Wet/Dry advice needed

How D,

I have a 75 gal. With about 50+lbs live rock, Plenum, and about 75lbs of
live sand. I have a Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer and a wet/dry filter.
My levels seem to be fine but skunk cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs keep
dying. Snails, soft corrals, and fish are fine. The wet/dry is empty
and it used mostly for aeration and water movement. This tank has been
up for about 7 mos.
My question: should I be adding the "blue balls" to the wet/dry? Or use
something like a true sump or refugium? Will this help with my problem?

forget the blue balls. or any other color

what is your water? copper will kill inverts, many other nasty's are in our
tap water. give us some info and maybe we can offer advice...

Steve

"David" wrote in message
...
How D,

I have a 75 gal. With about 50+lbs live rock, Plenum, and about 75lbs of
live sand. I have a Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer and a wet/dry filter.
My levels seem to be fine but skunk cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs keep
dying. Snails, soft corrals, and fish are fine. The wet/dry is empty
and it used mostly for aeration and water movement. This tank has been
up for about 7 mos.
My question: should I be adding the "blue balls" to the wet/dry? Or use
something like a true sump or refugium? Will this help with my problem?

Steve Sells wrote:
forget the blue balls. or any other color

what is your water? copper will kill inverts, many other nasty's are in our
tap water. give us some info and maybe we can offer advice...

Steve

"David" wrote in message
...

How D,

I have a 75 gal. With about 50+lbs live rock, Plenum, and about 75lbs of
live sand. I have a Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer and a wet/dry filter.
My levels seem to be fine but skunk cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs keep
dying. Snails, soft corrals, and fish are fine. The wet/dry is empty
and it used mostly for aeration and water movement. This tank has been
up for about 7 mos.
My question: should I be adding the "blue balls" to the wet/dry? Or use
something like a true sump or refugium? Will this help with my problem?



I had the water (from the tank) tested for copper and that ain't it.

David,

Before the folks in this group will try to help you, you need to show that
you have the initiative to care for a tank. If you are experiencing a
dye-off, then everyone would assume that you have done a round of water
tests. They want the readings. What's the temp, specific G, where does your
top-off water come from.. etc... No one will reply to "My water is good..."

CW
"David" wrote in message
...
Steve Sells wrote:
forget the blue balls. or any other color

what is your water? copper will kill inverts, many other nasty's are in
our
tap water. give us some info and maybe we can offer advice...

Steve

"David" wrote in message
...

How D,

I have a 75 gal. With about 50+lbs live rock, Plenum, and about 75lbs of
live sand. I have a Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer and a wet/dry filter.
My levels seem to be fine but skunk cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs keep
dying. Snails, soft corrals, and fish are fine. The wet/dry is empty
and it used mostly for aeration and water movement. This tank has been
up for about 7 mos.
My question: should I be adding the "blue balls" to the wet/dry? Or use
something like a true sump or refugium? Will this help with my problem?



I had the water (from the tank) tested for copper and that ain't it.

Example of my last test, measured after I topped off with 1 liter R.O. to
the "full mark" on the tank

Size 55 gal plus about 10 gal in sump 3 inch DSB. 7- pounds rock. 4 JBJ 55W
( 2-10kk, 2-actinic) with 1 Sailfin tang... misc. critters are doing well,
No outbreaks of illness, or weird algae's, blah... blah...

Salinity 1.024
Temp 79 F (varies from 78F to 82F with room temp and lights being on/off)
pH 8.3 ( stable within 0.1 for over 5 years)
Amm. 0.0
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate less than 0.03
Phos, 0.1
Copper 0.0

This listing will tell you this an established tank, and not only that I
THINK its ok, but you have the data to show what is going on.

Steve




Before the folks in this group will try to help you, you need to show that
you have the initiative to care for a tank. If you are experiencing a
dye-off, then everyone would assume that you have done a round of water
tests. They want the readings. What's the temp, specific G, where does
your
top-off water come from.. etc... No one will reply to "My water is
good..."

7- should have read 75 pounds..

Steve

"David" wrote in message
...

| My question: should I be adding the "blue balls" to the wet/dry? Or
use
| something like a true sump or refugium? Will this help with my
problem?

I've learned that true w\d filters are a no-no in marine tanks...the
nitrates they kick out are poisonous to the fish, which are much more
sensitive to nitrates than fw fish.

Actually, fish tolerate high nitrates, but invertebrates won't.

Marc


Dinky wrote:

I've learned that true w\d filters are a no-no in marine tanks...the
nitrates they kick out are poisonous to the fish, which are much more
sensitive to nitrates than fw fish.

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

Actually, fish tolerate high nitrates, but invertebrates won't.

to add to that SW fish will tolerate much higher levels than most any FW fish

--
Richard Reynolds

"Richard Reynolds" wrote in message
news:BqCqc.26645$Md.17533@lakeread05...

|
| to add to that SW fish will tolerate much higher levels than most
any FW fish
|


That's contrary to what I've learned. Dammit back to the research
pages....