Starting my cycle, few questions.

[kevyg]

I just don't know the ratio of what is a good amount of cheato to how many gallons of water and livestock to actually make an impact that a person would find it not working, sub par, or the greatest thing since sliced bread. I think you might find it in the sub par area, but it is one of those things you never know till you try it kind of things. Maybe there is something online for the sum of cheato to water/livestock ratio.
Otherwise I would say just do filter floss(pillow stuffing roll not sprayed down with chemicals that you can find at a Michaels craft store. Cut to size and placed in that first chamber. Replace every 3 days if you have GHA(green hair algae). Bag of Purigen in the second chamber. Bag(s) of MP spheres at the bottom. That way the only thing you have to replace is the floss when gunked up and Purigen every 6 months or when exhausted.

When you say first chamber, are you talking about that first picture of the overflow area? Or the first layer in the three layer rack in the main chamber?

Ill wait on implementing the Chaeto depending on my tanks stability and parameters later down the road. If I'm not seeing any issues, then I see nothing wrong with keeping it as simple as possible and removing an un-simple task. I've always loved using the KISS method whenever applicable [emoji6] [emoji106]

 

[40B Knasty]

When you say first chamber, are you talking about that first picture of the overflow area? Or the first layer in the three layer rack in the main chamber?

Ill wait on implementing the Chaeto depending on my tanks stability and parameters later down the road. If I'm not seeing any issues, then I see nothing wrong with keeping it as simple as possible and removing an un-simple task. I've always loved using the KISS method whenever applicable [emoji6] [emoji106]

All about this K.I.S.S. method.

 

[kevyg]

All about this K.I.S.S. method.

Perfect, thanks again!

 

[40B Knasty]

Perfect, thanks again!

If the cheato is not keeping phosphates under control and GHA starts to bloom. You can always make a small bag of phosguard and stick that in the chamber your Purigen is in. Just don't put a big ole bag of it in the size of a softball. Golf ball size the most. It does not take much. Stay away from GFO/ Chemipure Elite. That crap melted 2 of my favorite corals.

 

[kevyg]

If the cheato is not keeping phosphates under control and GHA starts to bloom. You can always make a small bag of phosguard and stick that in the chamber your Purigen is in. Just don't put a big ole bag of it in the size of a softball. Golf ball size the most. It does not take much. Stay away from GFO/ Chemipure Elite. That crap melted 2 of my favorite corals.

I'm glad you mentioned something about that, I was looking into having some chemi pure elite with my setup. Glad I didnt. I'll have chemi pure blue though.

 

[40B Knasty]

I'm glad you mentioned something about that, I was looking into having some chemi pure elite with my setup. Glad I didnt. I'll have chemi pure blue though.

Well here is the thing with a mixed bag of goodies. Some materials may get exhausted faster than others. I look at it like this. A carbon reactor has about 10x the amount as a bag. It needs to be replaced every 2-3 weeks because it is exhausted. With 10x less. Think about how much faster a bag gets exhausted. Also it adds up fast with money. I only put a bag of carbon in 3 times in the past 2 years and I leave it in for 4 days to a week the most. Most LFS never use carbon. If they do. It is probably like once or twice a year. So one bag quarterly per year just to clean the water to make you feel better. Sure do it, but I would stay away from carbon. I use carbon to strip a medication like Prazipro, Medic, metroplex, or kanaplex out.

 

[kevyg]

Well here is the thing with a mixed bag of goodies. Some materials may get exhausted faster than others. I look at it like this. A carbon reactor has about 10x the amount as a bag. It needs to be replaced every 2-3 weeks because it is exhausted. With 10x less. Think about how much faster a bag gets exhausted. Also it adds up fast with money. I only put a bag of carbon in 3 times in the past 2 years and I leave it in for 4 days to a week the most. Most LFS never use carbon. If they do. It is probably like once or twice a year. So one bag quarterly per year just to clean the water to make you feel better. Sure do it, but I would stay away from carbon. I use carbon to strip a medication like Prazipro, Medic, metroplex, or kanaplex out.

So it is basically something to use rarely to give the water column a deep cleanse, but otherwise everything else is doing the day to day cleaning?

I had no idea carbon exhausted that quickly! Learn something every day.

 

[40B Knasty]

So it is basically something to use rarely to give the water column a deep cleanse, but otherwise everything else is doing the day to day cleaning?

I had no idea carbon exhausted that quickly! Learn something every day.

Yeah the porosity of carbon in one cubic inch surface area is like the equivalence of a football field. It traps a ton. Just when it has trapped/exhausted it's use. The water flows right over it like it is not even there anymore.

 

[40B Knasty]

If you want to learn a ton of things specific to a question. Watch BRStv on YouTube. They teach you EVERYTHING. Tidal Gardens is great also. Coralfish12g is another one.

 

[40B Knasty]

@kevyg. There is also a video on which is the best carbon to use.

 

[kevyg]

If you want to learn a ton of things specific to a question. Watch BRStv on YouTube. They teach you EVERYTHING. Tidal Gardens is great also. Coralfish12g is another one.

I've been watching the 52 week series and love it. I buy everything from those guys simply because they have helped so much with their video series.

But I haven't stumbled on those others, thanks!

 

[40B Knasty]

I've been watching the 52 week series and love it. I buy everything from those guys simply because they have helped so much with their video series.

But I haven't stumbled on those others, thanks!

No problem at all man. That video pretty much explained carbon use. Every tank is different. So use it when YOU need it. The part about PAR got me thinking to use it more often. Can't believe how in 24hrs the difference it makes. I have 2 bags laying around. Think I might throw one in when I do a water change later.