Filter Questions???

[bobhart]

Can any one recommend a filter system for me. I have a 55g SWFT. No reef set-up. I have 36lbs of live rock and currently a Magnum 300 pro with bio wheel. It doesn't seem sufficent for my tank. All of my levels are within the norm 0 nitrites and 0 etc. I still have lots of green algae growing and that requires lots of cleaning just so I can see in to the tank. I vacuum and do regular water changes using DI water and Red Sea salt. I have a UG filter with 3 power heads running, can't remember the exact name but it is an 802 and 2 smaller ones. I also have a crushed coral base, that I want to change to sand, but I will wait a while for that. I have 4 Mexican Turbo snails, 12 Narsisus, 12 Astreas, and now only one hermit. One perc clown, 2 blue devil damsels. I just can't seem to get the algae under controll. I did recently change my lighting from a single flourescent, 40watt, to a dual compact flourescent 10kx2, @ 110 watts. I know this will change some things 2. But I do want to upgrade my filter system anyway, since the Magnum is sort of a pain to clean. I also have a Prism Deluxe skimmer, which I do use, but was told it was unecessary unless I had a reef tank.The tank has been running for 3 years with no problems with the fish. Except that Mantis shrimp problem I had in the beginning. (that sucker got my finger) it was about 4 inches long. Anyway, got it out, unimportant to this dicussion.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Bob:shake:

 

[bobhart]

Well, guess I'll try try some things on my own.. I plan on making a sump, and going from there..

Bob

 

[mogurnda]

Hi Bob,
Sorry we missed this one. In the long run, changing to a deep sand bed will probably help a lot, but here some other random ideas.

The snails you mentioned don't tend to graze on the substrate, while hermits will do a somewhat better job. I have found that both blue legs and scarlets spend a good bit of time picking at the gravel.

Since there aren't any photosynthetic organisms to compete with the algae right now, increasing the light just made them a lot happier. It might help to shorten the period that the lights are on.

If you plan to add a sump, then it might be good idea to have part of it set aside as a refugium. Put a PC light over it, add some sand and macroalgae and critters, and it will help export nutrients and provide living food for the fish.

Even in a fish-only system, the skimmer should help keep nutrient levels down.

Just out of curiosity, what is your pH, alkalinity and nitrate?