Whats going on?

hoxbar · 01/12/2009, 12:08 PM

Some of you guys might remember I asked a question last week "Do I need a skimmer?" Which I know that I do but because of no pet store I'm going to need to order it off the internet. I read on this site that one fix for high nitrates would be to take some of the bio balls and ceramic tubes out of my canister filter. I was told these helped to make the nitrates. Ok I took half of the bio balls out and half of the ceramic tubs out on Saturday. Here were my readings on Saturday.
PH 8.3, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40

Today there was a big difference Ph 8.2, Ammonia .5, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 80.

Is this going to kill my fish? Is my tank trying to cycle again
What should I do? I know I need a skimmer but, what do I do between now and then? Put the bio balls back in?

J.russell · 01/12/2009, 12:16 PM

Take them all out and clean out the canister filter. These filters need to be cleaned every few days. I would replace the bio balls and tubes with LR rubble.

hoxbar · 01/12/2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by J.russell
Take them all out and clean out the canister filter. These filters need to be cleaned every few days. I would replace the bio balls and tubes with LR rubble.

What is LR rubble? I just cleaned the filter Saturday when I took out the balls? Do you think I still need to clean it? I took out only half because it was suggested that if I don't do it gradually it could cause my tank to spike.

ronin_man · 01/12/2009, 12:22 PM

LR rubble is liverock smashed into smaller bits,
i would suggest a water changer to lower you nitrates.

ronin_man · 01/12/2009, 12:23 PM

what all do you have in the canister?
from what i have read, canisters seem to be pretty bad with this.
some just call them nitrate factorys.

hoxbar · 01/12/2009, 12:24 PM

I changed about 15 gallons last monday. Would it be too soon to do it again today?

ronin_man · 01/12/2009, 12:26 PM

nope, as long as you match your params you should be good for another water change

Playa-1 · 01/12/2009, 12:27 PM

First of all do a large water change to start bringing the Ammonia down.

Is this for the 90gal tank with 144 lbs of liverock?
How long has this tank been set up?
When you took out the media, what did you do with it?

ronin_man · 01/12/2009, 12:27 PM

also, what size tank are we talkng about here ?

hoxbar · 01/12/2009, 12:30 PM

Yes I agree the canister is a bad thing! My LFS know nothing about Salwater. She sold me this canister which I learned in an earlier post is not suggested for saltwater. I'm ordering a skimmer today any suggestions.

WaterKeeper · 01/12/2009, 12:31 PM

Rubble are just bioballs that you can't clean and use to practice your golf swing.

Biological media has no place in a wet/dry or canister filter. Using LR to replace bioballs or ceramics is just changing out the media that is giving you the problem in the first place. Use the canister to polish the water or to run carbon (changed every two weeks) and allow the LR in the tank to do the biological filtration. Simply doing that will reduce nitrate levels.

hoxbar · 01/12/2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Rubble are just bioballs that you can't clean and use to practice your golf swing.

Biological media has no place in a wet/dry or canister filter. Using LR to replace bioballs or ceramics is just changing out the media that is giving you the problem in the first place. Use the canister to polish the water or to run carbon (changed every two weeks) and allow the LR in the tank to do the biological filtration. Simply doing that will reduce nitrate levels.

The carbon I have is loose, Should I put it in anything before I put it in the canister? should I rinse the carbon before putting it into the canister? WHat about some de*nitrate made by Seachem? I have 1 pound of this would it also work?

WaterKeeper · 01/12/2009, 02:01 PM

My yes, unless you want black sand.

Place it in a filter bag (sock) and rinse it well. I can't comment on the Seachem product as I never tried it.

01/12/2009, 12:08 PM	#1
hoxbar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Oklahoma Posts: 51	Whats going on? Some of you guys might remember I asked a question last week "Do I need a skimmer?" Which I know that I do but because of no pet store I'm going to need to order it off the internet. I read on this site that one fix for high nitrates would be to take some of the bio balls and ceramic tubes out of my canister filter. I was told these helped to make the nitrates. Ok I took half of the bio balls out and half of the ceramic tubs out on Saturday. Here were my readings on Saturday. PH 8.3, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40 Today there was a big difference Ph 8.2, Ammonia .5, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 80. Is this going to kill my fish? Is my tank trying to cycle again What should I do? I know I need a skimmer but, what do I do between now and then? Put the bio balls back in?

01/12/2009, 12:22 PM	#4
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	LR rubble is liverock smashed into smaller bits, i would suggest a water changer to lower you nitrates. __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/12/2009, 12:23 PM	#5
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	what all do you have in the canister? from what i have read, canisters seem to be pretty bad with this. some just call them nitrate factorys. __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/12/2009, 12:26 PM	#7
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	nope, as long as you match your params you should be good for another water change __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/12/2009, 12:27 PM	#9
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	also, what size tank are we talkng about here ? __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/12/2009, 12:16 PM	#2
J.russell What was I thinking??? Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Norfolk Va. Posts: 738	Take them all out and clean out the canister filter. These filters need to be cleaned every few days. I would replace the bio balls and tubes with LR rubble.

01/12/2009, 12:24 PM	#6
hoxbar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Oklahoma Posts: 51	I changed about 15 gallons last monday. Would it be too soon to do it again today?

01/12/2009, 12:27 PM	#8
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	First of all do a large water change to start bringing the Ammonia down. Is this for the 90gal tank with 144 lbs of liverock? How long has this tank been set up? When you took out the media, what did you do with it?

01/12/2009, 12:30 PM	#10
hoxbar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Oklahoma Posts: 51	Yes I agree the canister is a bad thing! My LFS know nothing about Salwater. She sold me this canister which I learned in an earlier post is not suggested for saltwater. I'm ordering a skimmer today any suggestions.

01/12/2009, 12:31 PM	#11
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Rubble are just bioballs that you can't clean and use to practice your golf swing. Biological media has no place in a wet/dry or canister filter. Using LR to replace bioballs or ceramics is just changing out the media that is giving you the problem in the first place. Use the canister to polish the water or to run carbon (changed every two weeks) and allow the LR in the tank to do the biological filtration. Simply doing that will reduce nitrate levels. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

01/12/2009, 02:01 PM	#13
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	My yes, unless you want black sand. Place it in a filter bag (sock) and rinse it well. I can't comment on the Seachem product as I never tried it. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29