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SPS Filtration

trigger99

trigger99

I have 75 gallon exclusively devoted now to SPS containing over 50 great frags. The tank did not start out that way(mostly softies) and does not have an overflow or sump. To date, all is well, the corals are growing and I am dosing with two part, aminos and Potassium. I use a HOB skimmer which works fabulous, have two Korialia 4's for flow and use a Fluval 4 for other filtration and movement and of course a load of live rock. My question is this.... What would one recomend to pack in the Fluval. I have been using only some floss and loads of carbon and change it once a month>. I was thinking of adding some GFO but believe it should not be combined with Carbon in the same unit. With the tank now expanding to all SPS, I was just curious what, if anything more, I should be adding. Suggestions/ alternatives welcome.
Thanks,
 
qwik

qwik

I am not sure about what to add to the filter. I was under the impression that carbon and a phos remover can be used together . I plan on using both in one tlf reactor . If you have room a tlf reactor would be a good addition . They dont take up much room are cheap and take care of phosphate issues which sps hate .
I would keep an eye on your calcium and alk levels with that many sps's . They might require a two part supplement (alk/calc). Did you notice any changes with the potassium,if so ?
Oh yeah, post some photo's !
 
trigger99

trigger99

I have considered the Phos reactor but have yet to commit. I am dosing 2 part manually(BULk Reef Supply) and it works great but manually dosing is a pain and does not bode well for stable conditions. My first quest will be to install 2 dosing pumps to dose Calc and Alk. As to the Potassim, yes I have seen improvement in color and growth but am also dosing Aminos as well so its hard to know specifically what to attribute it to. I will post some pics as soon as I master how to post them here!!!!!! Thansk for the imput
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

trigger - i've read a lot of rave reviews about your tank/coral quality - so in my opinion if it ain't broke - don't mess with it. :)
 
trigger99

trigger99

Hawkeye said:
trigger - i've read a lot of rave reviews about your tank/coral quality - so in my opinion if it ain't broke - don't mess with it. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks. Your a prince and I'm humbled............
 
J

JerseyWendy

qwik said:
I am not sure about what to add to the filter. I was under the impression that carbon and a phos remover can be used together . I plan on using both in one tlf reactor .
Click to expand...

Not really the "best" idea, especially since the phosban media should only be tumbled ever so slowly, while the carbon should be pushed through a bit harder.

I would personally never run them two together.

Another reason is that you need to replace carbon more often than the phosban media.

Just my 2 cents. :)
 
qwik

qwik

Thanks Wendy . I want to start using the brightwell neo in my second reactor so I might have to do the carbon/phos together in just one for now . I figure to put the carbon in a mesh bag seperated from the phos by a divider so it can be changed out without disturbing the phos . I never did think of the flow ???
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
JerseyWendy said:
I would personally never run them two together.

Another reason is that you need to replace carbon more often than the phosban media.
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+1
 
Baxreefs

Baxreefs

If you're running sumpless and you and your SPS are happy, great!

Have you tested for PO4? Is it an issue? I have a Hanna meter if you'd like to run a sample on it to compare to whatever you're testing with now. Just LMK!

If you're big on water changes and low on boiload, PO4 may not be a big issue. If it is I'd use a TLF reactor to sepreatly run GFO, as said above small, cheap, easy!
 
blange3

blange3

I've never run GFO so I won't comment on that.

What I do with Fluvals running carbon is rotate changing the trays on a weekly basis instead of changing the whole unit monthly.

The idea being you are in there more frequently flushing out the detritius that collects in the caninster and you are not pitching all of the beneficial bacteria that colonizes the carbon in one shot.
 
trigger99

trigger99

Baxreefs said:
If you're running sumpless and you and your SPS are happy, great!

Have you tested for PO4? Is it an issue? I have a Hanna meter if you'd like to run a sample on it to compare to whatever you're testing with now. Just LMK!

If you're big on water changes and low on boiload, PO4 may not be a big issue. If it is I'd use a TLF reactor to sepreatly run GFO, as said above small, cheap, easy!
Click to expand...

Thanks Bax, I do frequent water changes and have very low bioload and a skimmer that wails. As the colonies mature, I may have to opt the reactor route. By the way, the Valida and Nana fro you are extrodinary....... Soon I will have to frag.....
 
trigger99

trigger99

blange3 said:
I've never run GFO so I won't comment on that.

What I do with Fluvals running carbon is rotate changing the trays on a weekly basis instead of changing the whole unit monthly.

The idea being you are in there more frequently flushing out the detritius that collects in the caninster and you are not pitching all of the beneficial bacteria that colonizes the carbon in one shot.
Click to expand...

Thats a good idea. Thanks.......
 
J

jonathan.

qwik said:
Thanks Wendy . I want to start using the brightwell neo in my second reactor so I might have to do the carbon/phos together in just one for now . I figure to put the carbon in a mesh bag seperated from the phos by a divider so it can be changed out without disturbing the phos . I never did think of the flow ???
Click to expand...

If you use NeoZeo, you don't need to run GFO, anyway. Problem solved! :)
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Hawkeye beat me to it. If it ain't broke don't try to fix it. For sure it is running great. ;D

A TLF reactor is an easy solution for phos..I just put in one but one in and am using Seachem SeaGel which is both carbon and phosphate remover. I didn't really have a problem with my new tank with phosphate but I had bought it before and was using it in my nano. It is supposed to last 3 months so not terrible. I expect someone will blast me for using it. ;)
 
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