Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Hi Bob,
I really enjoy reading your column in FAMA. I have learned a great deal and hope to learn even more. Let me tell what I have in my set up. I have a 125 gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump. I have 4 to 4.5 inch plenum system in the 125 gallon tank with a Berlin skimmer in the sump. I do a 15 gallon water change each month with Reef Crystals. I have four power compacts 96 watt each. I have about 140 pounds of live rock. My animals are snails, crabs, one yellow tang, two clowns,one damsel, bubble coral, anchor coral, lots of yellow pulps, leather corals, frog spawn, yellow torch. I use Seachem products: Reef Advantage Calcium, Reef Builder, Reef Plus and Reef Buffer. The pH stays at 8.11 to 8.35, temp 77 to 82, no nitrates. Make up water comes from a Kent Hi-S unit. Everything is going fine and the corals are all growing, but here are my questions?
1. I have the return water to the sump going through a gallon container of filter floss to remove solids in the water. Is this a good idea? Every time I take out the dirty floss and put in some clean floss, the protein skimmer goes crazy for about 1 hour then stops. I am thinking I may not need to do this but everything is looking good right now and do not want to "fix it if is not broke." Could this mean I do not have enough of bio filtration going on? I would like to get rid of the filter floss.
2. I am not using any bio-balls but wonder if I should. The thing about the skimmer going crazy after I put in fresh floss makes me wonder if I should. I am thinking you may think that is a bad idea, as the set up should have enough of that with the live rock and the plenum. Is that correct?
3. I just want the best tank possible for all the critters. As I have said I see no problems but want to always improve where it is possible. Do you have anything to add that may make an improvement?
Thanks very much for your help. Keep up the good work in FAMA!
Jeff Halcomb
Hi Jeff,
It looks like the aquarium is doing very well, however, there are some possible improvements you might want to consider. In my opinion you should upgrade your skimmer. Review the following brands - AquaC, Reef Concepts, A.E. Technology, Marine Technical Concepts, and Euro-Reef.
As for removing the filter floss, there's some value to prefiltering the return water to the sump. It does keep larger junk out of the sump and the floss should be changed/cleaned at least once weekly. When it gets very dirty, its somewhat changing/reducing the tension of the water and that reduces the skimming effect. It has no real connection with the biological filtration, however, when dirty/over a few days old, nitrification bacteria is growing in the floss material. Yet the impact to the system is marginal, as the plenum will adequately handle all system needs. There is what is called 'blue-bonded' filtering material/pads, that can be cut to fit, and I would consider switching to that. They can be washed clean under the tap and reused for very long periods before it needs replacing.
As for bio-balls, don't use them! They only supply surface area for nitrification bacteria and result in nitrate being expelled into the bulk water. The nitrification cycle needs to remain in the upper portion of the plenum sandbed, where it then diffuses downward to be further oxidized into nitrogen gas. Why discharge nitrate, from bio-balls, into the bulk water - that does not make sense or is it good for the well being of the system. Of course, algae would like that!
Hope this helps,
Bob
