Almost a year old.

TomCs · 08/16/2009, 02:02 AM

My reef tank is coming along alright these days, however as we all are, im on a never ending quest to improve any aspects of my hunsbandry.
i run an EMPTY cansiter filter on my 50gal tank purely for flow, adding a bit of water volume and a storage compartment for chemical filtration when needed.
I only do this since the canister was free and it is not a drilled tank. i would like to know if a completely empty canister filter that is cleaned out biweekly along with weekly water changes may still contribute to nitrates or phosphates. Although im getting <0.1 from a testkit i am sure that any present in my system is probably being absorbed by algea/bacteria. im having a small red cyano prob on my sand bed which i would like to adress and feel that the canister albeit empty may be playing a part.

Anyone reckon i should just dump the canaster anyways?

Sorry for the life stroy, but here's a pic of a recent trip on the Great Barrier Reef to make it all worth it

iFisch · 08/16/2009, 04:21 AM

What test kit are you using? Are you using RO/DI water?

How much flow per hour is going through the canister filter?

It's possible that you can add some P04 remover and carbon in there, if the flow isn't too much.

Wow, a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, and only one picture to show!? More please.

TomCs · 08/16/2009, 06:13 AM

Ok, i have a sera test kit. basic but its generally accurate, except for phosphate apparently.
Yep definately always been using RO/DO.
Its an Aqua One CF1200. So yeh, a flow rate of 1200l/h which i think is a little bit over 300g/h.
Yeh carbon use is the main reason why i have the canister hooked up to the tank at all. however before i put any po4 remover in i wanted to find out if the canister itself is producing any phosphates. If u want pictures i got HEAPS from the trip but ill have to go up to the uni and uplaod them to photobucket first.

iFisch · 08/16/2009, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TomCs
Ok, i have a sera test kit. basic but its generally accurate, except for phosphate apparently.
Yep definately always been using RO/DO.
Its an Aqua One CF1200. So yeh, a flow rate of 1200l/h which i think is a little bit over 300g/h.
Yeh carbon use is the main reason why i have the canister hooked up to the tank at all. however before i put any po4 remover in i wanted to find out if the canister itself is producing any phosphates. If u want pictures i got HEAPS from the trip but ill have to go up to the uni and uplaod them to photobucket first.

I don't see how a canister filter can be a source for P04. I've never heard of people having any sort of problem with them.

If you don't mind sharing the photo's, please do. I mean, after all, this is a reef site.

joeychitwood · 08/16/2009, 06:34 AM

Assuming you keep it clean, the empty canister should not contribute to algae or cyano problems. Are you running carbon using some other method? If not, you could use the canister to run a carbon filter 24/7.

TomCs · 08/16/2009, 07:07 AM

Sounds good, yeh it does accumulate some small amount of detritus on the bottom but is cleaned out completely every two weeks. Got the carbon going too, so i guess i must suck at something else that's causing the issues.
Here's a couple i already have uploaded atm.

TomCs · 08/16/2009, 07:10 AM

lombard0 · 08/16/2009, 07:24 AM

As what others say, the canister dont contribute to your tank's cyano problem. Try to siphon it (cyano that is) whenever you do WC. How long has the tank been running?

And more pics pls. of the Great Barrier Reef.

Cheers!

nanshaw2001 · 08/16/2009, 07:56 AM

Awesome pic's !!!! Thanks for sharing !

iFisch · 08/16/2009, 04:04 PM

Beautiful pictures.

Korrine · 08/16/2009, 05:16 PM

nice pictures!!That must've been amazing.

Someone in my lrc said that the salt I'm using has a little p04 in it anyway so it's possible to get a little from your salt?

firstsalt · 08/16/2009, 07:28 PM

reminds me of my tank......... not but very nice pics

TomCs · 08/16/2009, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the comments on the pictures guys, more on the way!

The tank has been running now for just about a year, 11 months to be exact. ive just recently statred to siphon which is giving good results except almost within two days or so the cyano is back, in the exact same spot.
The cyano is probably more of a problem of flow since yesterday i noticed a powerhead at the bottom rear of the tank which supplies most of the flow around the base of my tank had decided to stop working. Not sure how lond it hasnt been working but with little flow circulating around the sandbed it definately has not help my situation. Today i have bought some vinigar and scrubbing it out completely, hopefully fixing that issue.

I've always used nsw, i collect it from a spot on the high tide that other reefers in the area use. Im actually getting some today and will be testing it this afternoon.

