Possible to have LR and LS w/ a wet/dry filter?
- Thread starter reef dude
- Start date
teog
Member
Let me throw this into the mix-I have a FO tank for 5month that I converted into a reef just two months ago. Its a 90 gallon glass tank. I have 200lbs of LR and a 4inch LS bed. I have a hand full of soft corals and tons of critters and 1 naso tang..(he will be moved once he gets bigger into a 160FOWLR)...I also 1 month ago set up a 7 gallon refugium with a bag calerpa and 10lbs of lr and some criiter too....
Here is the catcher I have a wet/dry for a 150 w/bio balls(too lazy to remove when covereted to reef) and a protien skimmer.Im runing 395watts of VHO lighting and adding 2x96pc this coming week(ordered 2 days ago)....
I check my nitrite,nitrate and amonia dailey..everything is undetectable..I also take my water to LFS once a week for a second opinion and no problems...
So Should I remove the bio balls are leave them in now? everything is happy and healthy! I also run RO water...
Here is the catcher I have a wet/dry for a 150 w/bio balls(too lazy to remove when covereted to reef) and a protien skimmer.Im runing 395watts of VHO lighting and adding 2x96pc this coming week(ordered 2 days ago)....
I check my nitrite,nitrate and amonia dailey..everything is undetectable..I also take my water to LFS once a week for a second opinion and no problems...
So Should I remove the bio balls are leave them in now? everything is happy and healthy! I also run RO water...
reeferx
Member
^^ Kris that is good advice.
I have certainly been guilty of messing with things just because I wanted to, not because I have needed to and a lot of times all hell has broken loose.
Saltyjay,
You think you have plenty of rock to handle your bio-load, but what you are seeing doesn't support that. Your wet/dry was handling the job fine, but as you are removing the balls it appears your rock cannot.
Now, as you suggested, this could just be a spike caused by your disturbance that could just even out. Time will tell. But if not, my guess is that you need more rock, or, at least, better quality rock.
Back in the day, when I had mine going and worked at an lfs, everybody said 2 lbs of rock per gallon. It appears this has changed a bit. But even at today's rules of thumb, you are on the low end of the spectrum with 1.2 / gallon in your 55. Now if you have primo Indo rock or something that is porous, light, etc.. you could probably get away with it. But I don't know what you have. Even if it was top shelf, personally I would add more.
Going the refugium route will help, provided it is not just another aquarium with a little caulerpa, but one that has a ton of caulerpa to hammer on those nitrates.
I have certainly been guilty of messing with things just because I wanted to, not because I have needed to and a lot of times all hell has broken loose.
Saltyjay,
You think you have plenty of rock to handle your bio-load, but what you are seeing doesn't support that. Your wet/dry was handling the job fine, but as you are removing the balls it appears your rock cannot.
Now, as you suggested, this could just be a spike caused by your disturbance that could just even out. Time will tell. But if not, my guess is that you need more rock, or, at least, better quality rock.
Back in the day, when I had mine going and worked at an lfs, everybody said 2 lbs of rock per gallon. It appears this has changed a bit. But even at today's rules of thumb, you are on the low end of the spectrum with 1.2 / gallon in your 55. Now if you have primo Indo rock or something that is porous, light, etc.. you could probably get away with it. But I don't know what you have. Even if it was top shelf, personally I would add more.
Going the refugium route will help, provided it is not just another aquarium with a little caulerpa, but one that has a ton of caulerpa to hammer on those nitrates.
reeferx
Member
Another angle here is your sand bed. You said it is 'not significant.' Well I think most people here will agree that a sand bed that is < 3 inches probably is not that great at controlling your nitrates.
I don't know how old your tank is, but what could be happening is that the nutrients in the water are starting to exceed your sand bed's capacity to break them down.
I don't know how old your tank is, but what could be happening is that the nutrients in the water are starting to exceed your sand bed's capacity to break them down.
richierich2000
Member
Originally posted by ksujason:
<strong>Thanks Broomer, I am planning a DSB in this tank as well as alot of LR and corals. So I guess I will go without them. Thanks again</strong><hr></blockquote>
I am trying to find out what DSB is
<strong>Thanks Broomer, I am planning a DSB in this tank as well as alot of LR and corals. So I guess I will go without them. Thanks again</strong><hr></blockquote>
I am trying to find out what DSB is
bigeyedfish
Member
DSB = deep sand bed
I do plan on getting some more LR. i currently have about 40 lbs of Figi and 20 lbs of Tonga. i want some more tonga slab and branch show pieces. the sand bed i am really scared to mess with. i just dont want a cloudy tank, but i do agree i need more rock and sand. once my fuge gets done i am going to work on that and start messing with my lights. i told myself no corals, but its just to hard to stay away from those beautiful animals.
I do plan on getting some more LR. i currently have about 40 lbs of Figi and 20 lbs of Tonga. i want some more tonga slab and branch show pieces. the sand bed i am really scared to mess with. i just dont want a cloudy tank, but i do agree i need more rock and sand. once my fuge gets done i am going to work on that and start messing with my lights. i told myself no corals, but its just to hard to stay away from those beautiful animals.
ruaround
Active Member
Why is it that a wet/dry filter has become a "nitrate factory" over the last 2 years or so. The wet dry system was the ONLY way to go a few years back. If the wet/dry's purpose is to house the bacteria resposible for breaking down nitrates why is it that the filters are being accused for being the trate factory. Every tank is different, every fish is different. You may not have the proper clean up crew, proper lighting, and as for fish some are very messy eaters, and eat alot (remember what goes in must go out), how often and what you feed are also factors. I totally agree with kris, If it isnt broken dont fix it.
PS...Im using LS LR bac pac filter, fluval 304 and a UGF...you read right a UGF with a SB, kind of a experiment.
PS...Im using LS LR bac pac filter, fluval 304 and a UGF...you read right a UGF with a SB, kind of a experiment.