DSB in a bucket for nitrate control
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Kinetic
Active member
Sorry, so many pages to look through, but how can I get cheap sand for this setup? It was said to be a $20 modification, but I can't find 60lbs of sand for a 5 gallon bucket for less than $70. some places sell them for $33 shipped for one 30lb aragonite based sand bag. What are you guys using? I'd like aragonite based sand, is this why it will be so expensive?
thanks~!
thanks~!
Glimmerman911
New member
Read the whole thread please, it is worth the read. But yes, silica sand is the cheap way, aragonite is more expensive.
You should be able to get aragonite shipped to your door for about $1/pound--- 50 pounds should be enough for a 5 gallon bucket....
I used quikrete white playsand-- it is silica based, very clean (does not cloud your water), pretty fine-- on top of this I put a thin layer of caribsea aragonite reef sand--its a larger grain sand that I use in my tank--- I put this on top to keep the other sand from being stirred up by the flow....
I've had mine in for 13 days now, I haven't checked my nitrates since last weekend....
the only advantage of using aragonite is that it will slightly help buffer your tanks calcium and alkalinity.... the amount it helps is very little though as it takes fairly acidic conditions to appreciably dissolve the aragonite--- I've read that it will very slowly disolve on its own so it should add a little bit to the water but don't expect it to be able to maintain your calcium or alkalinity on its own....
kimoyo
Active member
Being that we only talked in one other thread for a few pages I'm not sure why you jumped to this conclusion. But if you want to talk about something feel free to pm me.
I think your still missing the point here. It might be better if you hear it from Barry but I believe he retracted this particular statement and agreed with the others (not me) that the conversion of nitrite to nitrate happens in an oxygen-rich environment.
Like Airman and even Anthony said,
It would be good to read thru the thread. You might be surprised about how many things stated seem contradictory to what you think (from the post of yours I've read) and not said by me. Take Care<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6093011#post6093011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Anthony Calfo
It's a good thread if I may say so... truly worth the time to read. Please respect our time as well
.
kimoyo
Active member
Anthony says southdown is ok on page 6,
And someone posted a link about a type of sand and cost on page 3,
There were a few more ideas presented in pages 3-5 about types of sand.
But some of the important themes of the thread are the removability and easy replacement of the bucket if something goes wrong (or just for periodic replacement). And that the water should be pre-filtered before run into the bucket.
Last edited:
Kinetic
Active member
paul is my favorite RC user =)
southdown is aragonite based? how about lowes playsand?
thanks!!!
(i feel crappy for being so lazy... i'm still at work so don't have much time between builds to read too much at a time, thanks for those who are kind enough to post info! thanks!)
southdown is aragonite based? how about lowes playsand?
thanks!!!
(i feel crappy for being so lazy... i'm still at work so don't have much time between builds to read too much at a time, thanks for those who are kind enough to post info! thanks!)
A few pages back the lowes play sand is talked about in more detail. It says that it is 95% silica based and suppose to be very clean. I'v been looking around for different type's of sand to use also for this RDSB, but have only found the Quickrete play sand from lowes. That's probably what I'm going to use.
That was my post (about quikrete)-- link here....
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6375603#post6375603
THere are 3 brands of sand sold at some stores as play sand that can be aragonite--
Oldcastle, Southdown, and Yardright....
For all of these you want it to be white play sand--- some may be packaged as "tropical play sand"---
For any sand there is a simple test you can do to see if its aragonite or an aragonite blend....
put about an inch of regular white vinegar (this is 5% acetic acid)-- add some of the sand--- if it bubbles (like alkaseltzer)--- its aragonite.... it bubbles for a long time too, you won't miss it...
Where I live, I never found any yardright or southdown--- I did find Old castle but all I found failed the vinegar test---- if you are lucky enough to find some I'd get some extra and set it aside for future use... apparently it used to be sold in my area--just not anymore
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6375603#post6375603
THere are 3 brands of sand sold at some stores as play sand that can be aragonite--
Oldcastle, Southdown, and Yardright....
For all of these you want it to be white play sand--- some may be packaged as "tropical play sand"---
For any sand there is a simple test you can do to see if its aragonite or an aragonite blend....
put about an inch of regular white vinegar (this is 5% acetic acid)-- add some of the sand--- if it bubbles (like alkaseltzer)--- its aragonite.... it bubbles for a long time too, you won't miss it...
Where I live, I never found any yardright or southdown--- I did find Old castle but all I found failed the vinegar test---- if you are lucky enough to find some I'd get some extra and set it aside for future use... apparently it used to be sold in my area--just not anymore
Great information guys!
I'm still up in the air about what sort of sand Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m going to get!
I was thinking about using some extra fine bush sand (from outback bush land), it's not collected from the sea or anything so it wont be full of salt as it would if i collected from the beach. Using this underneath with some larger grain sand on top should do the job right?
Any comments or suggestions
I'm still up in the air about what sort of sand Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m going to get!
I was thinking about using some extra fine bush sand (from outback bush land), it's not collected from the sea or anything so it wont be full of salt as it would if i collected from the beach. Using this underneath with some larger grain sand on top should do the job right?
