New tank - what is this?!

[Teku1998]

Good morning y’all, hope your summers are going well.
My wife and I found a marketplace deal we couldn’t refuse, and ended up with this beautiful 180 (+40g sump) tank, fully setup with coral and everything.

there’s obviously been a learning curve for me on all of the new equipment and nuances of a plumbed tank, since I only have had AIOs before.

My first question(s) revolve around this reactor. Can y’all tell what’s in it, and should it be replaced; either with new of what’s in there, or with something else entirely? And second, how do I know what to set the flow rate (dial?) to?

After we figure this out, I’ll have some questions about the nyos skimmer tuning, and flow design for the DT. If anyone knows stuff about those and wants to throw me links for tutorials or resources, please do.
Lastly if this is the wrong section for this, please forgive me. Thanks.

 

[Timfish]

My guess would be GFO/GAC that hadn't been changed in a long time and has detritus and biofilms(?) or sponge(?) kinda holding it together. I'm guessing the courser stuff is some kind of nitrate remover.

 

[rusty hannon]

Good morning y’all, hope your summers are going well.
My wife and I found a marketplace deal we couldn’t refuse, and ended up with this beautiful 180 (+40g sump) tank, fully setup with coral and everything.

there’s obviously been a learning curve for me on all of the new equipment and nuances of a plumbed tank, since I only have had AIOs before.

My first question(s) revolve around this reactor. Can y’all tell what’s in it, and should it be replaced; either with new of what’s in there, or with something else entirely? And second, how do I know what to set the flow rate (dial?) to?

After we figure this out, I’ll have some questions about the nyos skimmer tuning, and flow design for the DT. If anyone knows stuff about those and wants to throw me links for tutorials or resources, please do.
Lastly if this is the wrong section for this, please forgive me. Thanks.

flow rate can b figured out by turning tank over at least 10 times per hr. ao 20 x per hr for seahorses. Its something my wife found a long time ago n its always been on. Now you get to choose a pump>lol Great fortune and find, welcome to r2r

 

[Cwentz758]

Looks like I’m the one two sponges are holding some carbon in place. And the crud in it is detritus. I’m not sure what’s in the other reactor, doesn’t look like granulated GFO. You also don’t have to run GFO in it. Maybe it’s just extra mechanical filtration

 

[Teku1998]

Looks like I’m the one two sponges are holding some carbon in place. And the crud in it is detritus. I’m not sure what’s in the other reactor, doesn’t look like granulated GFO. You also don’t have to run GFO in it. Maybe it’s just extra mechanical filtration

What should I do with the two chambers then? I don’t really want to run carbon because I’m worried it will hurt the tangs, who were already malnourished and are healing. My nitrate is 160+ and my phosphate is registered as 1 on the salifrrt kit. Any recommendations?

 

[Cwentz758]

What should I do with the two chambers then? I don’t really want to run carbon because I’m worried it will hurt the tangs, who were already malnourished and are healing. My nitrate is 160+ and my phosphate is registered as 1 on the salifrrt kit. Any recommendations?

Never heard of carbon hurting fish, as it helps remove water contaminates and clears the water.it would be a better help to see the whole tank and sump to better help.

I'd suggest water changes and cleaning up of detritus which you see in the reactor and I would guess is built up in the sump. Also I'm taking a wild guess that the sand was not clean when you got the tank and when you moved it you kicked up all the nasties, I would siphon that as well

 

[Teku1998]

Never heard of carbon hurting fish, as it helps remove water contaminates and clears the water.it would be a better help to see the whole tank and sump to better help.

I'd suggest water changes and cleaning up of detritus which you see in the reactor and I would guess is built up in the sump. Also I'm taking a wild guess that the sand was not clean when you got the tank and when you moved it you kicked up all the nasties, I would siphon that as well

From my research, carbon can contribute to HLLE, right?
The sump seems okay, there’s dragons breath and chaeto in it. Also we replaced the sand entirely, it was gross.

I’m still working on fixing the cable management, this was the old owner lol