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View Full Version : Removing bio media from canister filter


ACBlinky
09/05/2006, 07:44 PM
My 65g is BB, and I'm having trouble keeping nitrates under control. I guess I've been in denial, but I'm finally ready to accept that my bio media (1/2 ceramic rings, 1/2 Seachem Matrix, which is supposed to reduce nitrates) is the cause of the problem.

I have a little HOB fuge (modded AquaClear 70) full of Chaeto, but it's not enough to keep up with the nitrates. I tested phosphates tonight, expecting to see that they were also an issue, but PO4 is absolutely undetectable.

Levels:
Ca 425ppm
alk 8dKH
Mg 1200
pH 8.3
NH3 0
NO2 0-0.1 (very slight colour)
NO3 ~15ppm (looks between 10ppm and 20ppm)
PO4 0

Corals look fine, and there's no nusiance algae at all, but NO3 has been steadily creeping up despite regular 15-20% water changes (all parameters match) and wet skimming (Remora).

I'm not sure how to go about removing or replacing the media. I could leave the Matrix and just remove the rings, remove both and leave the filter empty, or fill the canister with some small live rock pieces. If I replace it with live rock, is it safe to remove all the rings/Matrix at the same time?

I have 100lbs of LR in the tank, but it's supporting a fairly heavy bioload of 10 small fish (CB, flame, white tail pygmy angel, ocellaris, Lubbock's fairy wrasse, Talbot's damsel, neon dottyback, South Seas damsel, yellow clown goby and a pixy hawk). I don't want to cause a spike, but I also don't want to leave this stuff in the filter because levels are rising fast -- I've been rinsing it weekly in SW to remove any detritus, but over the past week NO3 has gone up from 5 to 15ppm.

Thanks :)

sir_dudeguy
09/05/2006, 07:58 PM
what filter is this stuff in? I had the same problems with my fluval filter untill i took out the media (same as yours). Now theres no nitrates, when 20 was the lowest i could get it to before removing.

what i did was just take out 1 basket of media every SECOND waterchange...that way the bacteria had time to recover on the live rock, and i saw no changes in levels when i did this. Theres 3 baskets on it, so it was all gone in 4 weeks.

And my levels SHOT up while i had the stuff too...they were at like 20, and then 100 2 days later lol...not good.

dcombs44
09/05/2006, 08:38 PM
remove the media slowly. A little each day, or a little with each change

affan
09/05/2006, 08:40 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8085490#post8085490 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
I'm not sure how to go about removing or replacing the media. I could leave the Matrix and just remove the rings, remove both and leave the filter empty, or fill the canister with some small live rock pieces. If I replace it with live rock, is it safe to remove all the rings/Matrix at the same time?

Do the live rock but gradually. Begin by removing the ceramic rings slowly and replacing them with live rock rubble. Depending on the brand/ model of your canister (how many baskets, space etc) you can run several different things simultaneously or one at a time when the need arises, such as phosban, carbon etc.

sir_dudeguy
09/05/2006, 08:57 PM
oh ya i missed the part about the rubble...imo thats a good idea. I agree w/affan. Whenever you remove some of the media, just put rock rubble in there instead.

ACBlinky
09/05/2006, 09:03 PM
Thanks for the suggestions guys :)

@sir_dudeguy - it's a FilStar XP2. There are two media baskets, each divided in two.

Because I don't want to see the levels shoot up, I decided to start the process tonight. I had some cured rubble lying around (I use it to frag Xenia) and decided to remove the ceramic rings and the sponge (forgot that was in there, BIG detritus trap). I left the Matrix media in, replaced the carbon and I'll watch the levels carefully. I plan to remove the Matrix (unless levels go down) in a week but I'll leave it in place for a while if there's any spiking. I have 20g of SW mixed and ready, so I may do an extra water change tomorrow just to keep things in check.

nathan_unsane
09/05/2006, 09:05 PM
if this filter isn't exposed to any light, would the live rock still be able to filter the the bio-load...

it makes sense that the live rock would be a good replacment but will it work never being exposed to light??

ACBlinky
09/05/2006, 09:14 PM
Bacteria don't care if it's light or dark ;)

nathan_unsane
09/05/2006, 09:18 PM
well then i guess i'm doing the same thing!!!

screw buying filter media when it doesn't work anyway... Ive had nitrate spikes up to 40, with only 3 fish i couldn't understand why they were so high...

in these rooms is where i hear they actually cuase nitrates...

keep it posted on how your results were and good luck...

sir_dudeguy
09/05/2006, 11:06 PM
lol mine were up to 100 :) feel lucky lol.

and ya, rock doesnt need light. That is a VERY common missunderstanding.

But you cant, however, count on just the little bit of live rock in your canister to do all the filtration like the ceramic stuff would in a fish only tank. I'm thinking that the ceramic noodles are just really good about getting lots of bacteria on them, but they're just the same as bioballs when it comes to nitrates imo.