Biofilter Tower

U4BOYZ

U4BOYZ

Got Fish?
So I was down at my LFS today---they set my tank up for me---and I was mentioning that I did get my Nitrates down with water changes and such...but that I can't get them below 10mg to save my life...and they are constantly just creeping back up. He thought maybe my tank is well established enough to take out my Biofilter Media Tower. I guess that when the water travels down, it filters through 2 filters...then splashes onto a pile of live rock. The filters are wet/dry filters...and I guess the live rock is wet...but not under water. He set it up this way because my tank was brand new...he said it helped to develop a well established tank. Maybe my Nitrates are high due to it? Thoughts?
 
I'm not 100% sure what a biofilter media tower, but based off pics I googled, it's similar to bioballs, but uses other filter media? If so, taking it out completely too fast might not be a good idea...you might start another cylce. You might have to take it out gradually -- take out a little of the filter media at a time.

If I'm guessing correctly, the filter media already has essential bacteria colonized in it. And if they're like bioballs, it would have required weekly partial rinses, otherwise, yes, it could cause your nitrates to not be '0' With bioballs, we've usually advised if you're taking them out, take them out slowly -- a cup of bioballs over time so as not to shock the system.

I might be wrong. Just guessing.
 
Good thoughts. Thanks. My LFS person said to move the live rock over to the sump area so that it can be entirely submerged. I guess I should just do a piece or two at a time?
 
Well, as long as the rocks are staying in your tank's system, doesn't matter where you put it, I guess. Still the same bacteria.
 
Well...I checked tonight and the live rock in my tower IS underwater. UGH. I guess that means I still don't know why I can't get my Nitrates down to zero. Back to the drawing board. :(
 
Test kit? I had a bad one (I had *just* purchased it), but kept my nitrates at 20ppm....went to the store, did a side-by-side test between mine and theirs, and again, mine was 20ppm, theirs read 0ppm. So I bought a new nitrate kit, did another side by side, both read 0ppm :)
 
1st how big of water changes are you doing and how often? I have a 65gal DT with around 25-30 gal in the sump. Doing a 10 gal water change once per week or right about 10% is just enough to maintain my Nitrates at 20ppm. No more no less. I'm gonna double up on my water changes and start doing 10% twice a week to keep em down. When I get Cheato in my sump which should be arriving any day now I hope it will help maintain my nitrates as well.

Also on a side note. The ocean doesn't have nitrate problems and it doesn't use bioballs either. Just lots of live rocks and seaweed.
 
All good points. My Nitrates seem to be running between 10-15 mg. It's not a huge concern of mine...but I'd like to get it under 5 mg for my anemones. I have Cheato in my sump already. I do a 33% water change once a week religiously because I have a lot of fish. I am wondering if I should get more live rock for filtering purposes...even if I just bought the cheaper ugly rock and added it in my sump. Hmmmmmmmmm....
 
It's funny you should ask that. I was wondering if it was enough. I rinse everything out weekly...or maybe every ten days. It's pretty filthy when I do it. Maybe I should rinse everything out a couple times a week. Hmmmmm...
 
I was wondering with my wet/dry filter that my tank water initially passes through...it's got to be harboring a lot of stuff. Maybe I should go filterless? How do you filter the big pieces out of your tank Amanda?
 
I don't have any big pieces, really. I've got one little media bag over the drain into my refugium, but that's mostly because it helps reduce bubbles in the fuge. If, for some reason, I do end up with large particles, I've got a 2 micron filter I can tie to my drains to filter things out, but I don't like to leave that on very long because it clogs fast. I figure live rock/sand and a skimmer is all the filtration I need. :)
 
tankedchemist said:
I don't have any big pieces, really. I've got one little media bag over the drain into my refugium, but that's mostly because it helps reduce bubbles in the fuge. If, for some reason, I do end up with large particles, I've got a 2 micron filter I can tie to my drains to filter things out, but I don't like to leave that on very long because it clogs fast. I figure live rock/sand and a skimmer is all the filtration I need. :)
Click to expand...

Binga thats the way nature does it.
 

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