to clean?

markhilken · 10/06/2008, 03:21 AM

Can the water in a saltwater aquarium ever be to clean? What are the reasons for running carbon and gfo? Are these personal choices?Is it nec. to strip every particle of dirt out of the water? Doesn't the reef actually need dirt to exist. Could live rock actually die if there is not enough "dirt"(detrius) for the bacteria to feast on? I know, lots of questions, I do try and do my homework.

thanks

Mark

rogergolf66 · 10/06/2008, 06:50 AM

Well can it be to clean yes. can you acheve that in your little ocean no not really. yes LR does need bac. to stay alive not dirt (detrius). detrius come from food that is rotting in the tank un eaten. most BB tanks for example have so much flow with no dead spots that the food is taken away to the overflow and into a filter sock for removal before this happens. These are some of the cleanest tanks around.

carbon removes the poisions that are put out by corals to attach other corals for room to grow. also it keeps the water cleaner to help light get through better.

GFO is to lower phosphates to a level that algea will not over take your tank. if you add food to feed the fish you are always adding phosphates. if you don't have a way to remove them they they can cause lots of problems. this is just to keep them in check around .03 no need to get them down to 0 as you mention.

hope this helps you may have know all this it sounds like.

Roger

10/06/2008, 03:21 AM	#1
markhilken Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Lehigh Valley. Pennsylvania Posts: 110	to clean? Can the water in a saltwater aquarium ever be to clean? What are the reasons for running carbon and gfo? Are these personal choices?Is it nec. to strip every particle of dirt out of the water? Doesn't the reef actually need dirt to exist. Could live rock actually die if there is not enough "dirt"(detrius) for the bacteria to feast on? I know, lots of questions, I do try and do my homework. thanks Mark

10/06/2008, 06:50 AM	#2
rogergolf66 im an addict lol Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Land o lakes, FLorida Posts: 12,930	Well can it be to clean yes. can you acheve that in your little ocean no not really. yes LR does need bac. to stay alive not dirt (detrius). detrius come from food that is rotting in the tank un eaten. most BB tanks for example have so much flow with no dead spots that the food is taken away to the overflow and into a filter sock for removal before this happens. These are some of the cleanest tanks around. carbon removes the poisions that are put out by corals to attach other corals for room to grow. also it keeps the water cleaner to help light get through better. GFO is to lower phosphates to a level that algea will not over take your tank. if you add food to feed the fish you are always adding phosphates. if you don't have a way to remove them they they can cause lots of problems. this is just to keep them in check around .03 no need to get them down to 0 as you mention. hope this helps you may have know all this it sounds like. Roger __________________ Goal levels: salinity 35ppt, temp 78-79, alk 8-9, cal 430-450, mag 1310-1400 po4 .03, no3 1-3 Current Tank Info: System 1... 100 gal Zoa tank I built, 30 gal Ric Yuma shroom tank, 30 gal mix tank my sons,40 gal softie tank, 40 gal nem tank, two 40 gal LPS tank. System 2... 240 gal SPS display attached 100 gal frag SPS only tank.