Water Changes as Nutrient Export?

[happyclam]

Would a 10% weekly water change acomplish nutrient export to about the same degree as growing macro algae under 24/7 lighting and then harvesting it? I will also have a bit of cheato in my sump under 36 watts of PC, but I'm not sure if thats enough light for it to be an efficient nutrient exporter.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Normal sized water changes alone will not normally keep nitrate and phosphate adequately low. I discuss it here:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

 

[happyclam]

Would water changes in combination with growing macro and having 2 DSBs keep the nitrate and phosohate low? (I will have only 3 fish in my 135 gal tank: 2 clowns + 1 4line wrasse, all fed only once a day).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, that could be adequate if sufficiently sized and lit. Skimming would also be a nice addition.

 

[BISHY]

what about treating / filtering the watre change water before using it to make is cleaner / pure. i have had a recent issue with NSW. if i ran carbon / phost phate remover in my water change water, would this help get the nasties out so i will be safe of not contaminating or rasising levels of unwanted nutirents / elements ?

i like doing big water changes weekly and want to make the 'new' water as clean as possible. is there anything i would need to be careful of ? overdose using these chemical medias ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, it could help if you are using NSW. It is unlikely to be useful, and might be detrimental to use carbon (or even GFO) on artificial seawater if you use a brand that has organics in it that you actually want (like vitamins). It won't do anything for some nutrients, such as nitrate. I do not think you are likely to overdose GFO or carbon used to treat NSW before use.

 

[BISHY]

i think i will use purigen/carbon and maybe some GFO in my NSW before i use it. i'm worried about contaminants and metals. how long does it take for the medias to absorb the nasties in a holding tank with the natural sea water and just a powerhead?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That depends on how low you want it to get, what exactly you are talking about, how much media you use, and how well you pass the water through the media. In a cannister filter, I'd think that 24 h should do most of the job using a reasonable amount of media.

 

[fishfl]

I have 65k 26w pc above mine and my macro algae grow like crazzy.