As promised

08/16/2009, 02:02 AM	#1
TomCs Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 152	Almost a year old. My reef tank is coming along alright these days, however as we all are, im on a never ending quest to improve any aspects of my hunsbandry. i run an EMPTY cansiter filter on my 50gal tank purely for flow, adding a bit of water volume and a storage compartment for chemical filtration when needed. I only do this since the canister was free and it is not a drilled tank. i would like to know if a completely empty canister filter that is cleaned out biweekly along with weekly water changes may still contribute to nitrates or phosphates. Although im getting <0.1 from a testkit i am sure that any present in my system is probably being absorbed by algea/bacteria. im having a small red cyano prob on my sand bed which i would like to adress and feel that the canister albeit empty may be playing a part. Anyone reckon i should just dump the canaster anyways? Sorry for the life stroy, but here's a pic of a recent trip on the Great Barrier Reef to make it all worth it __________________ "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."(Aldo Leopold 1949). Current Tank Info: 50gal reef since Aug 08.

08/16/2009, 06:13 AM	#3
TomCs Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 152	Ok, i have a sera test kit. basic but its generally accurate, except for phosphate apparently. Yep definately always been using RO/DO. Its an Aqua One CF1200. So yeh, a flow rate of 1200l/h which i think is a little bit over 300g/h. Yeh carbon use is the main reason why i have the canister hooked up to the tank at all. however before i put any po4 remover in i wanted to find out if the canister itself is producing any phosphates. If u want pictures i got HEAPS from the trip but ill have to go up to the uni and uplaod them to photobucket first. __________________ "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."(Aldo Leopold 1949). Current Tank Info: 50gal reef since Aug 08.

08/16/2009, 07:07 AM	#6
TomCs Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 152	Sounds good, yeh it does accumulate some small amount of detritus on the bottom but is cleaned out completely every two weeks. Got the carbon going too, so i guess i must suck at something else that's causing the issues. Here's a couple i already have uploaded atm. __________________ "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."(Aldo Leopold 1949). Current Tank Info: 50gal reef since Aug 08.

08/16/2009, 07:10 AM	#7
TomCs Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 152	__________________ "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."(Aldo Leopold 1949). Current Tank Info: 50gal reef since Aug 08.

08/16/2009, 07:56 AM	#9
nanshaw2001 Older newbie Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Statesboro, Ga Posts: 501	Awesome pic's !!!! Thanks for sharing ! __________________ My job doesn't begin to support my addiction! Current Tank Info: 125 Mixed reef, 55 softie tank in the works!

08/16/2009, 04:21 AM	#2
iFisch Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: FL Posts: 3,068	What test kit are you using? Are you using RO/DI water? How much flow per hour is going through the canister filter? It's possible that you can add some P04 remover and carbon in there, if the flow isn't too much. Wow, a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, and only one picture to show!? More please.

08/16/2009, 06:34 AM	#5
joeychitwood Schrödinger's Mod Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 3,488	Assuming you keep it clean, the empty canister should not contribute to algae or cyano problems. Are you running carbon using some other method? If not, you could use the canister to run a carbon filter 24/7.

08/16/2009, 07:24 AM	#8
lombard0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Earth Posts: 319	As what others say, the canister dont contribute to your tank's cyano problem. Try to siphon it (cyano that is) whenever you do WC. How long has the tank been running? And more pics pls. of the Great Barrier Reef. Cheers!

08/16/2009, 04:04 PM	#10
iFisch Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: FL Posts: 3,068	Beautiful pictures.

08/16/2009, 05:16 PM	#11
Korrine You could get a ticket!! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Upper midwest Posts: 4,288 Blog Entries: 1	nice pictures!!That must've been amazing. Someone in my lrc said that the salt I'm using has a little p04 in it anyway so it's possible to get a little from your salt? __________________ Try to keep in mind that we are all human...mistakes do happen! Be kinder than necessary because every one you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Current Tank Info: 40 breeder - started 9/2011 - platinum perc and sanjay's black photon clownfishes; sps and lps, and soft corals; 250w MH, 20 long sump w Bubble Magus Nac 3.5 skimmer 12g nano cube -serpent star, mini carpet anemones, w 6 sexy shrimp, 150w MH, maxi je

08/16/2009, 07:28 PM	#12
firstsalt Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Rye, NY Posts: 438	reminds me of my tank......... not but very nice pics __________________ -Peter D. "Fish are friends not food"

08/16/2009, 07:45 PM	#13
TomCs Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 152	Thanks for the comments on the pictures guys, more on the way! The tank has been running now for just about a year, 11 months to be exact. ive just recently statred to siphon which is giving good results except almost within two days or so the cyano is back, in the exact same spot. The cyano is probably more of a problem of flow since yesterday i noticed a powerhead at the bottom rear of the tank which supplies most of the flow around the base of my tank had decided to stop working. Not sure how lond it hasnt been working but with little flow circulating around the sandbed it definately has not help my situation. Today i have bought some vinigar and scrubbing it out completely, hopefully fixing that issue. I've always used nsw, i collect it from a spot on the high tide that other reefers in the area use. Im actually getting some today and will be testing it this afternoon. As promised __________________ "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."(Aldo Leopold 1949). Current Tank Info: 50gal reef since Aug 08.