converting UG to DSB?

hello all. when i started reefkeeping a couple years back, i made the
mistake of listening to my LFS's advice to use undergravel filtration for my
29g tank. to date, ammonia, nitrite, and all livestock have been surviving.
BUT, for the life of me, i cannot keep nitrates below 40ppm! i've done the
frequent partial water change to death, i've gone through many chemi-pure
bags, nitrate sponges, monitored feeding very carefully, using a CPR bakpak
skimmer.......NOTHING WORKS! and hair algae is out of control! i also have
a 75g tank, but with a DSB instead, and nitrates are pretty much negligible.

my question is, can a UG filtration be safely converted to a DSB? and if
so, how? please help me out, i'm just another victim of following LFS
advice! thanks!

jon

i would stop the filter, vacuum the top layer of rock with a fish vacuum,
pull out the filters carefully as not to stir it up too bad, then vacuum the
whole bottom systematically to get out all old detritus, then let the bottom
recycle. if your gung ho, you could always find a way to take the gunk you
vacuumed out, pour off the dirty water, then see if you have any clean
lively sand at the bottom, then pour it back into the tank, then give your
sand bed time to recycle, but dont worry, it probably has all the life it
needs. that seems harsh if you alread have a good dsb, but i think it may
be the only way to get out all the detritus, unless you want to skip out on
the vacuuming until you pull out the filter, then stir up the tank real
good, then after it settles, just vacuum the top layer, that may be the
least detrimental. then when you restart your filter, keep the bottom
slightly stirred up for a coupls hours while the crud is filtered out.
wolfhedd.
"Jonathan Bernardo" wrote in message
...
hello all. when i started reefkeeping a couple years back, i made the
mistake of listening to my LFS's advice to use undergravel filtration for
my
29g tank. to date, ammonia, nitrite, and all livestock have been
surviving.
BUT, for the life of me, i cannot keep nitrates below 40ppm! i've done
the
frequent partial water change to death, i've gone through many chemi-pure
bags, nitrate sponges, monitored feeding very carefully, using a CPR
bakpak
skimmer.......NOTHING WORKS! and hair algae is out of control! i also
have
a 75g tank, but with a DSB instead, and nitrates are pretty much
negligible.

my question is, can a UG filtration be safely converted to a DSB? and if
so, how? please help me out, i'm just another victim of following LFS
advice! thanks!

jon