Marine Pure in Fluval Evo 13.5

[PapaBear941]

Hello,

Does anyone use the Marine Pure spheres in their Fluval Evo 13.5? If so, how many are you using? Which chamber do you have them set up in? Trying to make some adjustments to my filtration setup based on Phosphates and Nitrates being at 0.0, and LPS and Soft corals suffering as a result. I think I might have TOO MUCH filtration, but want the opinion of others first.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rmorris_14]

Hello,

Does anyone use the Marine Pure spheres in their Fluval Evo 13.5? If so, how many are you using? Which chamber do you have them set up in? Trying to make some adjustments to my filtration setup based on Phosphates and Nitrates being at 0.0, and LPS and Soft corals suffering as a result. I think I might have TOO MUCH filtration, but want the opinion of others first.

Thanks in advance.

I have some in mine. I have some of the small ones and then a few of the half inch balls. I still run the stock sponge filter because my tank is fishless and does the job. I put mine below the sponge filter in the middle chamber and it fills up the entire space below.

 

[rmorris_14]

do you feed your corals anything?

 

[PapaBear941]

I have some in mine. I have some of the small ones and then a few of the half inch balls. I still run the stock sponge filter because my tank is fishless and does the job. I put mine below the sponge filter in the middle chamber and it fills up the entire space below.

do you feed your corals anything?

I have the 1.5" spheres in the middle chamber in the bottom portion of the inTank media basket for the 2nd chamber.

My system if fishless as well. I feed throughout the work week frozen mysis, I switch off between BRS Reef Chili and Reef Roids, and I use Red Sea AB+.

 

[rmorris_14]

I have the 1.5" spheres in the middle chamber in the bottom portion of the inTank media basket for the 2nd chamber.

My system if fishless as well. I feed throughout the work week frozen mysis, I switch off between BRS Reef Chili and Reef Roids, and I use Red Sea AB+.

what kind of test kits are you using?

 

[PapaBear941]

what kind of test kits are you using?

 

[rmorris_14]

Interesting ... well you have exhausted any suspicion my limited knowledge would think of as a reason. I'm not sure if you might get more exact reading, besides just 0, with the phosphate ULR or Nitrate LR . Hopefully someone else with more experience can chime in and be of more help. I assume you aren't doing any water changes to try to increase the nitrates?

 

[jfoahs04]

What else are you currently using for filter media? Skimmer? How often do you do water changes and how much do you change each time.

I have the same tank as you and am currently fishless as well (fallow after ich), though I do have a cleaner shrimp, 2 pom pom crabs, peppermint shrimp, and some CUC (hermits/snails). I feed every other day and have a hard time keeping phosphate lower than 0.1ppm. I actually dealt with a big spike that caused RTN in a couple of my acros after I initially removed the fish and have only recently dialed it back down to where it is (and hope to slowly lower it more).

 

[PapaBear941]

What else are you currently using for filter media? Skimmer? How often do you do water changes and how much do you change each time.

I have the same tank as you and am currently fishless as well (fallow after ich), though I do have a cleaner shrimp, 2 pom pom crabs, peppermint shrimp, and some CUC (hermits/snails). I feed every other day and have a hard time keeping phosphate lower than 0.1ppm. I actually dealt with a big spike that caused RTN in a couple of my acros after I initially removed the fish and have only recently dialed it back down to where it is (and hope to slowly lower it more).

Filter media consists of filter floss, mini chemi pure elite and the marine pure. I had been doing 5 gallon a week water changes, but I guess I need to reevaluate this strategy. My initial thought is to maybe try and take some of the marine pure spheres out. Like I said I have the 1.5” spheres, and if I had to guess I have 8-10 of them.

 

[jfoahs04]

Filter media consists of filter floss, mini chemi pure elite and the marine pure. I had been doing 5 gallon a week water changes, but I guess I need to reevaluate this strategy. My initial thought is to maybe try and take some of the marine pure spheres out. Like I said I have the 1.5” spheres, and if I had to guess I have 8-10 of them.

