Remove old substrate? Revamping.

gdwats2 · 03-23-2005, 08:05 PM

I have an 8 year old "reef type" set up. It went through a period of neglect. I think my crushed coral (aragonite) is full of crap as i never really had aggressive water movement in the past and did not vacuum. It releases lots of sludge when stirred. I Have recently introduced a rio 2100 for current and am planning on adding a cls. and a sump soon.
Would it be "opening a can of worms", do you think, if I tried to remove the majority of accesable substrate? It doesn't seem to be very "alive" with beneficial goodies but is rather "dirty" looking. Maybe I should vacuum? Is this an unusual thing to be doing to a reef tank?
I

Woodstock · 03-23-2005, 08:14 PM

If you can not remove the substrate via a vacuum, I would definately just vacuum out diterus with every water change before trying to remove it. Otherwise, you'll just stir up all the muck into the water.

I'm guessing your ph is low and your nitrAtes are high?

gdwats2 · 03-23-2005, 08:44 PM

pH is fine, but yes, nitrates are high.

Gina · 03-24-2005, 05:37 AM

I would first try what Doni suggested and just vacuum with every water change. If that doesn't seem to take care of the problem, then I would consider taking everything out rocks etc and removing all the substrate and replacing it with new.
That would be my last resort only for the reason it would be a PITA!

gdwats2 · 04-07-2005, 06:06 PM

Well, I began slowly removing the substrate during water changes. As I did this I unleashed pollutants from hell, entering the water column from substrate. Tested off the scale for phosphates next day (PO4>2ppm). After several water changes, and leaving the substrate alone, my nitrate levels have calmed down to about 10 ppm. phosphate was still out of control. I remembered placing some barnacles (freshwater?) and an arch shaped artificial rock structure I got from a friend in my tank for the fish. I am thinking these objects may be leaching phosphates into the water. I removed the arch yesterday. Am waiting on feedback before I remove the barnacles and do a 50% (45 gallon) water change, wait 2 days and retest for PO4!
What do you thing about the barnacles? Could there be calcium phosphate or something leaching PO4 into the water?
Greg

03-23-2005, 08:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
gdwats2 Fire Coral Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 73 View Gallery Karma Komment	Remove old substrate? Revamping. I have an 8 year old "reef type" set up. It went through a period of neglect. I think my crushed coral (aragonite) is full of crap as i never really had aggressive water movement in the past and did not vacuum. It releases lots of sludge when stirred. I Have recently introduced a rio 2100 for current and am planning on adding a cls. and a sump soon. Would it be "opening a can of worms", do you think, if I tried to remove the majority of accesable substrate? It doesn't seem to be very "alive" with beneficial goodies but is rather "dirty" looking. Maybe I should vacuum? Is this an unusual thing to be doing to a reef tank? I

03-23-2005, 08:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,861 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	If you can not remove the substrate via a vacuum, I would definately just vacuum out diterus with every water change before trying to remove it. Otherwise, you'll just stir up all the muck into the water. I'm guessing your ph is low and your nitrAtes are high? __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

03-23-2005, 08:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
gdwats2 Fire Coral Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 73 View Gallery Karma Komment	Substrate removal pH is fine, but yes, nitrates are high.

03-24-2005, 05:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,823 View Gallery Karma Komment	I would first try what Doni suggested and just vacuum with every water change. If that doesn't seem to take care of the problem, then I would consider taking everything out rocks etc and removing all the substrate and replacing it with new. That would be my last resort only for the reason it would be a PITA! __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

04-07-2005, 06:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
gdwats2 Fire Coral Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 73 View Gallery Karma Komment	Mysterious phosphates... Well, I began slowly removing the substrate during water changes. As I did this I unleashed pollutants from hell, entering the water column from substrate. Tested off the scale for phosphates next day (PO4>2ppm). After several water changes, and leaving the substrate alone, my nitrate levels have calmed down to about 10 ppm. phosphate was still out of control. I remembered placing some barnacles (freshwater?) and an arch shaped artificial rock structure I got from a friend in my tank for the fish. I am thinking these objects may be leaching phosphates into the water. I removed the arch yesterday. Am waiting on feedback before I remove the barnacles and do a 50% (45 gallon) water change, wait 2 days and retest for PO4! What do you thing about the barnacles? Could there be calcium phosphate or something leaching PO4 into the water? Greg

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