More Ways of Filtration Ideas

[Juano908]

I have an SPS dominated 75g DT with a 40B sump/Ref. So total water volume is about 80gals. The only way of filtration beside the live rocks and sand are my Skimmer and Filter Sock.
My refugiun has no Macro algae due to non being able to keep them alive like the way it used to be before.

I only dose Alk, Cal and NO3 (Potassium Nitrate sol.) and I do 8 to 10 gals WC every 2 or 3 weeks.

My fish are a large Powder Blue Tang,medium Hippo Tang, medium Purple Tang, small to medium Atlantic Blue tang, a pair of True Percula Clown, medium Malenarus Wrasse, medium Orange Back Wrasse, large Lawnmower Blenny.

I’m looking for any ideas of adding another way (s) of filtration, would love to be able to keep Macro algae alive as an option.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[Mrx7899]

Looks like the tank is doing good I wouldn't change anything.

 

[Juano908]

Looks like the tank is doing good I wouldn't change anything.

Hey, yeah I can’t complain....I totally forgot about the frag you offered me, being very busy.
How’s your upgrade coming along?

 

[lion king]

I'm not an sps guy. and i don't really understand dosing no3. I use algae reactors added to all my tanks, and it's been the best addition for me since the protein skimmer. I found my refugiums that were designed as a flow through refugium didn't do well for me. I figured the flow rate was too fast for the macro to perform optimally. The macro in these same tanks perform well in a reactor with the flow rate between 200-300gph. Maybe I'm off base, but running macro to control no3 and dosing no3 sounds counter intuitive.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I'm not an sps guy. and i don't really understand dosing no3. I use algae reactors added to all my tanks, and it's been the best addition for me since the protein skimmer. I found my refugiums that were designed as a flow through refugium didn't do well for me. I figured the flow rate was too fast for the macro to perform optimally. The macro in these same tanks perform well in a reactor with the flow rate between 200-300gph. Maybe I'm off base, but running macro to control no3 and dosing no3 sounds counter intuitive.

Dosing nitrates and using macro algae is beneficial in cases where excess phosphates are present. Macro algae tend to use more nitrate than phosphate as they grow. The result can often be that nitrates are undetectable but phosphates are still high enough to present problems (nuisance micro algae, the inhibition of calcification of stony corals, etc). By dosing nitrates, the macro algae can begin growing once again and start using the excess phosphates. If an aquarist doses nitrates so that they are always present, macro algae growth will become phosphate-limited. When used in this manner, macro algae becomes a phosphate control and can replace the use of chemical media such as GFO.

 

[Juano908]

I'm not an sps guy. and i don't really understand dosing no3. I use algae reactors added to all my tanks, and it's been the best addition for me since the protein skimmer. I found my refugiums that were designed as a flow through refugium didn't do well for me. I figured the flow rate was too fast for the macro to perform optimally. The macro in these same tanks perform well in a reactor with the flow rate between 200-300gph. Maybe I'm off base, but running macro to control no3 and dosing no3 sounds counter intuitive.

Macro algae to help control the phosphate level, I think I’m having the same problem with my refugium as you, I’ve been thinking about building a reactor too.

 

[Juano908]

Dosing nitrates and using macro algae is beneficial in cases where excess phosphates are present. Macro algae tend to use more nitrate than phosphate as they grow. The result can often be that nitrates are undetectable but phosphates are still high enough to present problems (nuisance micro algae, the inhibition of calcification of stony corals, etc). By dosing nitrates, the macro algae can begin growing once again and start using the excess phosphates. If an aquarist doses nitrates so that they are always present, macro algae growth will become phosphate-limited. When used in this manner, macro algae becomes a phosphate control and can replace the use of chemical media such as GFO.

Oops, did not see this post, way better explanation than mine.
Thanks a lot.

 

[lion king]

Dosing nitrates and using macro algae is beneficial in cases where excess phosphates are present. Macro algae tend to use more nitrate than phosphate as they grow. The result can often be that nitrates are undetectable but phosphates are still high enough to present problems (nuisance micro algae, the inhibition of calcification of stony corals, etc). By dosing nitrates, the macro algae can begin growing once again and start using the excess phosphates. If an aquarist doses nitrates so that they are always present, macro algae growth will become phosphate-limited. When used in this manner, macro algae becomes a phosphate control and can replace the use of chemical media such as GFO.

Excellent explanation, I just put more effort to control my phosphates. I found cyano to be my 1st indicator when the nitrate to phosphate ratio gets out of whack. All of my tanks are running balanced and minimally with the use of an algae reactor and chemipure elite

 

[Juano908]

Excellent explanation, I just put more effort to control my phosphates. I found cyano to be my 1st indicator when the nitrate to phosphate ratio gets out of whack. All of my tanks are running balanced and minimally with the use of an algae reactor and chemipure elite

At what NO3 to PO4 ratio do you feel your tank do better?

 

[lion king]

First of if you are keeping low nitrates, say between 10-15, then you need the hanna ulr phosphate checker. It's the only phosphate test that will give accurate low readings of phosphates. I've found other phosphate test will show negligible close to 0 readings, while my hanna ulr still shows as much as .08--.1. Keeping my nitrates between 10-15, I detect trouble when my phosphates get above .08

 

[Juano908]

First of if you are keeping low nitrates, say between 10-15, then you need the hanna ulr phosphate checker. It's the only phosphate test that will give accurate low readings of phosphates. I've found other phosphate test will show negligible close to 0 readings, while my hanna ulr still shows as much as .08--.1. Keeping my nitrates between 10-15, I detect trouble when my phosphates get above .08

Totally right about the Hanna Checker, I have ULR.