When to Change Filter Media (Live Rock/Nitrifying Bacteria balance)

[maevepotter]

Hello,

I recently bought a saltwater tank from someone leaving the hobby. Since it had been running for 18 months it was well established. It's a 29 gallon that started off with 15 gallons of its own water, a foam filter medium, and a bag of carbon. We've had it a month. She'd been running those filters awhile, so we've rinsed them, and now replaced the foam for a new tetra filter and were going to remove the carbon bag. I've also added some of those filter rocks. The tank also came with live rock which we've added to.

So how much do I needed to worry about the tank cycling, given the well established live rock? We do not have a protein skimmer, just a hang on back tetra for the tank size. She had them in a biocube tank which she kept plus sump, so it does not compare to their filtration over last 18 months.

Should I get an additional hang on back? Also I'm seeing nano bowls with no filter, and other people saying that they have year old + filter media that they only rinse once a month and don't replace. Thoughts?

Also I want to run carbon so that when I get corals we don't run the risk of palyotoxin.

How often would you expect to need to clean green algae and waste from the glass? We've had to once or twice a week, which makes me think we need more filtration.

Thanks for your input.

 

[EmdeReef]

If I’m understanding correctly, live rock were not dried for more than 24/48hrs and you’re just replacing filters and you’ve reduced some biofilter by removing the sump?

What’s your livestock situation?

Always good to have ammonia test kit or badge handy to be sure, and while at it I’d keep some Prime or Amquel in case there is a spike.

Skimmers are there to export nutrients not as a biofilter, tanks can be run fine without a skimmer depending on your bioload and what you aim to keep in your tank.

 

[maevepotter]

I have all the test kits and prime and stresszyme.

I have 2 clownfish, a dottyback, a blenny, a damselfish, a snail, and about 10 crabs.

The live rock has always been in water. The only thing we did not get to take was the sand because she was having trouble getting it out.

The ph has been persistently low, (now I think because of air quality in our small house with gas stove). So we were dosing with buffer, then stopped and read more and figured that out about the high co2 in the air lowering ph, but now the alkalinity is very high due to the buffer.

Thanks...

 

[maevepotter]

How often would you add prime or stresszyme during a spike?