180 Build Thread

[Dowtish]

Think this ecobak is definitely kicking in, my filter socks are clogging in a quarter the time of normal. How long does that last?

Your skimmate will be darker and funkier than ever. But your filter socks getting clogged faster doesnt have anything to do with bacteria colonizing on your pellets. Are you feeding more?

Typed from my phone, because I have nothing better to do.

 

[palvyre]

I did a little research online and lots of folks having the same experience with EcoBak.

A quick google of "filter socks clogging Ecobak" will return all kinds of threads on the subject. My experience is the same as theirs, the socks don't really look dirtier (if anything they look a lot cleaner), but they are clogging up and water is not passing through. Seems this odd behavior clears up for most in a week or so.

 

[Dowtish]

Wow, there is a lot of threads about socks clogging. I guess when the bacteria kicks in and it sloughs off the pellets it's filling in the sock? I never had this issue, but I also started running my pellets with little to no bio-load, and the slow adjust ment of adding corals and fish must have not given me that issue.

Have you tested your nitrates and phosphates? what were they before the pellets and now?

 

[mixer911]

Yea, I could see it happening in a heavy feed, higher bio-loaded tank or new introduction of pellets. The pellets will form the bio film on them and that stuff is slimey. Until the bacteria gets in check with the bio load that slime will definately clog filter socks. Its clear and almost invisible, so its hard to see its even there.

 

[palvyre]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=076wyWo_Mvk

Is that the right level of flow?

My tests aren't good enough to determine. I don't have low range tests, they showed the smallest amount they could test for. I have noticed my water is a little cloudy.

 

[mixer911]

I would lower the flow just a little. You are close to the right rate. Its a fine ballance with tumble rate. As the bacteria start growing on the media you will start to get some channeling, which is normal as well. You dont want to over tumble it though, since that will just break off the bio mass and bacteria pre maturely.

Great video by the way, do you mind if I share it?

 

[Dowtish]

No wonder your socks are clogging. That is a LOT of pellets in a short time IMO.

 

[palvyre]

Share away.

 

[palvyre]

Lowered the flow a little. Have nice gentle bubbling all the way to the top.

 

[palvyre]

I learned not to put the media pad under the media. That caused one side of the pad to lift up and direct all of the flow up one side. I had to dump everything out and put the pad at the top, that worked perfectly.

 

[gmoney243]

Also the biofilm that bacteria produces can be caught and removed by good mechanical filters such as really fine filtersocks. This is probly what's clogging ur socks.

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

 

[mixer911]

I learned not to put the media pad under the media. That caused one side of the pad to lift up and direct all of the flow up one side. I had to dump everything out and put the pad at the top, that worked perfectly.

Yep, you do not need the foam filter pad on the bottom. With ecoBAK the pellets will not go thru the media plate's holes. I run mine without it also.

 

[palvyre]

Here is the adjusted tumble rate.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CwORlOcUjE4

 

[palvyre]

Ran a bunch of tests.

KH 10
PH 8.2
Nitrates 5
Phosphates 0 (test color was even lighter than 0)
Calcium 350

I've been trying to slowly raise my calcium, but it's stubborn. I am thinking with my current readings I can just run EcoBak without GFO, thoughts ?

 

[angrycubano]

The absorption of Calcium is dependent on Mg so you should check that as well. If you start seeing little white spots in your water or on the back of the tank then your Mg is most likely too low. Also your KH will go down a bit as your Calcium goes up so make sure and keep them all in balance. If you're looking into SPS I would recommend you get Hanna checkers or Salifert test kits as they are more accurate. I don't know which ones you own so I'm just assuming it's neither one. I would use Ecobak because of its proven success, low cost, and low maintenance. GFO can get expensive as you have to constantly change it out and replace as opposed to Ecobak which you just have to add and not change it out. I've been running it for almost a year now and haven't had to mess with it at all.

 

[Dowtish]

+1 to everything above.


I would definitely borrow the hanna phos checker from the club to see what it says

 

[palvyre]

I have white spots all over the back overflows. Guess I need to check my mag. I have red sea test kits for mag and calcium. API cheapies for PH,KH,Nitrate, and Phosphate.