Nitrates, please go away!~

[JonnyIce]

He's coming tomorrow...just my first real livestock so I am crossing fingers.

 

[georgelc86]

You're going to QT it right?

 

[JonnyIce]

I wasn't planning on it :scratchch... was going to drip acclimate.

 

[georgelc86]

First fish thats going in right?

 

[JonnyIce]

Sorry...went 'radio silent' for the holidays LOL. Yes, he was the first fish in the tank...now I am going to have to set up a quarantine to get him a buddy...any suggestions? Just don't know where I'm gonna put said quarantine!

 

[georgelc86]

Just rememeber a QT tank doesnt have to be huge. I am currently using my old eclipse 12 system.

 

[JonnyIce]

Been a while, I guess I shall update . I am a tad superstitious about taking pictures of living things...it's like my pets are Amish...but whatever...Got a few frags from some MR members, thanks!
FTS this morning when everything was waking up and opening:

Some colors going on under actinics

 

[KathyC]

Very nice tank!!
Amish huh? lol

 

[JonnyIce]

Here is the latest FTS...a bit of a brown algae outbreak going on, argh! Don't mind the glass, I have the mini mag for acrylic (not sure I need it) and I don't like it. Any suggestions?!

 

[JonnyIce]

Still having some cyano issues, and I've seen the threads etc, but I currently have chemipure elite in chamber 1 and purigen in chamber 3. Would I be able to add phosban into any of the chambers with either of those?

 

[anthony27]

Maby removing the bio balls sent the levels up.

 

[JonnyIce]

no bioballs from the get go... and my phosphates are actually 0, but i'm thinking the cyano is being fueled by it, thus reading 0. but what do i know?

 

[emmanuel]

adding any media in a media bag hardly does anything if it does anything at all the best thing to do is add a phosban reactor they arent expensive but you would need a powerhead to feed it and they are about 3 inches in diameter so it wouldnt fit in the chamber as far as I remember. Maybe you can make a diy small enough to fit in one of the chambers.

 

[Wes]

or just hang the phosban on the back with the feed pump in one of the chambers. a little tip on the phosphate kits...Most of them are worthless, they will read zero when there is a phosphate problem.

One of the only ways to get a reading is to use a Colorimeter. The problem is they cost about $200. If you don't want to buy one and don't know someone who has one, it's best to assume that the phosphates are there and need to be removed. I run a phosban reactor 24/7 and always will. Phosphates will always be added whenever you feed so you need to have some form of removal.

If you don't like the look of a big phosban reactor hanging on the back you could use it for a couple months to get the phosphates down low. Then you could put some GFO in a media bag and put it in one of the chambers to help keep it down...

Just a suggestion.

 

[JonnyIce]

I'm willing to try that... Will have to look into how things will fit.

 

[JonnyIce]

Haven't had an update in a while...will take some pics over the weekend...though I did catch my halloween (I think) hermit picking on one of my acans last night...ugh . This is what he looked like before he turned HEEL and killed a XL turbo snail for its shell...