Nopox vs 6% fuge

[Aquajan]

Hi,

Im cycling a new tank and I ame still not shure witch way to go with N03 and Po4 export when the time comes.

I've got a rollermat compact, a good skimmer, a good fuge light and spare dosing heads so I've got everything but space.

So I want to use the Skimmer and the rollermat to begin with along with weekly 10% wc.
This methode just works and will probably be sufficient for the first few months while the tank stock is stil low.
But I like to keep my fish well fed so when the tank gets medium to high stocked this will probably not be enough as I dont have lots of coral yet.

My sump is 20x20x14 inch with a baffle ofer the entire length so I have two compartments of 12x20x14 and 5.6x20x14.
In the small compartiment I have the return pump and I want to place my skimmer in it to with if nessesery a mod against micro bubbles.
Than in the big compartiment I have the rollermat against the back witch takes 2/5e of the compartiment.
So when it beco. Es nessesery I want either a fuge or dose nopox.
But I've only got a space of 12x12x8.8 inch of space left in the sump for a fuge.
My system is 90 gallon in total without taking rock and equipment in account so the fuge space is about 6%.

Would that space be sufficient for no3 and Po4 export if illuminated well?
Or would I be better of with carbon dosing?

 

[Spare time]

Personally, I would start with the refugium, see how well it works, and go from there. A refugium is much simpler, has not risks, and has numerous benefits. Just get a GOOD light. Don't get a cheap white bulb. Violet and blue are the best colors and you want a strong light for it. If you get red macro, make sure you have more than just red light in the refugium as it will not do well. If you can't get the phosphate down low enough, use a little gfo.

 

[andrewkw]

If it's a new tank you don't even know you are going to have no3/p04 issues. That being said I prefer carbon dosing to a refugium. You won't need a light, you can control the dosage much more precisely. For me it's just easier. I stopped using a refugium a little over 3 years ago, of course they do work too, but I just prefer carbon dosing. I also make my own nopox since its cheaper and easy enough to do with just 3 ingredients.

 

[Aquajan]

Yea I was leaning that way to..

If I go with the fuge I will use cheato and I've got the Aqua illumination fuge led so the light should be good.

I have a fuge running now on my old tank but it does not grow very well.
I have just started dosing some iron to see if that does the trick but it makes it a little more complicated espessialy when other trace elements like molybdenum and magnese get depleted too becous of dosing the iron. .

I don't do wc's on my old tank tho so maby the 10% wc on my new tank will be enough to replenish the trace to keep it simple.

 

[bar|none]

With a bigger refugium, you would not need the rollermat. Would taking it out make your fuge bigger? The two seem incompatible to me. Full Triton for example recommends no filter sock which is what I do. Brightwell makes a chaeto grow product, I have not tried it as my Triton dosing does the same.

 

[Ebslinger]

Just to add to the options list...

Since you don't know what the possible levels of No3 and Po4 will be yet, keep Brightwell's Phospat-E on your list of options.

Just another tool in the tool box.

 

[Aquajan]

Yes indeed the rollermat and fuge compete with each other and removing the rollermat will make th fuge 3% bigger to 9% of system volume.
But I don't run and do not intend to run triton and the products of brightwell are not avalibe around here.
Otherwise I would use cheatogro for shure.

And so Brightwell's Phospat-E is no option as well.
Altho gfo is good for this cause too but needs some more monotoring before a balance is found.

I wonder if the rollermat really is not compatible with a fuge as it will just reduce the amount of no3 and po4 in the water.. not eliminate it.
A skimmer does the same thing by some degree.
So when the rollermat, skimmer and wc would remove like 50 to 80% of the waste
and no macro specific addatives are being used maby a wc replenishes enough trace elements to reduce the remaining no3 and Po4 to disireble levels.
The macro will just not grow fast, the ph benefit is less and the rollermat will probably capture alot of pods.

On the other hand nopox is gonna work for shure with the rollermat and skimmer.. and it gives control of the exact no3.
It's just not as safe and has no side benefits besides maby some extra food for sponges and other filter feeders.

 

[Ebslinger]

It's hard to predict the future, but a roller mat and a good skimmer should be all the filtration you need as long as you control your feeding and stocking.

That and your stated water change schedule of course.

I wouldn't worry about the rest until you have to.

Just my thoughts though.

 

[smartwater101]

A proper feeding schedule, water change schedule, skimmer, and refugium will keep your nutrients in check long term. Its a straight forward, and less expensive, way to keep things stable.

Carbon dosing just promotes bad habits (like not maintaining the things I mentioned) and, imo, should only be used in "emergencies" when your nutrients get away from you. (it happens from time to time)

Carbon dousing, and things like clean-up-crews for that matter, should be treated as supplemental and not a long term solution. If you rely on it, you're not solving the core issue.

 

[Aquajan]

That's true it is simple and cheaper and if done properly it works well.

But can this be done with the addition of a rollermat?
Like I said it seems to me it means just less No3 and Po4 for the macro..
But like this I'm less dependent on addatives to keep the cheato grow well.

I just strongly question the capability of the macro to keep things at bay on the long run without addatives for macro growth (witch are not avaliable around here.. only diy options) .

I don't know my exact stocking yet but it is something like:

My current fish

2x occelaris
1x six stripe wrasse
1x yellow tang

New fish and invertebrates I want.

1x black spot foxface
3-5 x anthias
1x royal gramma
1x gobidon okinawae
2x fire goby
1/2x another wrasse (if no mandarin)
1x a mandarin (if no wrasse)
4 or more hermits
2x wurdemani (if aptasia apears)

All this in a 75g display..
And I like to keep my fish fat so that means alot of food.

So that's why I'm already looking for the best way to keep things stable on a desirable level in the future.

 

[Aquajan]

Oh and it's gonna be a mixed tank with mostly sps and some lps on the bothom and lower rocks.

 

[Aquajan]

And the water change is an 12% weekly awc divided in 14 small wc's over the week what results in a 10% effective wc weekly.
So that makes ik a little more stable and alot less likely that i skip a wc.

 

[Spare time]

That's true it is simple and cheaper and if done properly it works well.

But can this be done with the addition of a rollermat?
Like I said it seems to me it means just less No3 and Po4 for the macro..
But like this I'm less dependent on addatives to keep the cheato grow well.

I just strongly question the capability of the macro to keep things at bay on the long run without addatives for macro growth (witch are not avaliable around here.. only diy options) .

I don't know my exact stocking yet but it is something like:

My current fish

2x occelaris
1x six stripe wrasse
1x yellow tang

New fish and invertebrates I want.

1x black spot foxface
3-5 x anthias
1x royal gramma
1x gobidon okinawae
2x fire goby
1/2x another wrasse (if no mandarin)
1x a mandarin (if no wrasse)
4 or more hermits
2x wurdemani (if aptasia apears)

All this in a 75g display..
And I like to keep my fish fat so that means alot of food.

So that's why I'm already looking for the best way to keep things stable on a desirable level in the future.

Refugiums with strong lighting will keep up with nutrients. Also, I would not go with AI fuge light. The blue spectrum is better than a red spectrum. I have GFO and refugium with AI prime HD and I never have detectable phosphate or nitrate.