LifeReef Sump Question

[chiefifd]

Hi All on a Sunday.....
I have a LifeReef Sump Question, I have the LifeReef Berlin CLF2 Sump 30”x14”x14” running the LifeReef SVS2-24 Skimmer inside.
I'm looking for some help with the sump & nitrates. I'm using the sponge that comes with the LifeReef sump & try to rinse it out when doing water changes about every 10 days in tank waste water.

After picking up the Hanna Hi-Nitrate Checker, my nitrates are running around 40ppm. Using another nitrate test kit (color guessing) I thought the nitrates were running between 5ppm & 10ppm. Thought everything was just fine, I was actually dripping nitrates into my tank to get them around 5ppm.

Should I keep or dump the sump sponge? No filter socks are being used, as they're not compatible with the sump design & where I have the sump located.

Looking for LifeReef Sump Owners that have had success with alternatives to using the sponge to filter out larger junk in the tank. Or simply leaving the sponge or other similar filter media completely out.

Thanks for looking..........

 

[MnFish1]

Hi All on a Sunday.....
I have a LifeReef Sump Question, I have the LifeReef Berlin CLF2 Sump 30”x14”x14” running the LifeReef SVS2-24 Skimmer inside.
I'm looking for some help with the sump & nitrates. I'm using the sponge that comes with the LifeReef sump & try to rinse it out when doing water changes about every 10 days in tank waste water.

After picking up the Hanna Hi-Nitrate Checker, my nitrates are running around 40ppm. Using another nitrate test kit (color guessing) I thought the nitrates were running between 5ppm & 10ppm. Thought everything was just fine, I was actually dripping nitrates into my tank to get them around 5ppm.

Should I keep or dump the sump sponge? No filter socks are being used, as they're not compatible with the sump design & where I have the sump located.

Looking for LifeReef Sump Owners that have had success with alternatives to using the sponge to filter out larger junk in the tank. Or simply leaving the sponge or other similar filter media completely out.

Thanks for looking..........

Before you change anything - how do you know which test is correct - the Hanna Checker - or the other test? I would verify the results with a third test. I guess either way I would stop dosing nitrates. The key reason is what you said above 'everything is doing fine'. Seems like you have time to research a bit.

 

[sergifed91]

First I had the same sump. I never chased numbers unless my corals or fish didn't look good. I didn't like the sponge. I went without it.

 

[chiefifd]

Thanks for replying, I took the sponge out of the LifeReef sump a month or so ago. No issues yet from removing it...
My Duncan corals were not looking their best when my nitrates were around 40ppm. Nitrates are now around 12ppm to 14ppm and the Duncans are looking much better...I'm happy I bought the Hanna 782 Hi Range checker, it helped me figure out just where my nitrates were in the tank...