couple questions want opinions

redseaapples · 08/11/2009, 07:10 PM

had my tank runnin with existing rock an a couple fish for almost 2 years ..due to illness work etc i didnt really keep up much maintence beyond occasional water change an cleaning glass ..in last 6 mnths
i did neglect tank as i knew i had to move it (had a plasma tv next to it at one stage ) ..ive now moved it cleaned it up ..the rocks are clean a bit algae here an there but they were just swished around in old salt water an arrangement made ..my 2 fish now about 3 years in tank by themseves have always been happy ..im running same wet/dry not disturbed for prob 5 years or more ..i have a bare bttm
an am deciding whether to put substrate in or not ..i have a denitrator
running for 2 years doesnt seem to lower nitrate so ive just left it alone on a constant drip ..my problems have always been a higher
nitrate level ..
my question ...do i need to add new live rock ...opinions on removing the bioballs . if i took out a few at a time would the live rock keep up ...what substrate is best ..should it be deep for denitraifcation ..or shallow ..i basically want this tank to be stable without high nitrate or hair algae ..before i put corals in .... im not inexperienced but a lot different opinions out there ..

down and outman · 08/11/2009, 08:26 PM

I agree with slowly removing bioballs. The rock will take over. I guess a substrate is more a personal choice.

IMHO, I like a good sand bed, more realistic. I have sugar sand, probably too light as my PHs blow it around. I'd do a deep sand bed, slowly adding sand, and wash the snot out of it first.

You can add rock if you feel you have room for it. I just removed some of mine to get better flow around my tank. I had a bunch in mine. Try to keep it away from the glass.

I'm starting to dose Vodka to control Nitrates and Phosphates, generally control algae. Three days into it and it made a big difference. Check out the thread in RC and an article in Reefkeepeeing.

BeanMachine · 08/12/2009, 12:01 PM

Yeah, definitely get rid of those bioballs. Can you run a filter sock that you can change out regularly instead?

08/11/2009, 07:10 PM	#1
redseaapples Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: sydney australia Posts: 12	couple questions want opinions had my tank runnin with existing rock an a couple fish for almost 2 years ..due to illness work etc i didnt really keep up much maintence beyond occasional water change an cleaning glass ..in last 6 mnths i did neglect tank as i knew i had to move it (had a plasma tv next to it at one stage ) ..ive now moved it cleaned it up ..the rocks are clean a bit algae here an there but they were just swished around in old salt water an arrangement made ..my 2 fish now about 3 years in tank by themseves have always been happy ..im running same wet/dry not disturbed for prob 5 years or more ..i have a bare bttm an am deciding whether to put substrate in or not ..i have a denitrator running for 2 years doesnt seem to lower nitrate so ive just left it alone on a constant drip ..my problems have always been a higher nitrate level .. my question ...do i need to add new live rock ...opinions on removing the bioballs . if i took out a few at a time would the live rock keep up ...what substrate is best ..should it be deep for denitraifcation ..or shallow ..i basically want this tank to be stable without high nitrate or hair algae ..before i put corals in .... im not inexperienced but a lot different opinions out there ..

08/11/2009, 08:26 PM	#2
down and outman Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: LaGrange GA Posts: 480	I agree with slowly removing bioballs. The rock will take over. I guess a substrate is more a personal choice. IMHO, I like a good sand bed, more realistic. I have sugar sand, probably too light as my PHs blow it around. I'd do a deep sand bed, slowly adding sand, and wash the snot out of it first. You can add rock if you feel you have room for it. I just removed some of mine to get better flow around my tank. I had a bunch in mine. Try to keep it away from the glass. I'm starting to dose Vodka to control Nitrates and Phosphates, generally control algae. Three days into it and it made a big difference. Check out the thread in RC and an article in Reefkeepeeing. __________________ " There you go, Lad. Keep as cool as you can. Face piles of trials with smiles..." Moody Blues (Thanks Homegrown for keeping me straight!) Current Tank Info: 90Gal AGA, 25 g sump, Mag 7, Koralia 4's

08/12/2009, 12:01 PM	#3
BeanMachine Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 11,200	Yeah, definitely get rid of those bioballs. Can you run a filter sock that you can change out regularly instead?