Filter needed

[Ef3s]

High nitrate is almost impossible to export through water changes alone so the smart money is on not producing it in excess in the first place. Limiting ammonia production logically limits nitrate.

As with any dissolved substance in a liquid, if you add fresh liquid the substance is reduced in direct proportion to the amount added.

25% water change would effectively eliminate 25% of the nitrates in the water...?

 

[DanH]

OK I'm not getting this, apologies for my stupidity.

I think I have the following options.

1. Just dump the filter

2. Dump the filter and add lights to aid algae growth. There is already a UV light in this chamber of my tank, will this do?

3. Keep the filter and dont clean it (ever?)

4. Replace the filter every xx days/weeks/months/years?

 

[Anonymous]

It makes no logical sense to say that 2 exact tanks exact livestock rocks and sand, would have 2 different nitrate readings simply becuase of the type of filter on the tank....

If you understand how things work, it makes perfect sense. Don't believe me? If you go googling you will see a ton of articles comparing different filtration methods, what happens with each type, etc. Which is why you will still have arguments among reefers as to which "method" is best Heck, some of the longest threads online are those comparing a DSB tank with a BB system, with a ton of resultant information.

Here, this article will get you started. It's about the use of live sand, and how it effects water values including nitrates. It grew from the deep sand bed vs bare bottom controversy:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... eature.htm

High nitrate is almost impossible to export through water changes alone so the smart money is on not producing it in excess in the first place. Limiting ammonia production logically limits nitrate.

As with any dissolved substance in a liquid, if you add fresh liquid the substance is reduced in direct proportion to the amount added.

25% water change would effectively eliminate 25% of the nitrates in the water...?

Not true. Here's a good article:
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/t_ ... ll_wc.html

What's most important to pull from that article is this graph, which shows how many water changes at what percentage will lower nitrate by a certain amount. Note the blue line, it shows that it would take twenty 50% water changes to lower a nitrate level from 20 mgl to zero.

 

[Anonymous]

OK I'm not getting this, apologies for my stupidity.

I think I have the following options.

1. Just dump the filter

2. Dump the filter and add lights to aid algae growth. There is already a UV light in this chamber of my tank, will this do?

3. Keep the filter and dont clean it (ever?)

4. Replace the filter every xx days/weeks/months/years?

Sorry there are a lot of advanced things being discussed here. To sum up my postion. Change the pad every week, dump the rock/bioballs which is nothing more than detrious trap and add macro and lights on a reverse ligjting cycle.

 

[DanH]

Lawdawg

I think I'm getting it but...

You say change the pad, I don't think I explained my set up very well. I have a rear compartment in the tank that is split into 4 chambers:

Chamber 1 - UV light, pump, sponge filter approx 2" sq x 5" long
Chamber 2 - Skimmer - powered by pump in chamber 1
Chamber 3 - Heater
Chamber 4 - 2nd pump connected a flow divertor in the tank

Tank 12g
13lb LR
2" sand bed - looks like it's going live
System 8 weeks old
1 pyjama cardinal, 1 hermit, 2 peppermints

Deaths to date: 1 hermit.

Know any good books?

 

[Anonymous]

In chamber 1 you have a sponge filter. THis is the "pad" I am referring to that doesn't do much (wihtout being changed) but trap large solids until they rot. You can buy filter pad which comes in sheets rather cheaply and cut one to fit, changing it out weekly if you so choose, or omit it entirely.

More info please...if I am picturing this correctly, the water flows into #1, hits that pad which is held by a drip plate then flows downwards into into chamber #2?

Which chamber do you have the liverock in?

As far as books, look up this thread...

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... book+calfo

 

[DanH]

See attached pic re. the rear chamber. I hope this helps.
I don't have any LR rubble.
The sponge filter is a tight fit in the chamber and has a hole cut out of it so that it can sit over the UV. The filter rests on top of the pump.

 

[Anonymous]

(light bulb goes on, thanks for the drawing) sorry, I mixed your setup with that of another poster when I was talking about LR rubble being replaced by macro...my bad for posting prior to that second pot of coffee .

Heck, I'd just deal with the sponge pad as noted above and wait. At 8 weeks your system is still far from mature and time will tell how to best tweak it.

 

[ChrisRD]

I'm running a 12g tank with 13lb LR and a skimmer. The tank came with bio balls, ceramic rings and a foam filter which sits above a 10gph powerhead - the powerhead feeds the skimmer. I also have an additional 15gph pump which is connected to a flo divertor. All this sits in a rear compartment on the tank.

From reading various threads I have removed the bio balls and cermaic rings. I still have the filter in the tank but I'm confused. Is the filter battling with the LR for a bacteria colony? Should I be removing the filter to clean it? If so am I kiling of any bacteria that was growing? Should I just dump the filter? I have added a 1,5" "Red sea" reef Base sand spheres mixed with aragonite coral chip

Honestly, with a tank this size, water changes are so easy to perform that you really don't need much else. With the LR + skimmer, good in-tank circulation and regular water changes you are more than covered in terms of filtration.

You can leave the sponge in (will help remove particulates from the water column) but make sure to clean it frequently or it will do more harm than good. Personally, in this case I would not be the least bit concerned about killing the bacteria on the sponge and would treat it strictly as a mechanical filter.

HTH

 

[Ef3s]

Not true. Here's a good article:
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/t_ ... ll_wc.html

What's most important to pull from that article is this graph, which shows how many water changes at what percentage will lower nitrate by a certain amount. Note the blue line, it shows that it would take twenty 50% water changes to lower a nitrate level from 20 mgl to zero.

From what I am getting from the graph and article they agree with me! It will take the same amount of 25% water changes in a 100 gallon as in a 10 gallon to remove the same amount of PPM nitrate. Notice the line on the graph is linear there is a direct link to the percentage of water removed to the amount of PPM nitrate removed....


If you remove 25% of water then 25% of nitrates are removed.
Obviosly 4 25% changes wouldn't remove 100% becuase you would only be removing 25% each time.

 

[Anonymous]

Not true. Here's a good article:
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/t_ ... ll_wc.html

What's most important to pull from that article is this graph, which shows how many water changes at what percentage will lower nitrate by a certain amount. Note the blue line, it shows that it would take twenty 50% water changes to lower a nitrate level from 20 mgl to zero.

From what I am getting from the graph and article they agree with me! It will take the same amount of 25% water changes in a 100 gallon as in a 10 gallon to remove the same amount of PPM nitrate. Notice the line on the graph is linear there is a direct link to the percentage of water removed to the amount of PPM nitrate removed....


If you remove 25% of water then 25% of nitrates are removed.
Obviosly 4 25% changes wouldn't remove 100% becuase you would only be removing 25% each time.

Right, and the nitrates will still accumulate in between water changes, hence the slippery slope . Changing 100% of the water would work in the short term, but the levels will jump right back up until you eliminate the initial problem(s) that cause it.[/quote]

 

[Ef3s]

Agreed!