Fluidized Bed Filter?

[NEFP]

My Nitrates keep spiking on my and I was thinking about doing a DIY Fluidized Bed Filter. Would this help? If so what do I use as the media in one of these?

 

[Marc]

Fluidized bed filters are for supplemental biological filtration. If you have nitrates spiking then I don't think you would want to add a biofilter that would add to the headache. What type of setup do you have and what are your water quality paramiters? What is your livestock bioload meaning how many fish, corals do you have???

Marc

 

[NEFP]

I am running a 55 gallon tank with about 1" sand bed and 15 pounds live rock. 20 gallon sump with 30 pounds live rock then thru carbon and nitrate sponge then thru skimmer section with heater and back up to tank. I have a 3" maroon clownfish, 1 1/2" damsel, Banded catshark egg, about 10 black turbo snails and 10 hermits.

What can I do, add to or change to help?

 

[Marc]

Well everything sounded fine upto the nitrate sponge. Don't use Kent marine nitrate sponges because in reality they do not actually soak or absorb nitrate. They only remove absorb ammonia before it gets filtered inot nitrate. IN order to solve the nitrate problem you would need a denitrifier for that or get some liverock. Skip the idea on a fluidized bed filter and if you are doing a FOWLR tank with no corals and for the size of such a small tank, get some high quality liverock to aid in your biological filtration as well as some denitrification. Add some more rock to the tank or sump along with a large water change of at least 20 gallons every week and your nitrates should be down considerably. Also be sure to have a good skimmer. Fluidized bed filters are nitrate factories, don't use them. If you decide to go an external biological filter get a WET DRY! A much better filter that does not add as much nitrate to your water.

Marc