Reefmat using 9 feet a day

[sprungson]

I started a 525XL 2 weeks ago (tank transfer about 10 fishes). My reefmat was averaging about a foot a day, all of a sudden past two days it's gone up to 9 feet yesterday.

I've been dosing nopox for about a week. Only thing that changed in the past two days was my nitrate went from 12ppm to 0.5ppm. Tank is not cloudy

 

[Tonycass12]

Not sure exactly whats going on but you are diving into dangerous territory with nitrates dropping like that. Its obviously removing a ton of stuff but with a new tank and low nitrates phosphates your cooking up a dino bloom.

Not super familiar with the reef Matt but if there is a way to bypass it somewhat I would do that right away. I don't ever like seeing nitrates go below 5 at the very low end and I Usually aim for around 15

 

[TL1]

Mine started off using a ridiculous amount. It has decreased tremendously over the few weeks I've had it operational.
It's effectively removing all the crap that you or your socks were not. Once the majority of it is out it should slow down.

The second spike was from where I disturbed the sand bed and changed the roll.

 

[sprungson]

I think I'll stop the nopox for now and I'll turn off the reefmat for a day. See if this will help

 

[hart24601]

The bacteria from carbon dosing like nopox tend to clog filter socks and mats very quickly as they are ideal surfaces for growing on. The water doesn’t need to be cloudy for this to happen, it’s just part of carbon dosing ime

 

[sprungson]

Mine started off using a ridiculous amount. It has decreased tremendously over the few weeks I've had it operational.
It's effectively removing all the crap that you or your socks were not. Once the majority of it is out it should slow down.

The second spike was from where I disturbed the sand bed and changed the roll.

That's so crazy. Did you go through an entire roll within a week?

 

[TL1]

That's so crazy. Did you go through an entire roll within a week?

I think it was on the edge of 2 weeks, right where the low point before the second spike is. It will be interesting to continue logging.

For what it is worth, I was running no filter socks prior to installation.

 

[MichaelReefer]

It always uses more in the beginning because its cleaning and clogging fast... My clarisea used a ton in the beginning, now I go like two months a roll

 

[sprungson]

Not sure exactly whats going on but you are diving into dangerous territory with nitrates dropping like that. Its obviously removing a ton of stuff but with a new tank and low nitrates phosphates your cooking up a dino bloom.

Not super familiar with the reef Matt but if there is a way to bypass it somewhat I would do that right away. I don't ever like seeing nitrates go below 5 at the very low end and I Usually aim for around 15

Btw, I always thought that dinos need nitrates and phosphates to grow, hence why it appears to bloom in low nitrate and pho (because they're consuming it all). What's missing in these new system is a good microfauna with beneficial macro bacteria. In my case, i transfered a tank with 10 fish (including a few tangs) and heavy feeding. Its likely the reduction in nitrates is because macro bacteria is consuming it. Macro bacteria outcompetes dino or cyano. I don't see any indication of dino so far.

 

[sprungson]

I think it was on the edge of 2 weeks, right where the low point before the second spike is. It will be interesting to continue logging.

For what it is worth, I was running no filter socks prior to installation.

It always uses more in the beginning because its cleaning and clogging fast... My clarisea used a ton in the beginning, now I go like two months a roll

Thank you!

 

[sprungson]

I think I'll turn off the mat for a day, skim out as much as I can, reduce nopox dosing by half, and then turn on the mat back tomorrow. I better go buy some extra rolls anticipating higher usage in beginning

 

[Betex]

Yeah the beginning on most of the fleece rollers plow through it for the first 1-2 rolls then goes to normal usage. My Trigger sumps took about 2-3 rolls and now 1 roll lasts me 2-3mo+

 

[sprungson]

Back to normal.

 

[arafas]

Mine on 750xxl started with using about 50 inches down to average of 44inches. How much advancement you have it set to? mine is set to 0.6-0.8 inches

 

[arafas]

 

[sprungson]

It was due to

Mine on 750xxl started with using about 50 inches down to average of 44inches. How much advancement you have it set to? mine is set to 0.6-0.8 inches

It was due to an algae bloom. 90 inches a day for 3 days, then went back to 30 inches. Now it's about 12 inches a day

 

[arafas]

It was due to

It was due to an algae bloom. 90 inches a day for 3 days, then went back to 30 inches. Now it's about 12 inches a day

How 12 inches that's crazy. Mine still abiut 45 after 3 weeks.

 

[Sean Clark]

If only socks were a thing.

 

[gbroadbridge]

If only socks were a thing.

One 17um roll lasts me 5 months running an X-Filter.
Not sure what goes on with these ReefMats.

 

[Sean Clark]

One 17um roll lasts me 5 months running an X-Filter.
Not sure what goes on with these ReefMats.

The lifespan of any filter media is subjective to its environment. "Dirty" water means shorter life; irregardless of the media.