Q: About my fuge?

[mmotown]

I didn't want to hi-jack another thread so I started a new one but I have questions about my fuge. lately I have been having a nutrient problem in my tank. All of my parameters are in check and I do weekly to bi-monthly water changes. I run GFO and carbon on my tank as well. My tank has been setup 3yrs. Lately I have been have problems with some corals STN'ing and I can't pinpoint the problem. I am wondering if it could be my fuge. This is how my sump is set up. On my 150 I have a 60 gal sump. Facing my sump on the left side is my skimmer compartment, in the middle is my calc reactor and return pumps and on the right side is my fuge which is fed directly from my tank. I have never cleaned my fuge and I have no critters in there other than pods. Could this be the cause of my undectable nutrients? How should I proceed. Could I vacume the sand out and replace it with new sand and start all over or what?

 

[ScarabRa]

Re: Q: About my fuge?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10743443#post10743443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mmotown
I didn't want to hi-jack another thread so I started a new one but I have questions about my fuge. lately I have been having a nutrient problem in my tank. All of my parameters are in check and I do weekly to bi-monthly water changes. I run GFO and carbon on my tank as well. My tank has been setup 3yrs. Lately I have been have problems with some corals STN'ing and I can't pinpoint the problem. I am wondering if it could be my fuge. This is how my sump is set up. On my 150 I have a 60 gal sump. Facing my sump on the left side is my skimmer compartment, in the middle is my calc reactor and return pumps and on the right side is my fuge which is fed directly from my tank. I have never cleaned my fuge and I have no critters in there other than pods. Could this be the cause of my undectable nutrients? How should I proceed. Could I vacume the sand out and replace it with new sand and start all over or what?

Yes you will acumulate stuff in the DSB on a fuge, especially if its over 3 inches. and if its been set up for over 2 years, its due for a refreshing so to speak.

Try Gravel vacking one side of the fuge, it will disrupt it, buit it would be better than removing it all, and starting over.

What the heck is STN??

these acronynms are spreading like Wildfire IMHO, IYAM
My2Cents

 

[HBtank]

I guess I am confused... you have an undetectable nutrient problem?

You have to little?

Or you think you have to much?

It would seem hard to have levels that are causing STN yet you can't detect them?

Also, I would guess you would see a large increase in algae growth if you had "too much" and are still not detecting them, they have to be going somewhere very quick...

 

[mmotown]

At one time I had unwanted algae growth but this was while I was using pappone. so the algae had to have come from nutrients. I just figured that excess nutrients could have been the cause of my STN (turning white from the base up).

 

[HBtank]

It would seem to me that if you currently do not do not have algae problem and also do not have readings on your test kits that you don't have a elevated nutrient problem..

There are limitless explanations for STN it seems, so I would hesitate before dishing the blame on sand even though it is the current trend to do so...

I would also hesitate blaming "nutrients" themselves at low to undetectable levels.. I have read about many people intentionally increasing feeding and stocking levels in SPS tanks with great results, because their tanks were nutrient starved and this itself was found to be as bad as having excess..

There are always contradictions it seems...