Here are my water chemistries. Help!

[drillsar]

Also I would look into getting your own RO/DI system it will help, the water your getting from another source maybe is the reason. The tds should be 0 or close to 0.

 

[GPB]

Most has been said:

RO water for source
More flow
Nix the CC
Nix Bio wheel

I use a canister filter for Rowa phis and Carbon. I clean it completely out everytwo weeks to prevent Nitrate factory.

10-15% water change weekly.

 

[zotzer]

With each water change, siphon a bit of the substrate out until you've gotten all you can. I know someone who left a small amount of cc, only because he couldn't really get it all. Looks pretty neat....like the reef is spilling onto the barebottom tank.

If you want to add sand back in, CaribSea special reef grade sand is nice. It is not super-fine and doesn't blow around a lot. You can use a tube and a funnel to direct new sand to the correct places and cut down on the mess.

The bio-wheel is easy enough. Just take it out. You can leave the filter running for flow, and a place to stash carbon or other media if you need to.

Good luck and keep us posted!!!
Tracy

 

[kremit2007]

Thanks, now thats what I need to know. So with the Bio-wheel, you say just to take the actual wheel out and leave the rest of the component, to include filters and carbon in place for flow? Thats easy enough. As for the CC, you dont think I can just add more sand on top? Also, will mixing up the very fine sand hurt my fish? (Namely a Foxface and Blenny). Since the sand and CC are mixed together, there isn't a way to avoid an explosion of fine sand into the water. As for flow, the flow seems to be great, although I could get better flow at the bottom, but only once the new sand is in place. For now, it would make the affect of a snow globe in my tank 24/7. Thanks for the suggestions, any ideas on a good, less expensive, bang for the buck type of canister filter? As for water source, the tank is comprised of ALL RO water now...Thanks again!

 

[drillsar]

is it RO water or RO/DI? there is a difference. I wouldnt put sand on top of the CC, CC is a nitrate factory get rid of it, get either a sugar sized sand or Special Grade sand from caribsea, others said they got pavestone pulverized limestone for there tanks.

I would go with the natural filter (Live rock) forget any other filters.

 

[kremit2007]

Awesome, thanks for the advice. As soon as I get the new LR, all of it, I will yank the Biowheel filter out. As for the CC, I am dreading the removal of it but will do so in about 30 minutes. Thanks