak pack should do the trick for you.

 

[car guy]

not really sonny, he can do it if he sets up a refugium and loads it with caulerpa and live sand, that will keep your nitrate levels at zero, if you cant do a fuge, just dump a crap load in the tank and rubber band it to lr, if you wnat plans for a fuge just give me a yell, also you can put lr and ls in the fuge, it would also increase tank capacity, for all of the unescesary over crowding

 

[avacyn]

Putting in a second salt water tank after the holiday spending season is over. It will be a 55 gal. I would love info on a fuge at avacyn@worldnet.att.net
Avacyn