Replenishment of helpful nutrients

[fluidimagery]

This may be a beginner like question but recently I've upgraded my skimmer from a AquaC Remora to a Deltec MC500 on my 25g display / 20g sump system.

Since installing the skimmer I've had a slight problem with microbubbles that is slowly dissapating. Completely normal with the new skimmer. After speaking with a deltec rep about proper setup of the skimmer he asked how frequently I change the water. I told him it was 10% weekly changes, he told me I should cut those back to 10% a month and I have nothing to worry about as far as nutrient export with my size system.

I'm currently running the skimmer 24/7, have about 10g partitioned fuge overflowing with chaeto, and run a phosban reactor. My nutrient levels are regularly 0ppm of P04 and .02ppm N03.

I dose B-Ionic Alk and Calk 2 part daily (10ml each) and that's it as far as dosing goes.

Cutting to the chase... my question is with the montly water changes should I dose something else to replenish the goodness that water changes would?

 

[Maxxumless]

Personally, I think youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢re over-filtered though I may be wrong if you are heavily stocked. Oh, and thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s pretty sensitive testing kit you got if you can read that low. 10% a month may be OK though, but its hard to tell w/o knowing more. I wouldnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t add anything else element wise in any case. And as far as bubbles, most skimmers release macro bubbles for a while until they break in which could be days or even weeks. I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t own a Deltec so I wouldnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t know if that was normal, but I probably is.

 

[Paintbug]

first, are you testing for calc and alk? or just dosing the B-ionic by the instructions? if youre not testing your heading for trouble. most people here do 2-4 water changes a month. doing one a month will be ok if you dont have a lot of corals, and other livestock using up the elements like Magnesium, Strontium, and the other things we dont normally add. check out this article, it explains more about each element, and its importance to your tank. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

the main things (besides the basics) you will need to check for a reef are Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium. but again if you dont have a high demand for those elements from the livestock then you probably wont even need to add any of those.

dont know anything about your skimmer.

 

[fluidimagery]

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll be sure to check out the reefkeeping article.

To fill in the blanks:

I test Calc and Alk Weekly (calc stays around 450ppm alk is 9dKH)

I dose MG on occassion (test once every other week, typically between 1200 and 1300)

Deltec claims the reason for the excess microbubbles is there advanced tech of creating more air than a normal skimmer. As the water matures the bubbles dissapate. The theory is the less water changed... the more "mature" the water is... makes sense.

Stocking Includes:
2 x Ocellaris Clown
Six Line Wrasse
Purple Firefish
Hi-Fin Red Banded Goby
Fromia Mill. Star
Fancy Serpent Star
Various snails and hermits (about 30 in all)

Pics of tank and sump area for a visual