drummereef's 180g in-wall build
- Thread starter drummereef
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drummereef
Team RC
Thanks tredreef. I was under the impression that when cycling, NO3 won't come down unless you do a water change etc...? They just keep rising. That's why I'm wondering if any significant amount would transfer to the fuge if I don't transfer any water?
I'm fairly confident the NO3 kit is fine. I've recently tested the display (like last week) with it and came up with <5ppm. I was expecting the Pukani to have a lot of NO3 but it's measuring over 160ppm! That's why I'm wondering what I should do... Perform a 100% water change in the cycling container and leave the rock for another week or so? Or, just transfer the rock to the fuge - if you don't think the NO3 will go with it?
tj1627
I Dated a Robot
Brett,
Thought you might find this interesting - a writeup I found from Tom (TMZ) from the RK Mag staff. I was looking for more info to follow along on your use and modding of the biopellet reactor.
He has some really good information here on different carbon sources and how the pellets breakdown to be used by bacteria:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134105
An exerpt (from Post #21) from the thread - its a very long, but informative read. Biased towards the use of vodka/vinegar as a carbon source, but very good bio pellet information as well:
Thought you might find this interesting - a writeup I found from Tom (TMZ) from the RK Mag staff. I was looking for more info to follow along on your use and modding of the biopellet reactor.
He has some really good information here on different carbon sources and how the pellets breakdown to be used by bacteria:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134105
An exerpt (from Post #21) from the thread - its a very long, but informative read. Biased towards the use of vodka/vinegar as a carbon source, but very good bio pellet information as well:
drummereef
Team RC
Ha, I wish! :lol: Thanks oquockyo.
Interesting read Tim. I know TMZ is not a fan of bio pellets from other posts I've read but he is very educated on most chemistry topics. I disagree with some of his post, mostly in regards to bacteria dosing. I had massive results dosing ZeoZyme in combination with BioMate. It visibly helped to clean up the mulm and excess organics on the surface of my Marco Rock. But I agree with him, carbon dosing of any kind can be hit or miss which is dependent on a lot of factors. I had good luck with bio pellets reducing NO3 and PO4 each time I've used them. There's a point though, even with a recirculating reactor, that the bacteria population becomes too efficient for the bio load - again dependent on many factors i.e. how much you feed, what types of foods, system water volume, volume of pellets used, etc... I don't think there's many people that have hit the level of equilibrium necessary to run them continuously - at least in home aquaria it seems. I recently removed my reactor to see if was effecting any of my corals negatively and/or causing any of my substrate algae issues. So far, no change but it's only been about a week. Thanks for posting!
psteeleb
Team RC
UPDATE:
Did some more testing tonight... Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0, but to my shock Nitrate is off the chart! I didn't even have to wait 5 minutes for the test to develop, the color was instant. :eek1: I expected high NO3 but this was shocking to say the least.
I will obviously be filling the fuge with fresh saltwater and transferring ONLY the rock to it when ready. Do you think any of that excess NO3 will transfer to the fuge when I add the rock or will it just stay in the cycling water?
Brett
you need to enter that picture in our local clubs picture of the month contest. This months subject is any thing hot!!!:wildone:
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javimarino
New member
Thanks for the kind words of my island, I wish more people in the island appreciated the beauty of our natural habitat/resources. If I'm not mistaken that bio-luminescent effect is cause by a dinoflagellates in the water, but you probably knows more than me on the subject since you took the tour. Thats a astonishing site.
...and please come a again (in indoo accent)
+1
cromedogg33
Member
So Brett you took your reactor offline again?
I just finished building my recirc reactor, almost identical to yours. I used a sicce 1.0 though and just drilled the reactor and used uniseals. The plan is to put it online this weekend.
With it being recirc you have control of input and output I assume? More likely controlling the input rather than the output to reduce pressure on the reactor. Did you notice ill effects on anything in the tank? I only ask because I'm going to be starting EXTREMELY slow this time with pellets and probably have it turn my tank over once every 4-5 days. I think I'll start with 250ml-500ml of pellets.
I just finished building my recirc reactor, almost identical to yours. I used a sicce 1.0 though and just drilled the reactor and used uniseals. The plan is to put it online this weekend.
