Advice on filtration and Nitrates

criecken

New member
Here is my situation:
1) Have a 75 gallon FOWLR, ASM G1X skimmer running in about 15 gallons of sump water. Also have an FX5 filter running on same system. Have great water quality except Nitrates run high. Even with large water changes they get right back up there.
Ultimatly I want to put a fuge in... but no time for that now.

2) 110 gallon freshwater running a homemade wet/dry with about 5 gallons bio balls and an Aqua Clear 110 rated for 100 gallons. South American Cichlids.

Thinking the FX5 is overkill on the 75 gal FOWLR and probably contributing the the high Nitrates.
The 100 gal FW could always use more filtration as it has large South Am Cichlids and they are VERY messy.

So maybe taking the FX5 off the SW tank and putting on the FW tank... then to not rely completly on just the skimmer for the SW tank, move the Aqua Clear over to the SW tank.

Basically trading out the FX5 and Aqua Clear 110.

Any comments or suggestions?
Will I just be screwing both tank up by doing this?

Also, if this does make sense... just switching out the media would not be possible as the FX5 has floss(would not fit in Aqua Clear) and live rock. So thinking I would have to wash out all media with tap water in order to allow it to start a new biological colony in each filter. UNless the bio colonies from SW will also live and work in FW and vice versa....
 
The Canister filters are really bad with nitrates. I am in the process of adding a sump to my tank. So I can get ride of my canister filters. I don't know how often you clean yours, but I have to clean mine every week. Or the nitrates start to climb.. They are like Nitrate factories...
 
If you are running a sump and skimmer already, I would just modify you plumming so you can either turn off the flow through the canister or make it so you can easily add/remove the canister.

Then just use the canister for when you do water changes or if for some reason you are doing something that is going to kick up any debre in the wate column.

I was going to do that with the canister I have but I found out on the inital add that the canister leaks

I took it back off and made a DIY device that slides down into the bubble trap in my sump...It holds a hand cut poly pad in the bubble trap and seems to be doing a great job...I make the poly pads from a 100% poly roll you can get at any linens store of Walmart for like $5 and will make months worth of pads...(I figure at least 100)

Right now I have to change it nightly (due to nightly hand strirrings and HA pulling) I am kicking up tons of debre...(acutally less each night)

It also has a built in timer telling me when I need to change it...When it gets too gummed up the water starts overflowing the baffle instead of going down throught the under....When I notice it starting to trickle over...I pull it out and add a new one.

My water column has never been this clear...(as my wife pointed out to me)

Some people use filter socks...but those you still need to change out every other day I would imagine.
 
kgouso do you have any pics, that sounds interesting.


I have heard of getting poly pad at walmart, is this the same stuff as what you get at a petsmart? Is it safe for use in tanks? I keep thinking if it's from walmart or a linens store it maybe treated with fire retardents or who knows...
 
100% polyester is just fine. I've been using it for quite some time now. I haven't seen one with fire retardant, but you should check the label just in case.
 
So you suggest that I keep the canister hooked up to tank but do not run it except when I do water changes or other times where there may be alot of debri???
Heck if that is the best solution, I will make use of the FX5 on my freshwater tank... hate to let a $400 filter just sit there for occasional use... maybe get a smaller canister to do what you are taking about.

So you took the basic sump setup and added some poly pad to the bubble trap and that is it? To provide mechanical filtration?

Thinking that maybe I will just go with a little bigger sump and forget about any other filtration........ maybe ?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12928088#post12928088 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GustavoAZ
kgouso do you have any pics, that sounds interesting.


I have heard of getting poly pad at walmart, is this the same stuff as what you get at a petsmart? Is it safe for use in tanks? I keep thinking if it's from walmart or a linens store it maybe treated with fire retardents or who knows...


The label said 100% polyester...I did not notice if it said anything about fire retardent...(I am going to re-check the package though)...If I find any bad elements I will stop using it and get some from petsmart...(It was only $5 at Walmart)

I will try and get some pics of what I am doing....I am happy with the progress, but I still have quite a bit of HA growing all over.

I basically just cut a piece of egg crate to fit inbetween the baffle walls...I had some plastic adjustable hooks that hang over the edge and go down into the opening in the baffle and then L inward that creates a shelf for the egg crate to sit on..

The egg crate is only about 2 inches wide...I cut a strip of thin poly that lays on the egg crate... I wrap a cloth rubber band like hair piece (I stole from my wife) on each end to keep the poly from floating away, folding over or getting blown off from the water overflow

when it get too gummed up (and starts overflowing the baffle) I take it out and cut a new strip for it from the poly roll.
 
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