Water Changes

[southeastfishaddict]

Good evening all, my tank specifications are below:

Total System Water Volume: 164 Gallons
Display Tank Water Volume: 132 Gallons
Dimensions: 59.1“L x 25.6“W x 23.6“H

I have about 25 Fish. A few tangs and angel
Fish. My nitrates are at about 50, due to the bioload/feeding. I’m currently dosing Red Sea’s nitrate removal and I have some chemi pure elite in the sump. What would you suggest I do to remove nitrates/phosphates consistently, to get them down to 10? I’m currently doing a 10 gallon water change every other day. The majority of my corals are LPS, they seem to be doing well and the fish seem extremely happy. My wife and I feed lots of nori and only frozen food.

Thank you in advance for your help, guidance and consideration..

 

[southeastfishaddict]

More than likely I will stop being a supporting member on this forum… the advice I’m getting on here is becoming more and more discouraging.

 

[paragrouper]

Have you considered a refugium?

 

[Fish Fan]

Are you running a skimmer, refugium, or both?

 

[Fish Fan]

I'm sorry about that second reply - please ignore content like that. Most of us try our best to be helpful.

 

[vancouverredsea350]

Icecap algae turf scrubber worked really well for me.

 

[southeastfishaddict]

yes, refugium and skimmer ..

 

[BriDroid]

Are you running a skimmer, refugium, or both?

What about some form of carbon dosing?

 

[southeastfishaddict]

Yes, I use an algae scrubber every morning before heading to work and in the evening..

 

[Fish Fan]

What about some form of carbon dosing?

Sure, carbon dosing is another way of nitrate removal. These are all just tools to get your where you want to be.

 

[KJAhp098]

25 fish seems like a very heavy bioload. Also, you’re better off doing a fewer larger water changes than many small water changes.

 

[Fish Fan]

Yes, I use an algae scrubber every morning before heading to work and in the evening..

That poster was referring to a type of filter that runs continuously on your system, and not an algae scrapper that cleans your glass periodically. An algae turf scrubber is basically a filter that has a light and grows algae in it. The algae uses up some of the nutrients in your tank, and then you remove the algae from your system. It's like growing Cheato in your refugium, just a dedicated device to grow the algae.

 

[vancouverredsea350]

That poster was referring to a type of filter that runs continuously on your system, and not an algae scrapper that cleans your glass periodically. An algae turf scrubber is basically a filter that has a light and grows algae in it. The algae uses up some of the nutrients in your tank, and then you remove the algae from your system. It's like growing Cheato in your refugium, just a dedicated device to grow the algae.

Thank you

 

[vetteguy53081]

More than likely I will stop being a supporting member on this forum… the advice I’m getting on here is becoming more and more discouraging.

I recommend daily 2-3 gallon water changes. I do this regularly and run12-15 with nitrates having 38 fish in the tank. With large number of fish, overfeeding can occur and raise nitrate

 

[southeastfishaddict]

25 fish seems like a very heavy bioload. Also, you’re better off doing a fewer larger water changes than many small water changes.

Yes, I agree, it’s a lot of fish. I’m sure there are many folks out there with a similar type of scenario. So you think fewer larger water changes would work better.. how large would you say and how often? Due to my schedule and my setup with the refugien I thought smaller 15 gallon (10%) would work better every few days. I think there is someone on here (vette guy) that does something similar to this and he has a huge bioload, just with a larger tank..

 

[southeastfishaddict]

I recommend daily 2-3 gallon water changes. I do this regularly and run12-15 with nitrates having 38 fish in the tank. With large number of fish, overfeeding can occur and raise nitrate

Thank you Vette guy, I was looking for your response since you have a similar type of setup..

 

[Spare time]

What light do you have on the refugium?

 

[southeastfishaddict]

I don’t have one

 

[SeaDweller]

Do a bunch of 50% water changes to cut the nutrient values in half until you get to 10 ppm and lower PO4.

 

[00W]

More than likely I will stop being a supporting member on this forum… the advice I’m getting on here is becoming more and more discouraging.

Same thing happened to me and I was off of here for a year
Do NOT let stuff like that influence you in any way.
Lots of great, smart and kind people on here to help.