Help me redesign my filtration system on my DIY frag system!

[LRT]

Right now I dont really have one. Just a couple of 64 gallon reservoirs filled with 300 lbs of gulf live rock with tons of clams and assorted filter feeders accompanied by a Magus 5 protien Skimmer.
5 fish total on my system. 2 clowns, Copperband. Fiji puffer and watchman blenny.
15 hermits or so and about 7 mexican turbos and handful of miscellaneous other hermits and snails.
It's all been working fine until a recent failure after a nitrate overdose and full system water change.
I'd like to have something in place for bioload and the unforeseen in the future.
It would be easy to do a DIY wet dry bio ball on my overflow. And that's kinda what I'm leaning towards but want 2nd,3rd and 4th opinions please.

What would you do?
Id like stick to DIY and fine tune my current system so give me some ideas please.

I'll need to get a better picture tomorrow with light on cause alot has changed up top since I took this one.
Bottom is pretty much as shown.
Thanks in advance all!

 

[TriggerFinger]

Hey @LRT !
Do you not think 300 lbs of live rock is sufficient to control that bio load?

 

[LRT]

Hey @LRT !
Do you not think 300 lbs of live rock is sufficient to control that bio load?

Not currently after I recently had to change 100% of my water out after Nitrate overdose.
Everything was all good until i screwed up.
Looking to put something in place for future screw ups!

Do you think what i have is sufficient for what I need?

 

[TriggerFinger]

Absolutely! Unless you plan on feeding dolphins and whales in there!! I would absolutely pick ocean live rock over any other type of bio media. I don’t think your large water change hurt your bio filter either.

 

[LRT]

Absolutely! Unless you plan on feeding dolphins and whales in there!! I would absolutely pick ocean live rock over any other type of bio media. I don’t think your large water change hurt your bio filter either.

But it did. Fairly new system only 6 months old. Everything was perfectly fine. Then overdose and massive water change and water went cloudy. Was able to fix it by adding fritz 9 in an emergency.
Will say all things correct this has been perfect.
I'm looking for preventative maintenance here if your following.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Are you thinking that the bio balls would have prevented the bacteria bloom? I’m thinking you had an excess of bacteria and nothing for it to consume. Trying to figure out where you’re coming from, not being smart...I might be on the wrong train of thought.

 

[TriggerFinger]

And if you’re dosing nitrates to keep nitrates in your system, wouldn’t another type of bio media make it harder to keep nitrates?

 

[LRT]

Are you thinking that the bio balls would have prevented the bacteria bloom? I’m thinking you had an excess of bacteria and nothing for it to consume. Trying to figure out where you’re coming from, not being smart...I might be on the wrong train of thought.

Lol understood. I'll be honest I'm not even really sure if I'm on the right train of thought here or not. I do appreciate and respect your input it is greatly appreciated.
Not 100% sure how everything works together either.
Please explain to me how my biological system actually works here in consideration of my screw up and what actually went wrong!
I dont want to screw anything else up and am totally clueless when it comes to chemistry and biology in my reef.

 

[LRT]

And if you’re dosing nitrates to keep nitrates in your system, wouldn’t another type of bio media make it harder to keep nitrates?

Idk honestly

 

[TriggerFinger]

Let me find some stuff...

 

[LRT]

Let me find some stuff...

My brain works best with how to do things for dummy's regarding anything math or chemistry or biology related.
I need simple ABC with this is how it works on the whole for my brain to grasp it.
Lol and thanks for all your help.
You write that book you will be a millionaire if you already arent.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Cycling an Aquarium

Cycling a new aquarium. One of the earliest topics a new aquarium hobbyist needs to learn is how to properly cycle their aquarium. There is a ton of information on this process and many different methods on how to accomplish it. There are many different chemical and biological cycles our tank...

www.reef2reef.com

This thread has more detailed information.

The Complete Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle can be broken down into two parts: mineralization and oxidation. Learn more about the process in this Fritz Aquatics guide.

fritzaquatics.com

here’s a more in depth explanation; it’s not the for dummies version, I had to google quite a few words to understand it. It’s worth reading and needs to be understood to be successful at this. There’s still parts I don’t completely understand either. I have trouble with phosphate; phosphorus; ulr readers and ppm and ppb and oh...it confuses me

Basically...your live rock is already populated with the more desirable/beneficial types of bacteria since it was harvested from the ocean. The bacteria feeds off of the ammonia created by your fish and clean up crew and any uneaten food that breaks down. Dead snails, hermits, fish etc create ammonia. Ammonia is converted to nitrite, which is then converted to nitrate. Some nitrates are consumed by your coral and some are converted (by another type of bacteria within your live rock) to nitrogen gas, which leaves the aquarium.

Your tank is so sufficient at processing nitrates that you are having to dose them. I don’t think you need additional media to help with your bioload, everything is already being processed at a very fast rate. The nitrate overdose and subsequent 100% water change threw your tank out of whack for a bit but your bio filter is not gone. The cloudy water would have happened regardless...it was a result of the mishap, not because you killed your biofilter. Another thing, your skimmer is pulling out funky stuff which is cleaning your water too..so I really think you’re good. Maybe turn the skimmer on part time and try to keep nitrates in so you don’t have to dose?

wow that was long...was supposed to be a “in a nut shell” type of reply.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Also..screw ups happen. It’s how we learn. Some lessons are harder than others. Happy reefing!!

 

[LRT]