Hello all,
I'm loving my first salt water aquarium! I have a question about what would be the best thing to do for my tank. My tank has been up for about 3 months and now is fully (maybe a little too fully) stocked. Water parameters are good (1.024 SG, 8.2-8.3 pH, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5 meq/L alkalinity) except for nitrates, which are about 10. All my inhabitants seem happy, however.
Here are my tank details: 29 gal tank, 250 GPH canister filter with bio-media, Bio-wheel Pro 30, AquaClear 301 PW for internal circulation. Stocked with a ocellaris clown, six-line wrasse, pygmy angelfish, bicolor blenny, cleaner shrimp, small CC starfish. Substrate is 30# aragonite (15# was "live"). I also have 5# only of live rock. I am changing 5 gal of water every 2 wks.
I have read that biowheels and canister filters are "nitrates factories" but don't understand where the waste goes if it's not converted to nitrates. So what should I do to make sure nitrates don't go higher? I would like to spend only up to $100 more dollars, but am willing to do what is best for the tank.
Should I do any or some of these?
1. Increase water changes? To maybe 5 gal per week.
2. Lose the bio-wheel and/or canister filter?
3. Add a protein skimmer (would probably be a Prizm Deluxe)?
4. Spend all my money on Live Rock?
I appreciate all the help and great advice this board gives!
I'm loving my first salt water aquarium! I have a question about what would be the best thing to do for my tank. My tank has been up for about 3 months and now is fully (maybe a little too fully) stocked. Water parameters are good (1.024 SG, 8.2-8.3 pH, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5 meq/L alkalinity) except for nitrates, which are about 10. All my inhabitants seem happy, however.
Here are my tank details: 29 gal tank, 250 GPH canister filter with bio-media, Bio-wheel Pro 30, AquaClear 301 PW for internal circulation. Stocked with a ocellaris clown, six-line wrasse, pygmy angelfish, bicolor blenny, cleaner shrimp, small CC starfish. Substrate is 30# aragonite (15# was "live"). I also have 5# only of live rock. I am changing 5 gal of water every 2 wks.
I have read that biowheels and canister filters are "nitrates factories" but don't understand where the waste goes if it's not converted to nitrates. So what should I do to make sure nitrates don't go higher? I would like to spend only up to $100 more dollars, but am willing to do what is best for the tank.
Should I do any or some of these?
1. Increase water changes? To maybe 5 gal per week.
2. Lose the bio-wheel and/or canister filter?
3. Add a protein skimmer (would probably be a Prizm Deluxe)?
4. Spend all my money on Live Rock?
I appreciate all the help and great advice this board gives!
