When you know you should but...

[Robb1414]

So, I know it is time to clean my filters (I run 2, Eheims for my 75 gallon tank) and replace the pads - but my tank has been perfect the last six weeks. Anybody else ever know they should do something, but are afraid to mess with your tank?! LOL!

 

[Peach02]

I know I should replace my filter sock since it has a hole in it and I havnt cleaned it in a while

 

[DanInMichigan]

I can't even decide whether to use a filter sock or not. Under advice here I pulled it to encourage growth of my soft corals (It actually seems to be working) but then the water gets less clear and I put it back. Back and fourth - sock on, sock off.

 

[Peach02]

I can't even decide whether to use a filter sock or not. Under advice here I pulled it to encourage growth of my soft corals (It actually seems to be working) but then the water gets less clear and I put it back. Back and fourth - sock on, sock off.

So your seeing better growth from soft corals after removing your filter sock entirely?

 

[DanInMichigan]

I know I should:
- do more water changes.
- glue my rocks and frags rather than just stack them and hope they don't get knocked over 'this time'.
- buy a test kit for X rather than dosing because it seems like I should

 

[DanInMichigan]

So your seeing better growth from soft corals after removing your filter sock entirely?

yes. I believe so. I definitely was suffering from the common newish-aquarium issue of low nutrients. diatoms (and at one point cyano) were the prevalent rock growth. softies lagged. refugium didn't flourish at all and most of my macros in it died back. everything was somewhat blah.
I pulled the sock, but kept the skimmer going. I have seen my Nitrates rise a bit and the zoa's in particular are more extended now. polyps look good. my toadstool is showing his green more. Diatoms and cyan has been largely replaced by proper green algae dusting. refugium macros are actually growing now. Nothing is overgrowing. so I'd say its working. Could be anticdotal though. Definitely not a scientific test.
The drawback is that the water clarity suffers. So I put the sock back on for a few days. and that fixes it. I should come up with something more consistent though. maybe a higher micron sock?

 

[jace]

If it ain't broke don't fix it although I think ultimately that doesn't always apply in reefining

 

[Peach02]

yes. I believe so. I definitely was suffering from the common newish-aquarium issue of low nutrients. diatoms (and at one point cyano) were the prevalent rock growth. softies lagged. refugium didn't flourish at all and most of my macros in it died back. everything was somewhat blah.
I pulled the sock, but kept the skimmer going. I have seen my Nitrates rise a bit and the zoa's in particular are more extended now. polyps look good. my toadstool is showing his green more. Diatoms and cyan has been largely replaced by proper green algae dusting. refugium macros are actually growing now. Nothing is overgrowing. so I'd say its working. Could be anticdotal though. Definitely not a scientific test.
The drawback is that the water clarity suffers. So I put the sock back on for a few days. and that fixes it. I should come up with something more consistent though. maybe a higher micron sock?

Ok cool I'll try it, have you tried running carbon?

 

[Brew12]

So, I know it is time to clean my filters (I run 2, Eheims for my 75 gallon tank) and replace the pads - but my tank has been perfect the last six weeks. Anybody else ever know they should do something, but are afraid to mess with your tank?! LOL!

I look at it as needing to continue whatever pattern of maintenance has worked to get my tank looking good. If doing water changes every 2 weeks helped fix a problem I wouldnt look at my tank and be afraid to do another water change. I would be afraid to NOT do the next water change.

 

[ZoWhat]

I know I should replace my filter sock since it has a hole in it and I havnt cleaned it in a while

@Peach02

I have a few socks with a single hole the size of my pinky finger....YET the sock still filters out a bunch of debris. It still.overflows when the debris is maxed out. I dont worry about the holes

 

[stanleo]

I look at it as needing to continue whatever pattern of maintenance has worked to get my tank looking good. If doing water changes every 2 weeks helped fix a problem I wouldnt look at my tank and be afraid to do another water change. I would be afraid to NOT do the next water change.

Total agreement on that statement. My nutrient levels stay the same so I have thought about cutting back my water changes but everything is doing so well I think I will screw up everything up if I go to every three weeks instead of every two. And problems seem to arise in this hobby faster than you can fix them.