Need Expert Advice on Nitrates & Phosphates

[Deanos]

Chaeto used properly won't act as filter floss and trap detritus. It should be tumbling at best or have sufficient flow through it to prevent accumulation at worst.

 

[Awibrandy]

Jeez! This is some thread!!! After reading the 81 post here I am seeing double.lol
Domboski, one question! What type of plate coral is it that you are interested in keeping? Long tentacle plate, short tentacle plate, acropora plate, montipora plate?
I've kept, and keep montipora plates & ltp. The ltp I had for well over a year until it kept moving next to a trachy which eventually took it out.;( It had grown from a quarter size to about 4" even before the change over of the 155 last year. Meaning; it was growing/thriving in a disgusting tank, and continue to do very well in a much rehabilitated tank.
The montiporas where introduced after the change! They also did very well until last summer (approx. 6months) when I lost two out of three. I think the heat had something to do with that. The one that survived is still with me, and doing well. I've since added 3 others which are also doing well!
Domboski, I run a very simple system! RO/DI, 30g sump, hob turboflotor 1000 multi skimmer in sump fed by oceanrunner ph2500, (2) two little fishes phosban reactors w/2 mj400 - 1 runs phozar, 1 runs activitated carbon, dosing BIonics 2 part via Aquamedic duo doser, ATO (which sometimes works, sometimes doesn't), two return pumps - eheim 1262 submerged & external Iwaki WMD 40 RLT, and a small ball of chaeto just floating in the sump, sump light is alternated with the main display lights.
I don't know if this helps in anyway, just thought I'd share.

I still stick with I Love Your Tank!!!!!

 

[bigbris1]

Chaeto used properly won't act as filter floss and trap detritus. It should be tumbling at best or have sufficient flow through it to prevent accumulation at worst.

Prove it.

My point has been proven many times.

 

[Deanos]

Prove it.

I can't I made it up. As did these recognized marine aquarium experts:
AlgaeFilter FAQ
GreenAlgaeCompatibility FAQ
MarineMacroAlgaeDisease FAQ

 

[bigbris1]

Y'know Dean, I actually came back here to apologize for the way that may have come off. Plus, since I don't want to read thru all that info, I'll just say, "well done".

 

[Deanos]

Y'know Dean, I actually came back here to apologize for the way that may have come off. Plus, since I don't want to read thru all that info, I'll just say, "well done".

It didn't come off any way. Reefers have to make their own choices on their systems regardless of what you or I post. There is no "One Right Way" to reef. The best we can do is give them our opinion (what you did) or show them where they can find more opinions (what I did).

 

[Bob 1000]

:lol:This is why I don't use cheato.. I use this stuff that doesn't go asexual and kill off your tank either.... Don't know the name but it's a fast grower and it doesn't collect the detritus that chaeto does in a low flow enviroment...

 

[jhale]

fwiw, I had cheato in my sump. It grew into a huge mass, when I removed it there was no detritus collected inside it at all. it was as clean as could be. If used properly it has it's place.

 

[Deanos]

How much flow would you guess was flowing through the sump/chaeto?

 

[jhale]

I have to guess about 900gph through my sump, but the cheoto was in a very low flow area. the water came in and overflowed through the cheato in just one corner. it came out of the sump so clean you could have used it in a seaweed salad.

 

[Deanos]

it came out of the sump so clean you could have used it in a seaweed salad.

Is that what you fed me? :dead1:

 

[jhale]

Is that what you fed me? :dead1:

no that was nori

 

[ellebelle]

Dean = tang? :lol2:

FWIW, when I had a fuge I had chaeto in it. Mine came out clean as well - the sand trapped a whole lot more detritus than the chaeto did. Mine was low flow too ... maybe 200gph going through it?

I removed it from my system for two reasons:
1) it kept getting sucked out of my fuge and into my main tank where it wrapped itself around corals and multiplied. Annoying.
2) the chaeto had tons of aipstasia in it.

I would consider adding chaeto back into my system (especially since that is one change between my two tanks that might be contributing to my continuing cyano problems now) but I would try probably leave out the LR and sand that I also had in my fuge.

 

[Domboski]

I had trouble with chaeto trapping particles. Not sure why. It was tumbling too. I would prefer to grow macro algae in a fuge but I haven't had much luck except with a macro I collected on the south shore of LI.

 

[ellebelle]

Dom, I randomly have macro algae growing in my tank all the time. I don't know what you get off of the shore of LI, biut I've got a red grape algae and something else that's long and red and randomly growing. I can prune some if you want ... if someone can tell me how to do it without killing the algae.

 

[Domboski]

Thanks Lissa but I'll have to take a rain check on that offer for now

 

[Domboski]

Domboski, one question! What type of plate coral is it that you are interested in keeping? Long tentacle plate, short tentacle plate, acropora plate, montipora plate?

I'm interested in any plates but especially the branching plates. I've heard some reefers say they can be easy and so far I've had good luck. I was being cautious so I didn't kill any corals because I lacked the care knowledge. Time will tell now :turtle:.

 

[Domboski]

Update:

My phosphates are on the chart! I used a salifert test kit and I couldn't tell between .25 or .5. I know it is still high but much better than it was. Not only that, I checked it after I added cyclopeeze to the tank.

I need to find a way to steal Kathy's hanna meter :theyareon