Learning Lesson from CleveYank

[rob.holbrook]

So... .today I learned a less.... I have a pro clear Wet dry sump system.... well until today I never knew I needed to remove the bio balls and the foams from it.

Well just so happened that CleveYank was coming over to pick up some MH lights I had for sale and trade some coral...

to make it fast I like the corals and learned that this stuff needs to be out , b/c it takes up tons of nitrates... I was posting this so he could follow it b/c he left detailed directions for how the next week or so should be.

as of today... I removed half bio balls and sponges... added one bag of live sand.

Added carbon and added a phosphate sponge. Here are the current readings

Calcium - 480 ppm
Phosphate - 4.0
Nitrate - 30 ppm
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
PH - 8.2

Tomorrow will be doing a 4 Gallon water change, posting with para.
Tues- 4 gallon water change, posting with para
Weds - Changing Phosphate Sponge and Carbon. Water Change
Thurs - 4 gallon water change, posting para
Friday - 4 gallon water change, posting para

More or less just want to lower phosphates and lower nitrates.

Anyways Cleve helped out tons ... and figure I would share and whoever wants to see what happens can

 

[jefft321]

I just removed the bioballs from mine also, I am interested to see what happens.
I have a pre-filter sponge where the tank water drains to the sump that I wash out every 1 or 2 weeks, and filter floss in the sump that I replace about every 2 or 3 weeks, should I remove everything? I was thinking of switching to a filter sock only.

 

[rob.holbrook]

Yea I didnt know any of this stuff before hand.... I had heard you take the bio balls out but never did...

he seen my tank and said do it now lol..

there isnt a sponge or filter floss to be found....

I cant tell you what to do... because I am honestly not sure the outcome... figure I would post and do it and see what others said...

but he seemed very for real about this helping and helping quickly so we shall find out lol

 

[itZme]

WOW ... Phosphate is 4.0. Surprised you have any corals alive in there. You should be shooting for as close to zero as you can get. Some corals show signs of stress at PO4 levels of .05.

 

[scottfarcuz]

I'm not so sure I would be pulling half the bio media right off the bat. I would slowly remove them over time. Pulling some and cleaning them in tank water is not going to hurt anything. If the tank is established ( I assume so with 2 years listed experience)this is a big part of your bio filtration. Your rock/sand needs time to makeup for the changes in the system. Cleaning them up in some tank water can eliminate a lot of crud without killing off the bacteria.

Also watch alk levels if adding a lot of GFO based phosphate media.

 

[rob.holbrook]

that half of the bio balls are pulled... To compensate for pulling out that much bio media off the bat I added a bag of live sand... which has the beneficial bacteria to compensate for what I pulled out of the tank. I know it seems crazy, but that is why I am going to monitor the tank for the next few weeks closley to make sure it doesn't cycle.

 

[CleveYank]

It's not that crazy.
The bio media pulling in the exact manner that I strongly suggested has been done before and worked. So hopefully another hobbyist (you) will not drain it and quit the hobby out of frustration. Plus my frags will not buy the farm in 3 days.
Hopefully it will work again.

Didn't think there'd be testamonial...damn Rob I'm light with a blush...lol

Had I known your tank was not up to the task I would have held off on the frag deal. Glad I could offer to assist, hope it all works out. Really.

Besides, If everything works out you can always depend upon that fellow Cora member who stated and sold you the "beginner" coral to assist you again. You know, that easy to take care of Sun Coral that the guy at the last swap hooked you up with...for $55. Why would he mislead you? He's a another hobbyist...not an LFS. Geeze.

Well keep us posted. Thanks again for the help with the lighting as well Rob. You saved my bacon. Hopefully, I have returned the favor.

Mike

 

[crazyseany]

I believe you'll be fine.....
depends too on tank size amt of live rock and amt of livestock in the tank.

are suncorals bad begginer corals?
as long as you ffed each head they should be fine. lol

xenia is a bad beginer coral.... why does it always die in my tank.... why!

do water changes and tests.
are you going to make you bioball holder into a fuge? (refugium)

sean

 

[rob.holbrook]

I would like to in the future.... dont know when ... I guess it is one thing at a time lol...

as far as the tank size it is a 90 gallon..... decent amount of rock prolly 60lbs

 

[rob.holbrook]

Did a 4 Gallon water change today ... checked current readings


CA - 460
Nitrite - 0
PH - 8.3
Phosphates - .6
Nitrates - 7.0
Ammon - 0

Here is tonights .... tomorrow 4 more gallons and another test... changing the carbon bags and phospate bags.

fish and corals all look good

 

[t11t5]

refugium needed

 

[CleveYank]

That being one of the other 3 forms of nitrate export. Maybe even hybreds of some/all of them would actually insure the most favorable long term result.

properly setup nitrate filter.
properly setup chemical nitrate reduction media.
properly setup chemical phosphate reduction media.
better water change practices with testing until stability for this individual system is reached.

I felt that more liverock would help, thus my referral of Rob in your direction t11t5 as a possible source.

++++Elimination of nitrate factory and change over to natural ammonia and nitrite consumption within the starved liverock with an immediate but progressive kick down in nitrate and phosphates was of the utmost short term importance.

I took one look at the tank and knew nitrates and phosphates were out of wack. How without so much as breaking out a test kit? Luck? Nope.

Saw the lack of pods, lack of small feather dusters, and lack of coralline algae of any kind on the rock. Even leathers that looked unhappy with a washed out tang swimming about. Knew it was nitrate due to leathers and zoos not open and happy. And Knew the phosphates had to be high with diminished coralline production in a tank that had good Ca value according to Rob on initial inquiry.

Rob's skimmer may be a question mark as well in that he claims it does not produce alot of skimmate and if he turns it up it just pulls lots of water. The pass or efficiency and gaseous mixing or exposure to fine bubbles of water passing within the skimmer may not be what it should be for a system of this bio-load and type.

If I were asked to redesign this system within it's space limitations.
I would do the following:
Add more liverock up to about 1.5 to 2 lbs per gallon
Look for a low profile highly efficient skimmer.
I would build a refugium with some sand and lots of miracle mud or the like in it with chaeto.
I would setup a small to medium canister for batch or cyclical chemical reduction via high end carbon, GFO and nitrate media when needed. I would setup a schedule of monthly 10 to 20% water changes or best case with weekly 5%.
Do meticulous Ca and Alk testing until I would find a sweet spot for 2 part solutions (A and B that owner already has) addition.
And setup schedule for small dosing of iodine, stront, and Mg.
Setup minimum of 3 powerheads on alternating and disruptive flows against the main pump MAG 7 (that I would replace with a MAG 9 when the MAG 7 buys it) tank return flow.