Hurrah! Hurrah!

Today is the first time I checked the nitrates and they were lower than the
day before with no water change!!!!

The only thing I've done so far is remove the bio balls and I put about 12
lbs more life rock in my small tank. 2 lbs went into the false back sump in
place of the Bio Balls.

And Wally, you'll be surprised. It was on recommendation from the LFS.

Whew,

Jim

--
"I like this opera crowd. It makes me feel tough".

On Nov 8, 2:34 pm, "jthread" wrote:
Today is the first time I checked the nitrates and they were lower than the
day before with no water change!!!!

The only thing I've done so far is remove the bio balls and I put about 12
lbs more life rock in my small tank. 2 lbs went into the false back sump in
place of the Bio Balls.

And Wally, you'll be surprised. It was on recommendation from the LFS.

Whew,

Jim

--
"I like this opera crowd. It makes me feel tough".

Jim,
Congrats...out of curiosity why were you using bio balls previously?
I'm new to the hobby, but was under the impression those were a no-no
for a reef tank.

Mitch

"Big Habeeb" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Nov 8, 2:34 pm, "jthread" wrote:
Today is the first time I checked the nitrates and they were lower than
the
day before with no water change!!!!

The only thing I've done so far is remove the bio balls and I put about
12
lbs more life rock in my small tank. 2 lbs went into the false back sump
in
place of the Bio Balls.

And Wally, you'll be surprised. It was on recommendation from the LFS.

Whew,

Jim

--
"I like this opera crowd. It makes me feel tough".

Jim,
Congrats...out of curiosity why were you using bio balls previously?
I'm new to the hobby, but was under the impression those were a no-no
for a reef tank.

Mitch

Thanks,

They are. I didn't know. I'm a nubee and I don't remember if the LFS told us
to remove them. Probably not. They can be hit and miss with advice depending
on who helps us.

I'm stoked!

Jim

On Nov 8, 3:50 pm, "jthread" wrote:
"Big Habeeb" wrote in message

ups.com...



On Nov 8, 2:34 pm, "jthread" wrote:
Today is the first time I checked the nitrates and they were lower than
the
day before with no water change!!!!

The only thing I've done so far is remove the bio balls and I put about
12
lbs more life rock in my small tank. 2 lbs went into the false back sump
in
place of the Bio Balls.

And Wally, you'll be surprised. It was on recommendation from the LFS.

Whew,

Jim

--
"I like this opera crowd. It makes me feel tough".

Jim,
Congrats...out of curiosity why were you using bio balls previously?
I'm new to the hobby, but was under the impression those were a no-no
for a reef tank.

Mitch

Thanks,

They are. I didn't know. I'm a nubee and I don't remember if the LFS told us
to remove them. Probably not. They can be hit and miss with advice depending
on who helps us.

I'm stoked!

Jim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Jim,

I hear ya...my nitrate cycle was actually very slight...nitrate and
the like registered, but it wasn't the extreme 'spike' I was expecting
from my experience in previous times with freshwater/fish sal****er
type tanks.

The biggest issue I've really encountered so far, aside from a
bristleworm scaring the bejesus out of me, was an extreme outbreak of
green algae. Now that the phosphates are under control though, it
looks like that is starting to clear up.

Good luck!
Mitch

"jthread" wrote in message
...
Today is the first time I checked the nitrates and they were lower than
the day before with no water change!!!!

The only thing I've done so far is remove the bio balls and I put about 12
lbs more life rock in my small tank. 2 lbs went into the false back sump
in place of the Bio Balls.

And Wally, you'll be surprised. It was on recommendation from the LFS.

Whew,

Jim

--
"I like this opera crowd. It makes me feel tough".


I don't mean to diminish the help I've received here from you guys. You're
giving me the right questions to ask.

Thanks.

bio balls are a big no no but some newer reef owners don't realize the LR
will act as bio media. I had them in mine for years and had a hard time
keeping the Nitrates under control. As soon as I removed them, the highest
I've ever had the nitrates was 14 ppm. I usually hover between 5 - 10 ppm

"Peter Pan" wrote in message
. ..
bio balls are a big no no but some newer reef owners don't realize the LR
will act as bio media. I had them in mine for years and had a hard time
keeping the Nitrates under control. As soon as I removed them, the highest
I've ever had the nitrates was 14 ppm. I usually hover between 5 - 10 ppm

Yup:

I'm loading up on LR big time. It's pricey ($5/lbs), but if it keeps me from
buying salt at $72 a bucket, it's worth it. My phosphates have always been
low. Nitrates were always the problem.
--
Jim

What was the best thing before sliced bread?