filtration???

[mandarin]

I recently purchased a ecosystem 60 hang-on refugium and I have been using it for about 3-4 weeks. Things in the tank seem to be taking a turn for the worse. Could anyone recommend a filtration system that works well for reef tanks? I could use all the help I can get. I don't feel that this doing enough. Prior to this I had a canister filter and everyone (LFS) told I had to get rid of to maintain a reef tank. What should I do ?

 

[Deanos]

What size tank do you have now? How much live rock and sand? What things took a turn for the worse? What are your levels - salinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, etc?

These are the questions the experts here will need answered before dispensing advice.

Dean

 

[mandarin]

I have a 46 bow with 45lbs of live rock and about 20lbs of live sand. My frogspwan and zoos aren't opening up for about three days now. all of the levels are salinity is at .023, amonia at .25 which is high for my tank, and ph is fine 8.2 and nitrite is at 0 and I don't have anymore nitrate test but I would assume that it's high with the amonia levels a little high.

 

[jackson6745]

First Step....NEVER listen to your LFS!!!

If you have ANY amount of ammonia in your tank, no livestock will flourish. Your nitrAtes are probably high as well.
DO you have any fish? Are you feeding your tank? How old is the system?

You may still be cycling. The most efficent form of filtration is protein skimming. If you do not have a sump, an Aqua C Remora Pro (hang on skimmer) would be a good choice for you (check premiumaquatics.com)

Something in your reef is decomposing. Maybe organics in the rock? Dead fish? something.....

 

[marrone]

First do a water change and get the ammonia down. Second test for nitrates, like Rich said they're probably high.

The hang on refug is a good thing but you need to make sure that if your using a refug that you have a light on 24 hours. Also make sure that the plants in the refug are ok, sometimes if they grow to much they'll start to decompose and mess your tank up.

After you do the water changes you should see some of your corals start to open up again. You want to do a # of water changes over the next couple of days, do about 10%-20% each day, this should help you get the system back.

Also check your corals, specially your zoo's to see if they're ok as they may start to decompose and cause more problems in your tank.

 

[mandarin]

It's a 2 year old tank, one fish a tiny bi-color pseudo.

 

[marrone]

Do some water changes and get the levels back. It possible that when you added the refug, with all the plants, it increased you load and you didn't notice it.

 

[Deanos]

When you got rid of the canister filter, you probably lost alot of good bacteria. Combine that with a newly cycling HOT refuge and you get Ammonia Spike! Like Marrone said, water changes are in order.

Dean

 

[mandarin]

I think I know what happened, an anemome died and I thought I got it out in time but i GUESS NOT. I will do the water changes and hope for the best. I will also look into the remora. Thanks for everyone's input

 

[holyherbiness]

"The hang on refug is a good thing but you need to make sure that if your using a refug that you have a light on 24 hours"

I thought that a reverse photoperiod was preferred for refugiums, as refugium macro also need time in darkness, for their night cycle, and to keep pH levels steady

yeah, do water changes .

 

[marrone]

You should have the refug light on 24hours.

 

[House of Laughter]

The refuge light question is as hotly debated as the benefits (or lack of) for the DSB.

Water changes back to back in a day or two should help. ALso what is your alk level? Also .023 may be a little low for softies - try to bring it up to .025

As far as the rest - I think you need at least another 20lbs of live rock. I thin you're natural filter isn't working hard enough.

When was the last time you did a water change? Also, the anenome will definatly cause a caustic problem. Get it out and do water changes.

Good luck,

House

 

[mandarin]

I took out the anenome a few days back, but I think the damage was already done. I am trying to get my hands on some live rock but I'm always a little too late and miss the posting.

 

[marrone]

Don't worry about the rock at the movement. What you want to do is do some water changes and if possible siphon and vacum the area where the anenome was as there maybe some bad stuff left behind. You need to get the tank water para back down. Also if you plan on adding more Live Rock you need to make sure that it's cured and has no die off before you place it in your tank otherwise your just going to make things worst.

 

[House of Laughter]

Right, I should have mentioned that - make sure it is already cured as you will complicate it further
Thanks Mike

House

 

[mandarin]

ok, I'm doing the water changes starting today. Thanks everyone, I was really freaking out about this.

 

[mandarin]

The question now if should I put back the canister ( ehiem) that I had on there? Will help or do more harm. And if so what kind of filter media should I put in there?

 

[romain]

I connect my Eheim to the system for 10 days every two months, running with carbon and phosban only. No bio media needed if you go with reef tank.

[ April 22, 2005, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: romain ]

 

[joseney21]

actually i would recommend running the ephisubstrat pro (is that right??) i currently have a canister on my tank and haven't had a problem with it.all my params are fine except for PH, need to get the dosing rate and saltwater:powder mixture of pickling lime right.besides that i haven't had any major problems.

i currently run my canister and recently added a HOB refugium i bought from jim...Hope that helps.

 

[ctxmonitor]

Mandarin, hope things get better for you.