Questions around my DSB. PLEASE HELP!

[redneckgearhead]

Questions around my DSB.

Hey everyone, just a quick history on me and my tank. I have a 75 gallon DT with about a 30-40 gallon sump. I have had this tank for just over a year. It was set up for about 7 years before I got it. It was given to me and I had to go get it immediately. I knew NOTHING about aquariums and had to learn quick. Ive made a lot of mistakes and feel I am suffering now because of it. The tank was rarely taken care of by its former owner and was topped off straight off of the main house water supply. (chlorine and all) The Yellow tang that came with the tank has survived and is thriving now. The tank went through a cycle after I got it. (the tang was not in the tank during the cycle)

Ok now for my questions. It has a mixture of CC and sand in the DT about 3 inches deep. I did not change out the substrate when I got it. (didn't know better) It also has a DSB (8inches) in the center section of the sump. This substrate and DSB have been in this tank for an unknown amount of years. I am having a HUGE HA problem. I done everything I know to do and have read tons of posts and articles about ridding me of this but the HA is thriving! I mean REALLY thriving. I have bought countless animals that should have helped but nothing has! SOOOO to my question. Should I remove my substrate and DSB and replace? I've considered removing all the rock and livestock and replacing the substrate. I feel it could be part of my problem. If I replaced it all at once could I see a cycle even though the LR would stay live (only 3 fish)? Please someone help me!

Oh and for those that are going to ask. My params are ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphates are all 0. The HA is a really good exporter of these? LOL Thanks for everyone's help and sorry for the long post!

 

[bigvag]

Try some cpe(chem pure elite). How much flow do you have in the tank?

 

[redneckgearhead]

Im not sure what the return pump is (mag 7 maybe), But I have Koralia 1 and two 3's. I move them on a pretty regular basis to try different angles and move the water in different directions. And Im running purigen, is that the same thing as CPE?

 

[PSU4ME]

A couple things here that I've heard about DSB:
1. Try not to disturb them, they act as a sink for a lot of things and disturbing them can release them back into the water
2. You should replace some of your DSB every few years or so.

not sure if that helps but since you disturbed the DSB, that could be giving you some problems. I'm surprised your parameters are all 0 though.

 

[redneckgearhead]

Well, when I moved the tank to my house (over a year ago) I had a cycle. But not sure if that was because of disturbing the SB or the lack of chlorine in the water. But now I believe the HA is using all the N and P giving me false readings.

 

[Exo]

redneck,

you never really said what type of filtering you are doing. Is it just live rock in the DT and DSB in the sump? I don't know a lot but it seems to me that most people are doing some sort of nutrient export via ATS or refugium. I think you are right about hair algae being a good phosphate and nitrate exporter but the problem is you are doing the export in the DT . The solution to me is to make a nicer condition for the hair algae someplace else like a refugium or ats. Then that will deplete the nutrients outside of the tank making it harder for algae to grow in the tank.

 

[redneckgearhead]

redneck,

you never really said what type of filtering you are doing. Is it just live rock in the DT and DSB in the sump? I don't know a lot but it seems to me that most people are doing some sort of nutrient export via ATS or refugium. I think you are right about hair algae being a good phosphate and nitrate exporter but the problem is you are doing the export in the DT . The solution to me is to make a nicer condition for the hair algae someplace else like a refugium or ats. Then that will deplete the nutrients outside of the tank making it harder for algae to grow in the tank.

I run a swc 160 skimmer in the sump as well as some cheato. I am building an ATS and plan on installing it.

 

[cheeks69]

Re: Questions around my DSB.

How much LR do you have in the display tank ? That SB is probably saturated with PO4 and I would consider removing it completely.

 

[redneckgearhead]

Re: Questions around my DSB.

How much LR do you have in the display tank ? That SB is probably saturated with PO4 and I would consider removing it completely.

I'm guessing between 150-200 lbs of LR. Yea that was my concern and half the reason I wanted to remove it. The other half is I'm not fond of the look of it.

 

[cheeks69]

Re: Questions around my DSB.

I'm guessing between 150-200 lbs of LR. Yea that was my concern and half the reason I wanted to remove it. The other half is I'm not fond of the look of it.

With 150+ lbs. and only 3 fish you have more than enough bio-filtration, if it was me I would take the tank apart and remove that SB.
I know it's a pain but considering how old the SB is and the fact that you have a serious algae problem I would do it.

 

[DaveK]

I agree with the post by cheeks. Remove the DSB in the tank and replace it.

I would recommend that you use a large siphon tube and siphon the sandbed out. This way anything you disturb goes with the sandbed. You'll need a lot or replacement water also, since a lot will be removed with the sandbed, and the water removed should not be added back to the system.

Long term you may wish to do the same sort of thing to the sandbed in the sump. From the way you describe things, this could actually be a larger problem than the sand bed in the tank. Doing the sump is actually easier, and requires less replacement water. For this you turn off the filtration system, and put some circulation pumps in the tank. Remove the livestock you want to keep from the sump. Then remove the water from the sump. This can be saved and reused, since it didn't pick up anything from disturbing the sandbed. Then remove the sandbed and discard it. While your at it you might as well clean the entire sump, and your pumps and so on. Add the new sandbed, water and restart the filtration. Then add any livestock removed.

Keep in mind that while you currently have a DSB in the tank and the sump, you can replace the sandbed with any type you want, or none at all.

 

[redneckgearhead]

With 150+ lbs. and only 3 fish you have more than enough bio-filtration, if it was me I would take the tank apart and remove that SB.
I know it's a pain but considering how old the SB is and the fact that you have a serious algae problem I would do it.

I agree with the post by cheeks. Remove the DSB in the tank and replace it.

I would recommend that you use a large siphon tube and siphon the sandbed out. This way anything you disturb goes with the sandbed. You'll need a lot or replacement water also, since a lot will be removed with the sandbed, and the water removed should not be added back to the system.

Long term you may wish to do the same sort of thing to the sandbed in the sump. From the way you describe things, this could actually be a larger problem than the sand bed in the tank. Doing the sump is actually easier, and requires less replacement water. For this you turn off the filtration system, and put some circulation pumps in the tank. Remove the livestock you want to keep from the sump. Then remove the water from the sump. This can be saved and reused, since it didn't pick up anything from disturbing the sandbed. Then remove the sandbed and discard it. While your at it you might as well clean the entire sump, and your pumps and so on. Add the new sandbed, water and restart the filtration. Then add any livestock removed.

Keep in mind that while you currently have a DSB in the tank and the sump, you can replace the sandbed with any type you want, or none at all.

Thanks everyone! Im going to replace the DSB in the sump and remove it in the tank. I am going to put in a coast to coast and run my return lines through the back wall and this would be a perfect opportunity.

Another quick question. If I put my corals in a small tank with just a couple of crabs/snails and a light, would the HA die off? I thought since the water would have little to no phosphates/nitrates the HA would starve. Or would the light be enough to keep it going?