IF YOU INTEND A REEF---REMOVE these things:

[kevin32]

How come messing with the sandbed is bad? I thought people said you're suppose to siphon out the sandbed for any debris?


I'm confuse..

[DeathMagnetic]

Jerseygurl.. where do u work?

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[zigzag1]

Originally Posted by kevin32

How come messing with the sandbed is bad? I thought people said you're suppose to siphon out the sandbed for any debris?


I'm confuse..

And, why do sand beds, especially those not considered multi zone anaerobic DSBs become the exception to the 'nutrient sink' 'nitrate factory' concept. Seems anything that dangerous "if stirred/disturbed" and requires the tank keeper to maintain this or that snail, is a bit risky for a newbie as well. But hey I'm an old school bare bottom guy, so I may be a bit biased..

[reef4life07]

I love my super skimmer....

[Outlets710]

[QUOTE=Sk8r;20222420]1. bioballs ---gradually, if you've begun to use them! 3 every 2 days until gone. NEVER make a sudden change in filtration: always do it gradually!
2. sponges---nitrate factories, and corals don't like nitrate. Even a sponge that's a prefilter for a pump can cause trouble. Making a little cage of eggcrate and fishing line; or plastic needlepoint canvas; or any thing similar---something that won't start a culture in its pores.
3. filter medium---same as 2. ALWAYS, if you're going to remove something, remove it gradually, piece at a time, if you have to cut it with scissors.

This is what I am working with , what do you reccomend I use for mechanical filtration to catch debri? BTW, I cant begin to tell you how much I have learned from reading your posts, why didnt I come to this forum first, Thanks a ton.

[AZBigJohn]

I know this thread hasn't been active lately, but it immediately addresses my issue (well, today's issue; I have a LOT of issues)

You recommend taking 3 bio balls out every 3 days; my current sump has a 1' cube full of the things (never counted) and I want to change to a sump with a refugium. (yes, Nitrates have always been higher than I like; now I know why) My current wet/dry sump will not serve that purpose very easily.

If I find (or create) a sump with refugium capability, can I not change over the sumps until my Bio Balls are gone? Can I float them in areas of the new sump and still gradually remove them? Granted, they would be wet, not dry, but would that allow me to move to the refugium sooner? I can easily see removing 3 Bio Balls every 2 days being a 3-4 month process...

Also, the sumps I have been looking at use Bio Balls in the transition baffles to reduce bubbles (and remove sponges). Are they (if clean) okay there?

[sasdrum]

So....No sponges in the tank? I'm setting up a 10 gallon tank and I have an old Tetra Whisper Filter. It was previously suggested to me to not use my disposable cartridges since I would be loosing my bacteria and to fit it with a sponge. So I did that. I'm working on my refugium, but it's not done yet (getting my mini pump soon) and my tank only has one piece of live rock and a crushed coral substrate in it. I'm getting more rock and then going to cycle before adding anything visibly live. I don't know if I want coral or not. It's not on my starting list. Does this sponge thing apply only to coral tanks? I'm looking at having fish and inverts right now. I have no objection to maintenance. I'm used to it, but if I use the sponge, I would love to know how often I should clean it.

[bebangs]

>>Messing with a sandbed is a way to crash a tank.

they do?