Bubbles coming up from undergravel filter

[Paul B]

You can certainly change the flow after you clean it out pretty well. Just run it very slow and put a sponge on the intake so you don't push much detritus under the gravel. Twice a year stir up where ever you can reach with some sore to canister filter and suck out what you can. Do that for 40 years and re post

 

[BKRJIM]

Ok.. After all the cleaning and a 60 % waterchange, which was 2 days ago. I just checked my water again. The nitrates are up. From 40 to 80 and the phosphates are up from .20 to .50. The ph is still at 8.3. Is this because i loosened up the garbage or because now the bacteria are not converting the nitrates to nitrogen gas. I do not get anymore bubbles out the uplift tubes. Will these numbers eventually go down? Thanks, jim

 

[Paul B]

Yes you always had that garbage and associated nitrates in the tank and now they are in your test kit. Don't worry about it and don't tweek anything. I personally would get a canister filter or like I use a diatom and suck out anything that is not a rock or a fish. Then relax and it will straighten itself out. The bacteria are annoyed and are letting you know by going on strike. My nitrates are almost that high and I am sitting here drinking a nice glass of Merlot listening to an old Linda Ronstadt album, that's how worried I am.

 

[BKRJIM]

Ok paul..miller hghlife and blind faith for me. I will keep you posted on the progress. Cheers!!!!!!

 

[BKRJIM]

Phosphate remover

Phosphate remover

Moondoggy,
i am using the liquid phosphate remover as you said. The phosphates are going down but very slow. I was using 3/4 dropper for about 120 gals. Of water. The bottle says to use .25 ml for 8 gallons. That would be 1,0 ml for 32 gal, which is a full dropper. According to the bottle, i should be using almost 4 eyedroppers full each time. I was wondering that because i am giving such a light dose, basically 1/4 strength, is that why it is taking so long. It took three days to go from.3 to .2. What do you think? Aside from the temporary cloudiness by using it at the reccommended dose is it dangerous? If i dose at night, by the time i wake up in the morning, the tank would be clear. I got my reactor, but like you said, i am waiting for the level to drop before i install it. All help appreciated. Thanks, jim

 

[BKRJIM]

Phosphate level

Phosphate level

Okay, i have been using the recommended dose of the liquid phosphate remover. I am now down to .05. Do i need to go to zero and then put the reactor in? It should be zero tommorrow. Also, my nitrates have gone up considerably, i'm at about 90. From 50.

Is that normal. No changes in the tank other than the phosphate going down. Algae is disappearing quickly. I have been feeding lightly, no dead fish anywhere. I am planning on a water change tommorrow if the phosphates are zero and installing the gfo reactor. All advise is very appreciated. Thanks

 

[moondoggy4]

Doing good, reason for doing the liquid dosing is you will be changing out the GFO every two days, now you can leave it in until you notice the phosphate starting to rise again then you change out the GFO.

 

[moondoggy4]

Sorry I did not see your other post until now, you do not want to rush the drop it can be deterministical to the tank, also have you been checking your alkalinity levels, they will drop when using the GFO.

 

[BKRJIM]

deterministical ? HELP ME OUT HERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHY THE NITRATES WENT UP? ALGEA DYING, ACTUALLY JUST DISAPPEARING ALGAE MAYBE? DID THIS HAPPEN TO YOU? CAN THE PHOSPHATES DROPPING RAPIDLY DO ANYTHING TO THE FISH? I KNOW IT IS ALOT OF QUESTIONS BUT I AM NEW AT THIS PART OF THE WATER CHEMISTRY. ALL I EVER WORRIED ABOUT AFTER THE TANK CYCLED SOME 15 YRS AGO WAS P.H. AND NITRATES. THANKS JIM

 

[moondoggy4]

DETERMINISTICAL=determential and I still cannot spell it correctly with spell check. Meaning it is a bad thing if you drop the phosphate to quickly it can cause your tank to crash if you have a reef tank not so much with a FO, slow is always the best course. I think you are fine. Your nitrates are going up not sure why could be the dying algae. Don't sweat it too much do some more water changes get good circulation within the tank.

 

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2152814 HTH

 

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2405290 HTH

 

[BKRJIM]

Okay.. Detrimental..got it. Thanks. Great threads by the way. I am going to check the phosphate level tomorrow. If it is below 0.25, then i am going to install the reactor. I am going to do a 30% water change too. Do i need to continue the liquid phosphate remover every day, or do i rely on the reactor now, and monitor. When i stop using the liquid, will the phosphates come back because i am not using it. I cut way back on food, and am not adding anything with phosphates. It is just what the fish are giving off now. The gfo can handle that? Thanks

 

[moondoggy4]

Once you get the phosphate at the level you want, start using the GFO start off with half the recommended dosage stop using the liquid phosphate remover.

 

[BKRJIM]

Ok.. Will do. Thank you for your advise. I will keep you updated. You have been a tremendous help.

 

[BKRJIM]

Today the phosphates were almost zero. I installed the gfo. I also removed a three year old sandbed from under the live rock in my sump/refug. Is was all gook. I have the gfo in the sump now. I will see if the phosphates remain very low.

 

[BKRJIM]

ok, the phosphates are at .25 or less. the gfo is in the reactor and working for about a week. I stopped using the liquid phosphate remover which worked fantastic. how long do I leave the media in? do I wait until phosphate levels start to climb, or is there a certain amount of time it can stay in, before it is used up? thanks to all....

 

[moondoggy4]

Keep the GFO until it starts to climb then change it out, I went to Lowes and I found a bird feeder funnel that had a push stop slide, you put the media in the funnel and then fill your reactor and then push the button and it stops filling sub 5 bucks going to make putting the media in so much easier.

 

[BKRJIM]

sweet, thanks for your help.. again!!! what type of gfo do you use? the stuff I got was brown/rust colored media about the size of freshwater fishtank gravel. that even after being rinsed very well, when I first started the reactor, a lot of rusty colored water came out. I was able to catch most of it in a large plastic picture, but it would have been a mess.

 

[moondoggy4]

My latest stuff is Rowa Phos I got it for 39.99 for 1000g that is a good price watch for sales event to get it that low. Also check out BRS they sell two kinds up to you and your wallet. they ahve the standard kind and High Capacity.
The Rowa phos states not to rinse but to put wool filter floss above and below the media, I purchased Eheim #21 Filter wadding part #2504101.

I am still using the Liquid Phos remover I do have high phosphate levels but not very much algae just some in the teeth of my overflow i guess my Powder Blue tang and Purple tang must be eating it all up. I have purchased the other stuff just waiting to get my levels low enough to put it on line.