LR only filtration - Page 3

yuyiboy · 09-10-2007, 07:01 PM

will the nitrate go to zero too?? considering you don't have any fish in it yet??

Geoff · 09-10-2007, 08:41 PM

Nitrates are not your enemy. they have gotten a bad rap back in the 80's and 90's before phosphates were found to be the real culprits in tank crashing. the problem being that Nitrates and Phosphates tend to go hand in hand.

nitrates can be caused by high oxygenating filters like wet/dry's and cannisters. they can also be caused by to much feeding. not enough LR can also be a cause, but in this case the problem is usually a reading of ammonia, and nitrite also.

if the tank is new and the LR is also new then there could be a fair amount of die off in the tank and the LR just can not keep up with the nitrite levels. if this is the case just waiting it out is all you can do. wait 2 months before you actually start adding critters when a tank is just setup. this gives the bacteria in the LR a chance to get cranking on all of the nutrients that are in the system. about a week or two before you plan on adding your first critters, (after the 2 month setup time) you should start up your water change/siphon detritus routine. getting the detritus out of the tank will help keep the nitrates and the phosphates in check.

G~

yuyiboy · 09-11-2007, 12:22 PM

Oh I see

So the phosphates is something I should be keeping an eye on more.
What role does carbonate hardness play in this picture of a reef??

Geoff · 09-11-2007, 08:14 PM

the biggest problem with phosphates is that you can not test for it. those phosphate test kits are not accurate enough to be really usefull. by the time a reading shows up on these kits your tank is already in bad shape.

phosphates levels are something you just kinda learn to see with your eyes. noting the algae growth and how corals are growing will give you all of the info you need to tell what the phosphate levels are in the system. unfortunately it took me a few tank crashes before i understood what i was seeing.

G~

yuyiboy · 09-12-2007, 04:47 PM

Thanks again geoff;
I find that I'm getting a lot better at FEELING the tank, it's like knowing with all is not right with my cat. So far all is alive so I can't really complaint and it's very clean.

Still just LR and mechanical in canister. I have some Culerpa algae in a separate container growing and don't know if it could really help with the Phospates, I'm getting a lot of different info online. What do you guys think?? I should just come here for info, it's the only one that works.

Thank you again geoff, I really can't pay for your and the other guys'

advise.

You guys rock!!

Geoff · 09-12-2007, 07:29 PM

go where ever you feel you are getting the information that makes the most amount of sense. ask questions, they should be able to answer your questions in a way that makes a lot of sense. i am a one board person, but a lot of others are all over the net looking for info.

we are all glad to help, this is not the easiest hobby in the world. most hobby are totally based on money spending, this one has a fair amount of skill involved to get what you really want. you can also have a fantastic tank without spending huge amounts of money. knowing what to spend on and what is really necessary can go a long way in this hobby.

you pay people back by offering frags when you are comfortable with the way things are growing. that is the way reefing works.

G~

yuyiboy · 09-16-2007, 10:01 AM

Does anybody know what "Plankton" below my name on the info bar mean, and can it be customized? just curious.

tony0980 · 09-16-2007, 10:15 AM

Plankton means that you haven't made many posts. I think after you get to 50, or maybe 100 posts, you become something different. You can change it though, by going in and editing your profile.

tony0980 · 09-16-2007, 10:17 AM

I don't mean to butt in on this post, but I have a question about bare bottom tanks. Is there a minimum size your tank has to be to go BB? It would be a lot easier I think to go this route simply for cleaning, but I have a 24 gallon and wasn't sure if that was too small. also, does it depend on the type/amount of corals you have?

yuyiboy · 09-16-2007, 06:22 PM

Thanks about the Plankton think tony, I think I get it now. I think is when you have less than 50 or something.
About that BB questions I have seen a lot of tanks here that are small and big. Thanks to Geoff, I'm turning my 29GL into one and it's already looking great since going LR filtration only.

and I just started a 5gl. BB one. (Geoff, you were right!! it is addictive!!)
I feel better about doing a new a 5gl. using all the advise from you guys!!

By the way can I still put Nassarius Snails on my BB?? If I can't...Does anybody want some of them?

thanks for all the help again guys

Will start posting Pics soon, If I don't kill something first.

Deuter · 09-16-2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

it is not nitrates that are your enemy, phosphates are the enemy. not only does the high oxygen content flow that goes through canister filters tend to produce nitrates they increase you phosphates. unless the canister filter is cleaned every day the detritus caught in the canister filter will rot causing the phosphates in the detritus to leach back into the water column where it will get absorbed by the substrate and/or LR. eventually this will lead to cyano and HA problems.

G~

**** your smart Geoff! good post

Geoff · 09-17-2007, 09:02 AM

there are very few critters that NEED a sand bed. Nassarious are not one of them. neither are conchs. even wrasses do fine in a BB as long as they have a hole in the LR to hide in.

you can do any tank BB.

G~

Geoff · 09-17-2007, 09:04 AM

there are a couple of threads in The Think Tank where i have learned more about this hobby in 3 years than in the previous 15 i have been in reefing. i am just repeating what i have learned in these threads. if you are interested in these threads let me know and i will post them for you. these are heavy reading and very long. we tend to get distracted by food on TRT a lot.

G~