[picoreefer]

Hello all, I've had my lil ibi picotope running for a little over a year now. All this time I've been using regular carbon filter media in the stock filter. My nitrates have been steadily climbing week after week up to about 80ppm. I was wondering if I took out the media and other innards, and replaced it with live rock rubble, would it lower the nitrates? Also would it be sufficient filtration? All I have right now is: 3 snails, 4 hermits, and 1 peppermint shrimp. Any input appreciated. Thanks

 

[BigE]

Assuming you have live rock in the tank, I would just take out the filter media and leave it empty. Live rock should provide all the bio filtering you need. The filter media is good at breaking down waste to nitrate which is then released into the tank. Live rock is better at handling the nitrate when still within the rock.

 

[picoreefer]

Ok so take everything out of the filter? Even the little bio sponge? I've already put a couple pieces of rubble in and I think Ill leave em (they don't look too good in the tank anyway).

 

[turbo5000c]

this is what i did...

thereeftank.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=99371&d=1360725127

let me know if its a good setup?

 

[turbo5000c]

also this is the tank and sump/refuge

thereeftank.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=99370&d=1360725127

 

[picoreefer]

That's a bit much for my lil 3 gallon picotope but it looks all good to me. What lighting are you using on the refugium? How many gallons is that? Looks like a 20 long but I am probably mistaken haha

 

[turbo5000c]

No your right its a 20 long. i enjoy them i have another 20L "Planted" with a figure 8 puffer in it. The refugium is lit with a 14watt compact florescent 6500k daylight bulb. lol. they say its good for the micro algae im going to put in. The top light is kinda set up weird. it had 2 double t5 lights. but one ballast blew so i only kept the blue then removed the ballast and hardwired two 13W CF lights in. i dont think i can use it for coral... maybe i will work with the blue still.

 

[picoreefer]

Yah right now I just have a small 9 watt 50/50 on my pico. I just bought a nice LED fixture I'm waiting for off amazon. I eventually want to get a biocube 14 as an upgrade reef tank and possibly make this little 3 gallon a dwarf puffer planted desk tank. But that's a lot further down the road haha.