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Keeping the tank clean

JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Regular water changes, skimmer, carbon, phosban, rinsing fish food, and avoid overfeeding. Also make sure you have enough live rock and perhaps live sand.
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

I'll add a lot of flow to his list. You'll notice with more flow it seems that certain stuff won't stick to your rocks and glass as well. Also won't let garbage settle and will push it to your filter
 
R

reeferwanabe

I clean off rocks with turkey baster and once a month hook up diatom filter (without the powder) and take out as much loose dirt as I can. If you do this don't be too aggressive. and that's in addition to things mentioned.
 
M

mikedelo

JRWOHLER said:
Regular water changes, skimmer, carbon, phosban, rinsing fish food, and avoid overfeeding. Also make sure you have enough live rock and perhaps live sand.
Click to expand...

I have been researching the use of a phosban reactor and I have this question to ask: What is the differene with using a phosphate reactor (Phosban) vs Kent Marine Phosphate Sponge?

I read that the Kent Marine Phosphate Sponge should not be left in the tank more than two days. So I am thinking there is no control on a daily basis. Whereas the reactor is one more piece of equipment to plug in.
 
B

BobbyG89220

they say to keep your sand clean atleast restock it with all the little oranisms(like amphipods ect) once or twice a year you can get stuff at ipsr.com i no someone who gets a package twice a year from them and his sand is bright white looks like he just put it in his tank
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Biodiversity is a very good idea.

I don't know exactly the Kent sponge thing. But I will take a swing at this one.
A reactor is a container(there are some good DYI examples here on NJRC)that acts as a place for for some reaction to take place....water flows through some medium that either takes something out of the water Phosban Reactor or puts something into the water kalk or calcium reactor.
Usually there is some sort of pump that will push the water through.

Sponges, floss, bio balls...etc tend to collect gunk that builds up and causes higher levels of nitrates/nitrites/and possibly ammonia that you don't want. I have used them in a nano either replacing ever few days or rinsing very regularly.
 
M

mikedelo

Thank you for everyone's input!

I will be putting together a DIY reactor this weekend. I also moved a powerhead to hit the very front of my tank where much of the gunk is.

Mike
 
Paul B

Paul B

NJRC Member
I clean off rocks with turkey baster and once a month hook up diatom filter (without the powder) and take out as much loose dirt as I can. If you do this don't be too aggressive. and that's in addition to things mentioned.
Click to expand...

I do this about 4 times a year but being I don't run a DSB I get very agressive.
I put a restriction on the outflow hose of the diatom filter and turn it into a powerwasher. They I go over all of the rock surfaces (but not the corals) You would be amazed what comes out of live rock. Then I stir up the gravel as much as I can all the way to the bottom. I leave in the diatom powder though.
I have been doing this for 40 years and am on my 6th diatom filter. I would never be able to have such an old tank if I did not do this.
 
R

rodclement

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I agree with Paul here, I run my Vortex XL Diatom filter every couple of months with the powder in it, when I returned from MACNA I ran it with the powder and carbon as well just because it made me feel good to do it!!!

Another thing you can do fore the sand bed is get a cucumber, I just got one following Ed.s advice and the thing is amazing! Gobbles sand up!

Rod :D
 
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