Quote:
Originally posted by NaH2O
Michelle, do you have any ideas on what was causing the tank crash?...maybe the CC? |
That was part of the reason! I didn't know much about setting up tanks when I first set this one up. I think I basically had way too much detritus build-up under all the CC despite attempting to keep it clean. It reached a point where the system couldn’t handle the load anymore and started to through off my water chemistry.
When problems first started in the form a small cyano outbreak, I figured that my lighting needed to be changed; when that didn’t work I tried reducing photoperiods and increasing water circulation, followed by reduced feedings and frequent water changes. I removed some of the bioload and put them into separate small tanks and added some more caulerpa and thing continued to get worse instead of better. Hair algae slowly took over my tank and despite all this extra growth in algae/cyano I STILL had nitrate readings in the tank. I knew I needed to do something drastic and changing the substrate was the next course of action.
I read about a lot of people having problems with their tanks crashing and faced the reality my tank could be considered one of them.
Quote:
Originally posted by mojoreef
I was wondering why the replacement of sand?? I am not sure I follow this.
Mike |
Mike:
My primary reason for changing out a bit of sand constantly stems from what I’ve seen with my previous substrate. The tendency of detritus to fall to the bottom and eventually pollutes the system. I’ve tore down a few tanks in the past and have always found that the bottom of the tank had the same disgusting sludge that reeks to high heaven! (Similar to what we were talking about in the plenum discussion.) I want to remove as much of that detritus as possible to help prolong the life of the sandbed.
I can’t really figure out a way to get rid of this sludge at the bottom of the tank without removing the sand as well. Thus I found the concept of having a plumbed system under the plenum a very interesting concept and could see some potential for it.
Quote:
Originally posted by mojoreef
The clumping is cause by hard water (which we want) with the lack of stiring, in the case of DSB's by bugs I guess. |
I realise that the critters in the sand are suppose to do this for you and if you have an adequate number then this shouldn’t be a problem. However I feel there is still a possibility that the creatures aren’t going to do a good enough job due to low population or some other unknown factors. I guess I could go poking around in the substrate to find out if there are some problems with clumping and take measures in needs be.
Of course I’m open to suggestions on how to prolong the life of the substrate and being told that my ideas so far are completely off base!