I do about 5 gallons weekly too. You could cut back on that if it wouldn't throw off your other parameters (alk, calc, and magnesium specifically). I'd personally consider dropping the Chemi Pure Elite and switching to carbon for a bit to see if it helps. Earlier on, I had trouble keeping nutrients in the tank and when I stopped using Chemi Pure, I was able to keep those numbers above zero (even with weekly changes).

I'm not really familiar with the Marine Pure. Is it chemical filtration, or just bio media? If it's the latter, it shouldn't really be the issue.

 

[PapaBear941]

I'm not really familiar with the Marine Pure. Is it chemical filtration, or just bio media? If it's the latter, it shouldn't really be the issue.

MarinePure Ceramic Biomedia 1 1/2” Spheres

Why does BRS recommend this? Biological filtration is the number one key to a nice and stable reef tank, and anytime we can sneak in some MarinePure Biomedia into an All in one tank, sump, or even overflows we will. We have run density tests and they have proved to be more porous than any live...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Just bio-media. I guess I need to play around with things.

 

[rmorris_14]

Agree that the bio media shouldn’t be effecting it.
I believe one of the stated benefits of chemi pure elite. Is to help filter out phosphates. You could try running just the regular or I’d go none at all in a fishless. Maybe just carbon per the other persons suggestion. I’d also cut back the water changes maybe just do 2 to 3 gallons and see how that goes or just stop until you get some measurable numbers.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I run an evo as well, I found my large water changes (5 gallon a week) was too much for me to keep the nitrates and phosphates up…I now do once a month at 1 gallon, but everyone’s tank needs are different. This is now at 2.5 years
Before cutting down on my WCs I also eliminated any medias that we’re assisting, took out all the bio media in the back( lots of rock for my tank thought it was overkill) and actually turned my uv offline as well, I’m now down to just filter floss in the back.. again this is where I’m at now, not recommending anything…
But if I was amino acids have seemed to help fill the uln gap as well as spot feeding, Was running on the theory that corals can survive if they ingest the nutrients directly even if super low in tank, I’ve found better success how I’m running now but a closer attention is needed

 

[PapaBear941]

I run an evo as well, I found my large water changes (5 gallon a week) was too much for me to keep the nitrates and phosphates up…I now do once a month at 1 gallon, but everyone’s tank needs are different. This is now at 2.5 years
Before cutting down on my WCs I also eliminated any medias that we’re assisting, took out all the bio media in the back( lots of rock for my tank thought it was overkill) and actually turned my uv offline as well, I’m now down to just filter floss in the back.. again this is where I’m at now, not recommending anything…
But if I was amino acids have seemed to help fill the uln gap as well as spot feeding, Was running on the theory that corals can survive if they ingest the nutrients directly even if super low in tank, I’ve found better success how I’m running now but a closer attention is needed

Since you’re water changes are so infrequent and low in volume now, what do you do to maintain Alk,Cal, and Mag? Kalkwasser? Mag dosing?

 

[jfoahs04]

Agree that the bio media shouldn’t be effecting it.
I believe one of the stated benefits of chemi pure elite. Is to help filter out phosphates. You could try running just the regular or I’d go none at all in a fishless. Maybe just carbon per the other persons suggestion. I’d also cut back the water changes maybe just do 2 to 3 gallons and see how that goes or just stop until you get some measurable numbers.

I’d second this. Try removing the Chemi Pure and going with just plain old activated carbon. Chemi Pure Elite contains ferric oxide (GFO) which is specifically intended to remove phosphate. The stuff works REALLY well. Carbon will still help keep your water clear (and filter a lot of nasties), but it won’t pull nitrates and phosphates.

 

[Hairyteeth]

Since you’re water changes are so infrequent and low in volume now, what do you do to maintain Alk,Cal, and Mag? Kalkwasser? Mag dosing?

All for reef, and soda ash accessionaly to maintain higher alk