Tunze Skimmer?

[dandydan]

Hi,
Been running a well stocked 320L Reef for around a year, Live rock, too many fish, a 5L a day or so water change, everything looks and measures good, - But not much life in my Calaurpa bed, I do dose live Phyto and only use a thin sheet filter floss as pre filter to sump.

Maybe my current Deltec MCE600 skimmer is too much.

The Tunze comlines, are they as efficient at taking out organic wastes, whilst leaving my live stuff Zoo's and Phyto alone??

I cant get my head around it, but if so, then seeing how reliable and well made my 2 6000 and 7095 are I would switch over. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,

 

[reefnetworth]

i cant give advice on the Tunze. but if you want your calaurpa to flourish and other macro as well as phyto. addition of chelated iron will make noticeabe improvements in about 2 days. i use Kent CI, but dose it sparingly, not to manufactures suggested. about half dose. REEF-ON!!!

 

[dandydan]

Thanks,
Caulerpa is doing more than OK, and I do use Kent Iron, its just I dont see any creepy crawlies amongst my caulerpa.
sorry my 1st post reads wrong, I just want alot of creepy crawlies.

 

[rvitko]

If you run the DOC Classic or the DOC Comline skimmers in closed loop plankton safe mode it should help but it is really hard to say since so many other things will affect the pod population.

 

[dandydan]

Thanks Roger, I nearly bought a microscope to see what was going on in my column, But all the corals look healthy enough, I'll try and cut the skimming down to 12 hrs. But as you say, could be a number of things.
Thanks

 

[rvitko]

What kind of corals do you keep?

 

[goda]

i have pods the out side of my tunze skimmer ( and tiny jellyfish as well in the chamber with it)

it is in recirc (closed loop) mode

 

[dandydan]

Hi,
Acropora, 4 Goniopora, 1 Alveopora, a few other Pora's etc. Too many fish, a gallon a day water change, 24 hrs sump light, and daily replacement of Calc/Alk etc. Plus dose Iron and use Live Phyto plankton. I had a Classic year ago with fish only that did the job, and this skimmer I have certainly pulls the gunk out, I realise Tunze stuff is costly but so is my Stock, and I certainly have not seen or heard of anything as good as the 2 Streams I have. I dont like the idea of stripping my water too much, but of course we need to take out the muck
Thanks.

 

[rvitko]

It is a tough call because without stripping the water you will lose some coloration of the acroporas but the gonioporas and alveoporas could certainly benefit from a bit less skimming. I would probably be inclined to leave it alone if the animals look healthy.

 

[dandydan]

Thanks alot Roger,
I'll give it a bit longer

 

[mech]

get some chaeto from a tank that has a good growth of pods etc and cram it between some rocks that is getting good flow(not enough to blow everything out), and give a week or so....enjoy!