Bio Balls/Keep them or trash them?

Still trying to get this thing working like it should.

Calcium? Stilll waiting on a new test kit but I think its between 345-375
Alkalinity-2.5
pH 8.2
Salinity 1.025
Temp. 78
Phosphate .02
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20-30

Im not sure what I have under my tank ( wet dry? trickle filter?) whatever it has an overflow that drains over bio balls and then back into the tank. Since everything I read say this is probably contributing to my nitrate problem Im wondering what are my options on changing this out?

the water drains under the devider rather than over so replacing them with a sand bed is not an option.

Also the doors in the front of the tank are only 9" wide so the tank would have to be emptied to make any real modifications.

Any suggestions?

 

What other filters do you have - protein skimmer? What kind of load is in the tank - fish only?

 

Aquarium Systems skimmer ( seaclone? Im not sure )
No other filters other than small filters on the end of the large powerhead to prevent fish from getting sucked up.

tomato clown
picasso trigger
brusa? trigger
clown trigger
lunar wrasse
dragon wrasse
six line wrass
lawnmower blenny

live rock some with a little bit of polyps on them (mushrooms and zoes)

 

Keep um with your fish load, however, about every month to 6 weeks, more ofter if you can, you will need to remove the bio balls and lightly rinse in salt water. you can do this during water changes. dont scrub as you want to preserve the bacteria, but, remove the detritus. once balls are removed look and see if there is a light sediment below the balls on the bottom, if so you will need to siphon it out (detritus), once the balls are rinsed, return to the filter and you are set until the next time. For nitrates water changes. "The solution to pollution is dillution". hope something here helps.

 

You could also just use a dremel tool and cut slits in the top of the divider and then silicon in a piece of acrylic this will cause the water to flow over the top not the bottom and you should be able to do this with the filter in place if you can get it empty. Then you can use it more as a refuge. But I would be apprehensive of doing this with your bio load of fish.

 

Skimmer Questions next.

Everyone has recommended the Remora to replace my Seaclone but I was looking at the Coralife Super skimmer because it has both the HOB option and the sump option. This would allow me to replace the old one now and still have to option of putting it in the sump at a later date. Would the 220 be too much? I think I would probably have more than 125 by the time we added a sump. Which is better the needle wheel or the Venturi?

Is there another skimmer with this option that would be better?

 

Many people think you can't have too big of a skimmer. A general rule of thumb is to buy the biggest one you can afford, some people say to buy one rated for twice your tank size (i.e. if you have a 55 gallon tank, get one made for at least a 100 gallon tank).

 

I have the Remora Pro with the mag 3 pump on my 55 right now and I am adding a sump which the remora will just hang on the side of the sump just like it did on the side of the tank so you might not have a problem after all!

 

So would the remora be big enough for a 110 with the sump? Im guessing but the thing I have now with the bioballs holds another 10 + a sump would put me right at the max. ??? Isn't this the problem Im having now?

 

I would say that the Remora C Pro with the mag 3 (of if you want bigger then you could go with the a larger pump I have heard of people putting anything up to a mag 7 on them) would handle a lot more then most skimmers rated at that range. I would also say that unless you are looking at something like a euro or something similar and are planning on spending close to 4 figures on a skimmer the aqua Cs are your best option. If you want to go in sump then look at the EV series which goes all the way up to some really big units.

 

Thanks no the price range demands either the remora or the coralife. If I go with the EV series I have to wait till after the first of the year to do anything. Im not handy enought to modify anything and my husband is overseas at the moment. I know its not critical since this tank has been up and running the way it is for years but now that its my job to scrub it all the time I was hoping for a better way. Hauling 30 gallons of water every week is getting old fast. I was looking for a way to cut it back to maybe once a month like he used to do but still keep the water perams. in a range where I might be able to liven up the rock work with some simple stuff.

 

The other option you might want to try is don't get rid of your current skimmer if it is pulling anything out of the water then leave it running and just add the new skimmer so they are both working.

 

Any idea where I could get more info on the CPR CY 194?

 

thats what i did it said remora pro good for up to 100 gallons i think so i came across a good deal on prizm pro deluxe with surface skimmer and added it to my tank with remora pro. Surprising the prizm pro is not a bad skimmer really comes with a cartridge for adding mechanical or chemical media to skimmer and once you mess with it a little bit and figure out were to set air intake and water intake it pulls out some nasty stuff big time quiet to. I did take out skimmer box from remora pro and added a rio 2500 big improvement on skimming but way to many micro bubbles and no way to stop bubbles so i switched back to rio 1400 cause skimmer box catches bubbles from entering tank and is only pump that will fit in surface skimming box.

 

How long did you run the skimmer with the 2500? I am running the Remora Pro with the Mag 3 and I never have bubbles now. I did for the first couple weeks though.

 

for about 5 to 6 weeks just couldn't get rid of the bubbles, maybe i'll try something in between 1400 and 2500, rio pumps don't really cost much but i wish bigger ones fit in skimmer box. but with 2500 i was filling cup full every couple of days instead of every week or week and a half, i went with rio 1400 cause more gph than mag 3.

 

True the Rio does have more GPH on unrestricted flow but as soon as you start loading up the Rio is starts to drop in GPH really quick. And the whole point of the Remoras is pumping all that water through a tiny little jet very similar to say 3' of head. At this level of pressure the mag 3 puts out a lot more water then the Rio does. Just something to think about.

 

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CPR AQUATIC, INC.