Water management

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Water management

Im pretty sure you can re-use the ammo-chips. You can get them at LFS, heres what they look like. http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?familyID=14218

[RichardChen]

Re: Water management

Thank you for showing me the ammo-chips.  My ammonia check is always zero but Nitrate is around 40-80 ppm.  Do I still need ammo-chips?  What is Nitrate Scavenger Resin?

[Zulaab]

Re: Water management

Your Ammonia is under control, but Nitrates can only be removed if filter enough for the food intake that the fish eat.  This is why adding a second filter with more chemical would help with your Nitrates.

[Mzungu]

Re: Water management

Well, actually, like Geoff said, filters won't remove nitrates. Effectively, they produce them from the bacteria that grows there. Water changes (and plants) are the easiest ways to get rid of nitrates.

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Water management

Ammonia remover will remove more of your "free" ammonia in the aquarium that would normally be processed by bacteria.

I like this media for Ammonia removal

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+3600&pcatid=3600

With less Ammonia, in the tank your Nitrate production will go down.  In order to lower your Nitrate level you can use any of the following media.  I personally use Chempure, but I know many that have had a lot of success with the Fluval and Seachem products.

The Chempure will also help raise your pH some and keep it more stable.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+4177&pcatid=4177

Fluval De-Nitrate Remover

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+15456&pcatid=15456

SeaChem's Purigen

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+4190&pcatid=4190

SeaChem De-Nitrate

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+4180&pcatid=4180

Kent Marine Nitrate Sponge

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+4914&pcatid=4914

Nitrex

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/209019/product.web

What I would do is look at a number of websites and see who has the best price.  Usually Foster and SMith has the best pricing, but Marine Depot does price match.  Heck, you might even give our sponsors a call and they may have a better price with a discount for Fish Box Members.

Do not run the Carbon pad in your 2217, it is not really worth it.

What food are you feeding now?  Aquarian Tropical Flake food is a low polluting, low protein flake food that is a high quality vitiamin fortified food.  The higher the protein content in your food makes the fish produce more Ammonia.

Aquarian Tropical Flakes

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4381&cmpid=03csegb&ref=3312&subref=AA&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=0260382000000

The fish food only has 33% Protein.  Most other flake foods run in the 45% range.

Quoc, screename "eklikewhoa" is the plant expert.  He can give you some advice a lot better than me concerning what platns will take root and work in low light conditions.  I would give him a PM or Mzungu and get advice on plants.

Hope this helps..

Geoff

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Water management

If your not already, I would only feed twice a day.  If your feeding more than that, your definately overfeeding in my opinion.

[Delock]

Re: Water management

I like this one better

SeaChem's Purigen

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+4190&pcatid=4190

[TommyB]

Re: Water management

That is a good looking tank :!:  I think your levels are acceptable. I have a tank almost a twin to yours. You might want ro think about additional filtration.
Mine is an Oceanic 180, I have a wet/dry and a Magnum 350. I think the Mag 350 is hard to beat for the money.

[RichardChen]

Re: Water management

If I want to include Chempure in the 2217 canister, do I put 3 bags (it is 1 bag for 40 gallon) in and replace them after 4-6 months or do I put 1 bag and replace it every month?  Can I add 3 bags in 2217 while keeping rest of the media came with 2217?

I experiment different kind of fish food.  I have Hikari Cichlid gold (40% protein), Hikari dry blood worms (65% protein), TetraCichlid flakes (48% protein), TetraColor sticks (42% protein), and Flakes with Spirulina (45% protein) from the lfs.  I think my fish likes the dry blood worms the most, then Cichlid gold and Spirulina flakes both share the second spot, some don't like Tetra flakes (eat and spit), and some eat and spit Tetra color sticks and some even ignore it.  

I used to feed my fish twice a day but now cut back to once per day.  

The most partial water change I have done is 30%.  I am kind of scared to replace 50% but I am going to try it tomorrow.  I add Amquel, Cycle, and aquarium salt (from Jungle laboratories.)  Is Cycle worth it?  I also notice Jungle aquarium salt is much cheaper than the other brand and it can condition twice among of water per tablespoon.  Can this salt the source of trouble (because it is cheap?)

I am so thankful to join this website.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Water management

I will reply to your pm shortly......it doesn't work too well on my phone....


As for everything else.....


I like purigen ove chem-pure....chem-pure elite over regular chem-pure which is just good carbon.

Add however much carbon that is needed but IME purigen is gonna be cheaper in the long run and it makes the water nice and sparkly.

You can add it to the 2217 or just upgrade your filtration so you don't have to compromise between one another.

I do 50+% water changes and don't have a problem with it.....though I do have my beneficial bacteria split amongst multiple filters. I would stop adding the aquarium salt and the cycle...... the later IMO is almost useless.....

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Water management

I used to use Cycle and never lost a fish. Now its easier and cheaper to buy another filter and keep it running on an existing tank until you need it.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Water management

I have never used cycled since the day I started keeping fish and never lost a fish to cycling......also do very large water changes on my tanks weekly.

[RichardChen]

Re: Water management

EK,
When you say "upgrade your filtration" do you mean get a bigger better canister filter?  I think I need two canisters.  I am thinking about adding another 2217 or a 2260 or a FX5 to my 125 gallon tank.  What do you think?
I had post a thread asking for opinions about 2260 and FX5.

2217 is quiet but the outlet doesn't seems to have enough suction.  I use Emperor 400 before and I saw particles got suck into the outlet tube just like that but not with 2217.  There is the arc shape plastic came with the 2217 which protect the inlet hose from bending when turn at the edge of the tank.  That thing created a bottle neck when water return to the tank.  Any recommendation for me?

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Water management

The regular Chempure is 2 bags per 100 gallons, and 1 per 25 gallons above that.  So you will need three bags. I dont think more than 2 can fit into a 2217 and still pack the 2217 like it comes equiped.  You would have to take media out to do that.

I like chempure, but Purigen is much smaller for the same amount of filtration.  So, you could pack in Purigen for your 125 gallon and still have all your Eheim media in there, and some room to spare.

I have never tried the Chempure Elite.

Like EK said, the Purigen is going to be cheaper in the longrun, because you can clean and re-generate it.  You cannot do that with Chempure without using some really high heat, which most people do not have that means.

I perform bi-weekly 50% or weekly 30% waterchanges, and I know Lotss of people that regularly perform weekly 50% and some that even do 50% twice a week. Twice a week 50% is overkill bigtime in my opinion, but some people do this.

The Cycle and and aquarium salt is not needed for waterchange purpose.  In fact, I will say, that Cycle is about a complete waste of money, and most people would agree with me on that.

If you have concern, on the waterchange where you clean one of your filters, do not perform a deep gravel vaccum only skim the surface of the gravel bed at that time.

Take care,

Geoff

[RichardChen]

Re: Water management

Now I have 2 Eheim 2217 and one Oddysea EX350 running in the 125 gallon tank.  Water looks much better.  Oddysea really traps white particle quickly.

One day after I perform 50% water change my Nitrate is still at 40%.  I bought 3 pack Purigen 100 ml in mesh bags.  I would like to put one pack in each 2217 canister.  If I want to keep all the stuff came with 2217, where is the best spot to put Purigen bag?

When I do water change every 2 weeks, I left the decorate rocks in there so little fish can hide.  How often do I need to remove those rocks in order to vacuume the substrate thoroughly?  Is it possible my Nitrate is high is because fish poo trapped inside the rock work?

Thank you.