in_a_days' saltwater adventure

[in_a_days]

Paul B hit the nail on the head. Your nitrates are due to biological overload.

So can I expect that, given some time, adding more live rock and a 'fuge will help offset the overload?

BTW I know it's not really "reef related" but here's a shot of my planted FW tank.

I let the Vals get out of control 'cause a LFS takes them as trade for damsels.

 

[Octoman]

Is that a polypterus in there? I used to have a pair of ornate polypteri, they were my favorite FW fish.

 

[in_a_days]

Is that a polypterus in there? I used to have a pair of ornate polypteri, they were my favorite FW fish.

Peacock Eel actually. Tank's only a 20L and I think those Birchirs can get pretty big. They are cool though.

Something else also occurred to me. I might swap one of my biowheels out for a new one and see if I experience an Ammonia or Nitrite spike. This will leave one wheel to filter while getting rid of whatever old waste is accumulated in the other one... Any chance this could have a beneficial effect?

 

[Dentoid]

The biowheel doesn't produce ammonia, it provides the media, or surface, with which the nitrifying bacteria colonize. By replacing one, I'd expect for the ammonia to go up as you've removed 1/2 of your nitrifying capacity. Of course this is in a tank that is newer and the LR hasn't had time to accomodate the ammonia load.

Biowheels and bioballs are efficient nitrifying media which in time will produce great amounts of nitrates. Which in a FO tank doesn't amount to much unless they get too high, then gill burn, and organ failure.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

So can I expect that, given some time, adding more live rock and a 'fuge will help offset the overload?

The full sized lion is too much bioload for your tank. You can't add enough stuff, short of a 40 - 50 gallon sump/refugium to offset the bioload.

 

[in_a_days]

The full sized lion is too much bioload for your tank. You can't add enough stuff, short of a 40 - 50 gallon sump/refugium to offset the bioload.

Well I suppose I'll just proceed as planned. Add the 'fuge and see what my nitrates look like after a few weeks. Add some more LR and see how it effects the Nitrate level. It's never been higher than 40 and I can't help but imagine that more LR and a 'fuge will have some kind of positive effect. I'll keep testing it and keep ya'll posted.

 

[tigerarmy90]

sounds like things are moving right along for your tank!!! I am considering using the same ebay sand that you did and I was wondering if you could get some shots of what it looks like? is it fine or coarse?

 

[in_a_days]

sounds like things are moving right along for your tank!!! I am considering using the same ebay sand that you did and I was wondering if you could get some shots of what it looks like? is it fine or coarse?

Unfortunately, I have a relatively cheap digital camera so I can't get any good close up shots of the sand, nor the critters that have emerged from it. But the sand is fine, not "ultra fine," but fine. The bottom picture in this post is an empty 5 gallon with this same sand in it. Hopefully that will give you some impression.

Speaking of the sand I can now see fresh worm trails up against the glass (which I've never seen before) and a healthy & growing population of pods.

 

[in_a_days]

I have a question for anybody with experience plumbing a fuge/sump. The baffles and over flow are supposed to arrive tomorrow. I'm going to pick up a pump and tubing from a LFS.

My question relates to the overflow box. So this box uses a siphon to move water from the tank to the outside of the box and it's supposed to drain at 500 GPH. My question is, does the return sump need to bring the water back at this same rate or better to prevent the water in the tank from dropping below the level of the siphon?

Considering I have a 56 gallon I don't think I want 500 GPH moving through the 'fuge as I've read 2-3x turnover per hour is what I should shoot for. So I think I want a return that only puts out 115-200 GPH. Can I like, constrict the hose from the overflow to slow it down?

 

[Craig Manoukian]

You can put a ball valve in line to match the return flow to the gravity fed oveflow.

 

[tigerarmy90]

what I would suggest is getting a pump that pumps out sightly less then what the overflow can handle, from the overflow you should t off the pipe so you can run one to the skimmer section (or filter sock) and one to the fuge section. for the feed to the fuge you can put on a ball valve to slow the flow.

 

[in_a_days]

Thanks for the feedback!

Well I think I have a good idea which species of Mantis I've got. BEELZEBOB suggested Gonodactylus smithii, which is actually the same species he has. But I was skeptical as the description identifies this as an Indonesian/Philippine species and I confirmed with my LFS that the rock he was on came from Florida. I think what I've got is a Neogonodactylus wennerae. It's supposed to be a common hitchhiker on Florida live rock and has some characteristics consistent with my little guy. That purple color on the bottom image is almost identical to the shade my guy appears right now. The yellow-orange antennae and small metallic blue spots are also consistent with my Mantis' appearance.

He's still very very small and will likely change quite a bit before he gets big enough to be certain. But right now he fits that description better than any of the others.

 

[in_a_days]

I received my 'fuge kit and overflow box yesterday via UPS. I siliconed the baffles into my ten gallon and I should be able to fill 'er back up tomorrow afternoon.

One of my best buddies is a plumber so he's going to come over Saturday to help me get everything set up. When I asked him about using a ball valve to restrict the flow of water and match it with the sump he said no problem. So hopefully by tomorrow evening I'll be set up and flowing. :whstlr:

 

[lcstorc]

Very cool.
Be sure to take pics and show us all.

 

[in_a_days]

Very cool.
Be sure to take pics and show us all.

Will do, but I'd like the clean it up a little before I try to show it off. Any tips for getting rid of the gobs of excess silicon? I figured too much was better than too little. I was thinking a razor blade and some rubbing alcohol to clean it from where it doesn't need to be, any better ideas?

 

[lcstorc]

Well if it is the sump I wouldn't worry too much about it. The razor blad ought to be fine. I'm not sure about using alcohol but it may be fine. I do know you want to be sure the silicone is completely cured before adding the water. Doni recently had a problem when she used the sump too soon and she lost quite a bit of her tank because of it.

 

[in_a_days]

Well if it is the sump I wouldn't worry too much about it. The razor blad ought to be fine. I'm not sure about using alcohol but it may be fine. I do know you want to be sure the silicone is completely cured before adding the water. Doni recently had a problem when she used the sump too soon and she lost quite a bit of her tank because of it.

Right on thanks for the heads up. I'll just use a razor blade. The tube of silicon says to give it 48 hours before adding water. I'm hunting for that curing & cleaning info right now.

 

[in_a_days]

Here're a couple quick shots of the 'fuge that's setting. The tank is pretty dirty and salty and I haven't spent too much time on the excess silicone. But it's going to be hidden inside the stand for the main tank so I'm not really stressing the aesthetics.

 

[sasquatch]

This has been a very nice thread to read, lots of action and a touch of fire, you are addressing your problems in a manner that will no doubt give you a very nice tank, so, now that you have moved up to a sump may I suggest you use a 100 micron filter sock, all this nitrate is created by what you put in the tank, a filter sock will catch most of the suspended particles that enter it, washing the sock every other day will ensure this surplus dosent get the chance to be made into nitrates, increasing display flow and turkey bastering the lr will help get it up and out

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Looking good!