Any comments or suggestions
delphinus
New member
Sure, 90g tank, one pair ocellaris, 1 bangai cardinal, 1 carpet. Approx., 1" fine sand, approx 90-100lbs live rock. Approximately 3 year old system. Tank has been plaqued by high nitrates for a while now, I can't figure out where from. I grow out chaeto in an effort to try to suck some up, but nothing seems to bring the levels down. Maybe not enough LR?? I think I feed lightly (compared to my other tanks which don't have NO3 buildup), the only thing I can think to do more at this point, is remove the fish into a different system and stop feeding altogether for a while.
Let's find someone here online that has consistently struggled with some reasonable (readable on a test kit) levels of nitrate, to just try it... take readings at the beginning of the month, than again after one month... after a second month or more if they are willing. And let us know some details about that particular case. Bucket size, sand amount, system size and bioload, feeding/fish/coral load... etc.
kindly,
Anthony
__________________
"If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day... but if you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime."
Hobby Experience: 15 years professionally - making money that is
Current Tanks: 2K gallon fishroom, garden ponds
Hi folks.
relatively new to this forum. This idea sounds great and Anthony I am this guy. I have been struggling with nitrates from day 1. Have done everything like changing water 3x per week to trying things like purigen, nitrex box etc. My75 gal FO with some shrimp has been established for a year and other than the occasional need to put some buffer in for PH raising things have been fine. The nitrates seem to be in between 40-80 ppm no matter what I do. Setup-Filstar XP3, Uv sterilizer, protien skimmer, coral bed of 3" and about 35 pounds of Live rock. I have a 220w dual 10k+actinic. I am adding another 265w. I am unable to lift heavy loads or have any strength in my shoulders, Rotator cuff repairs- one about 1 month ago. To my dismay a kind gentleman straightened me out the other day. I come to find out that all that coral that the LFS told me was great for forming a bed is in fact great for 2 out of 3 levels of the N cycle. Should have apparently used sand. So until I am able to lift with any ability I am going to try 2 things. 1 AZ-NO3 2 This DSB in a 5 gallon bucket. If this works I am going to finally be able to calm down about the NO3. I hope to be able to get the proper supplies in the next couple of days. I plan on setting up a Oceanic salt bucket sealed with a pump and ball valve on the inlet side and a larger outlet hose back to the tank. I think the bucket will do a pretty good jovb of sealing as long as I can find a fitting that I can seal to either side. I don't see a UV sterilizer pump being able to build enough pressure to unseal that lid. Needed a pry bar to open it. Let me know if I missed anything. Since there is no chemicals to add I should be able to go right back int the tank. I do have an aerator in the tank.
kindly,
Anthony
__________________
"If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day... but if you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime."
Hobby Experience: 15 years professionally - making money that is
Current Tanks: 2K gallon fishroom, garden ponds
Hi folks.
relatively new to this forum. This idea sounds great and Anthony I am this guy. I have been struggling with nitrates from day 1. Have done everything like changing water 3x per week to trying things like purigen, nitrex box etc. My75 gal FO with some shrimp has been established for a year and other than the occasional need to put some buffer in for PH raising things have been fine. The nitrates seem to be in between 40-80 ppm no matter what I do. Setup-Filstar XP3, Uv sterilizer, protien skimmer, coral bed of 3" and about 35 pounds of Live rock. I have a 220w dual 10k+actinic. I am adding another 265w. I am unable to lift heavy loads or have any strength in my shoulders, Rotator cuff repairs- one about 1 month ago. To my dismay a kind gentleman straightened me out the other day. I come to find out that all that coral that the LFS told me was great for forming a bed is in fact great for 2 out of 3 levels of the N cycle. Should have apparently used sand. So until I am able to lift with any ability I am going to try 2 things. 1 AZ-NO3 2 This DSB in a 5 gallon bucket. If this works I am going to finally be able to calm down about the NO3. I hope to be able to get the proper supplies in the next couple of days. I plan on setting up a Oceanic salt bucket sealed with a pump and ball valve on the inlet side and a larger outlet hose back to the tank. I think the bucket will do a pretty good jovb of sealing as long as I can find a fitting that I can seal to either side. I don't see a UV sterilizer pump being able to build enough pressure to unseal that lid. Needed a pry bar to open it. Let me know if I missed anything. Since there is no chemicals to add I should be able to go right back int the tank. I do have an aerator in the tank.
ReefLurker
Premium Member
Help...searching for answers.
I have my 120 & 125 on the first floor plumbed to a 100 gallon sump in the basement. Before the water makes it to the sump, it is run through a 25 micron filter bag. The water then runs to a 30 gallon tank with 11 inches of aragonite, where the water flows across the top of this 30...then dumps into the sump via 3 bulkheads at the opposite end of the 30 gallon tank.
I set up the 30 with the aragonite back around November 15th. I am curious how long it may take before this DSB starts to function at its maximum potential, as I dont feel my nitrates are lowering as of yet. Will it take longer for a deeper DSB to take hold, then a shallower DSB? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Jeff
I have my 120 & 125 on the first floor plumbed to a 100 gallon sump in the basement. Before the water makes it to the sump, it is run through a 25 micron filter bag. The water then runs to a 30 gallon tank with 11 inches of aragonite, where the water flows across the top of this 30...then dumps into the sump via 3 bulkheads at the opposite end of the 30 gallon tank.
I set up the 30 with the aragonite back around November 15th. I am curious how long it may take before this DSB starts to function at its maximum potential, as I dont feel my nitrates are lowering as of yet. Will it take longer for a deeper DSB to take hold, then a shallower DSB? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Jeff
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