Tank Pics

[piranha_trader]

The tank is 55 gallons, the harlequin tusk died the other week. The thing jumped out the back of the tank . I replaced him with 8 green chromises. I have rearanged the tank completley, and scrubbed down the glass and the tank looks a hundred times better in my opinion. I hope to get some new pictures up soon.

What kind of hardware do you have?

 

[Triggerobsessed]

Lighting: Nova Extreme t5 lighting fixture, 216 watts

Filtration: Fluval 304 canister filter
1 redsea prizm pro skimmer
Aqua clear 70 power filter
6 different powerheads all different flow rates

I am currently having trouble with phosphates and nitrates, i was thinking about destocking my tank a little bit. Any suggestions on improving water quality?

current stock list:
8 green chromises
1 false perc. clown
1 algae blenny
1 hippo tang
1 sixline wrasse
1 blue devil damsel

corals
tooth coral
dersa clam
croeca clam
long tentacle plate coral
spaghetti leather coral
devils hand leather
small colony of yellow polyps
star polyps
green eyed zoos
3 flame scallops
2 toadstool leather corals
1 sebae anemone
4 finger corals

invertebrates:
spiny lobster
3 spider crabs
130 blue leg hermits
5 turbo snails
37 margarita snails
3 peppermint shrimp
1 brittle star
2 sandsifting cucumbers

 

[AK77]

Are you running any phosphate removers like rowaphos or growing any macro algaes?

 

[Triggerobsessed]

I am running kent phosphate sponge in my aquaclear, doesnt do a thing

 

[AK77]

Hmm is it the white resin or the brown granuels? Try using Rowaphos. I think the resins can leech stuff back into the water after a while, whereas the iron based products can't.

Have you tried growing macroalgaes? They will greatly help with nitrate reduction. Active carbon will help with this too, although may add to the phosphate problem.

 

[Triggerobsessed]

ive tried everything you listed including the algae

 

[AK77]

That's a nuisance. I really struggled with nitrates before adding the charcoal and algaes. I also read that sponges help with nitrate removal.

At the moment I'm battling the phosphates. I just purchased a gravel cleaner as well as some rowaphos, so I'm hoping to get it down lower with that.

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels out of interest?

 

[Triggerobsessed]

nitrate: 18ppm
phosphates:15ppm

 

[Musho3210]

That's a nuisance. I really struggled with nitrates before adding the charcoal and algaes. I also read that sponges help with nitrate removal.

At the moment I'm battling the phosphates. I just purchased a gravel cleaner as well as some rowaphos, so I'm hoping to get it down lower with that.

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels out of interest?

no, sponges in a filter are the best thing to use for removing ammonia and nitrite, but since its very porous and water can flow through it easily, it doesnt do anything with nitrates (which uses an anoxic bacteria).

Switch to some GFO phosphate remover, rowaphos, phosban, they all are pretty good and they dont leach i dont think.....

 

[Triggerobsessed]

I was going to buy a phosphate reactor...my main problem is the nitrates, the corals in my tank are closing up, do u think destocking the tank a little will do much?

 

[AK77]

That's a nuisance. I really struggled with nitrates before adding the charcoal and algaes. I also read that sponges help with nitrate removal.

At the moment I'm battling the phosphates. I just purchased a gravel cleaner as well as some rowaphos, so I'm hoping to get it down lower with that.

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels out of interest?

no, sponges in a filter are the best thing to use for removing ammonia and nitrite, but since its very porous and water can flow through it easily, it doesnt do anything with nitrates (which uses an anoxic bacteria).

Switch to some GFO phosphate remover, rowaphos, phosban, they all are pretty good and they dont leach i dont think.....

I meant the living creatures called sponges.. not the ones you put in the mechanical filters lol.

 

[Musho3210]

I was going to buy a phosphate reactor...my main problem is the nitrates, the corals in my tank are closing up, do u think destocking the tank a little will do much?

Yes, take out the tang......


Oh, about the sponges, they indirectly remove nitrates, there like a protein skimmer, they eat things before it is able to become nitrate. But macro-algae would be easier to take care of since the problem with most sponges is that they need a lot of food.

 

[pengy666]

Yes, take out the tang......

HAHA, musho

have you got a tang??

 

[AK77]

I was going to buy a phosphate reactor...my main problem is the nitrates, the corals in my tank are closing up, do u think destocking the tank a little will do much?

Try vaccuming the gravel to remove detritus, up the water changes and throw some cheato in the tank. You should see a marked improvement within a few weeks. I battled with nitrates for ages. BTW how big is your tank? 130 hermits sure sounds like a lot!

 

[Triggerobsessed]

the tank is 60 gallons, ill go to the store and buy some macro algae. I thought sponges were difficult to keep?