With it being recirc you have control of input and output I assume? More likely controlling the input rather than the output to reduce pressure on the reactor. Did you notice ill effects on anything in the tank? I only ask because I'm going to be starting EXTREMELY slow this time with pellets and probably have it turn my tank over once every 4-5 days. I think I'll start with 250ml-500ml of pellets.
afernandez
Never Quit!!
you got me thinking of investing in a few crabs... how long did it take them eat up all of your bubble algae? . ive been having some issues with BA for a little while.
drummereef
Team RC
Thanks for the kind words of my island, I wish more people in the island appreciated the beauty of our natural habitat/resources. If I'm not mistaken that bio-luminescent effect is cause by a dinoflagellates in the water, but you probably knows more than me on the subject since you took the tour. Thats a astonishing site.
...and please come a again (in indoo accent)
I wish I had the funds to make it down again, but hopefully soon. 
That bay was truly amazing. The guide said there were only 3 or 4 of those in the world and you have one!! Very cool. I took it offline last week, simply because I was testing 0 NO3 and 0 PO4 in the display (with my original phosphate checker). I was just curious to see if it was adding to the algae issue in the sand bed, but I haven't seen an improvement after taking offline so I'm not sure what's the deal there. Corals look the same, no difference yet. You have a good plan... I would start with 1/4 - 1/2 the recommended amount of pellets and adjust the input to regulate the flow-through the reactor. I left the valve on the output fully open to reduce internal pressure - like you stated in your post. There's lots of factors involved like I stated before but I think you'll have good results reducing nutrients using it, albeit slowly.
Indeed, but you know me... :rollface:
I'll re-test Nitrite just to make sure. I'm also most likely going to do a 100% water change in the curing tub and let the rock cook for another week or so. Just need to pick up some more salt this weekend. I would think a massive water change would take care of the issue enough to move forward but we shall see... Thanks for checking in Nook! The Emeralds destroyed my bubble algae issue. I purchased mine from Salty Underground. They were fresh from the Florida Keys, picked them up the same day they came in. It didn't take long, I'd say 3-4 weeks before they were begging for food. I recently lost one, not sure why -perhaps lack of food. In a 60g cube I'd only get 1 or maybe 2 max depending on how much bubble algae you have. Once they've beaten the algae I'd consider giving them to someone else with a bubble problem or sell back to LFS so they don't go hungry.
tj1627
I Dated a Robot
The Emeralds destroyed my bubble algae issue. I purchased mine from Salty Underground. They were fresh from the Florida Keys, picked them up the same day they came in. It didn't take long, I'd say 3-4 weeks before they were begging for food. I recently lost one, not sure why -perhaps lack of food. In a 60g cube I'd only get 1 or maybe 2 max depending on how much bubble algae you have. Once they've beaten the algae I'd consider giving them to someone else with a bubble problem or sell back to LFS so they don't go hungry.
Did yours develop a taste for anything else after the BA was gone? Detrius? uneaten food? other algae?
drummereef
Team RC
Hahaha! It's RED HOT! :lol2:
They pick around on the rocks constantly, so I'm assuming they are eating coralline and the occasional tubeworm etc. I don't really have any filamentous algaes in the display so I know they aren't feeding on that. I'm pretty sure they scavenge for uneaten food at night because I've seen them picking at the sand a bit. I have a few empty snail shells that I need to gather up but I'm not convinced the Emeralds got them. I've had a few snails drop off over the last few months which I just figure is life cycle etc...
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drummereef
Team RC
Thanks for the reminder, just re-checked... So the color on my API kit isn't totally aqua blue which indicates 0, but it's definitely below 0.25 which is the next color indicator - purple. I'm going to say it's below 0.15ppm.. More or less a light clear blue if that makes sense. :fun5: Do you think even a nominal amount of Nitrite would result in an invalid NO3 test?
drummereef
Team RC
I'm not sure how much it takes
Gotcha. Mine is no where near 1ppm but I wouldn't put it past it to influence the NO3. I still plan on doing a 100% water change, keeping the rock as wet as possible during the process, and then re-check in a few days to see where I'm at in the process. Drawing water now, I think I have enough salt to make the switch either tonight or tomorrow.
cromedogg33
Member
What did you use to help the rock cycle?
