What's the best media? Specifically, what the best bang for buck media I can put in a filter sock that the locals would have in stock? Any to stay away from?
Actually, I've not tested for phosphates. I've got pretty good reason to believe they are there. Rocks are slowly turning a forest green color, getting that nice red fish store film algae, and hair algae that seems to wax and wane. I don't know that I could feed much less. I add in a 1/4 of a frozen brine shrimp cube every other day. (It had been every day.) I'm scheduled for a water change today or tomorrow, and it seemed like a good opportunity to try a phosphate remover. And, I have no substrate. Bare bottoms, baby! It's possible that the phosphates in the water have overwhelmed the DI cartridge already. (I chuck them when they are half turned in color to be on the safe side, but this one is only about a third.) I was going to call stores today to see if they have one of those colorimeter dudes to check phosphates for me on fresh and newly mixed salt water..
I moved since I changed the bulb last and I can't find where I wrote the date I changed them. But I know it wasn't before Christmas. I think it's only been six months. Do you think that's it? I've read T-5s are good for almost two years and most people keep PC (just a crooked T-5) for 12-18 months. How long does it take to get to Jonesboro? My worry is that I may have gotten a bad batch of salt that has phosphates in it.
I don't know Abita beer. Either way, that's a tad far (especially since I don't have my wife's econo-car today). I think I'm going to go on like I planned and assume I have phosphate issues. I'll find some media today and throw that in a filter sock. When the student loan check comes I'll order more bulbage. Are you coming to the meeting in Arkadelphia? If so, could you bring your tri-corder thing?
Robert, what size tank do you have? In my small 46g system, I was having terrible algae problems until I got back on a regular water change cycle. I change 12g every two weeks. I also replenished with about 40 snails and 40 hermits. My tank has magically cleared up since I started this about three months ago.
It's only 20 gallons. I do water changes when it stops smelling like ocean and starts smelling like shore. That probably doesn't help anyone. Before I added the fish, that was about once every 5-6 months. This will be the third since I got them about a month and a half ago. I got some absorber and threw out the DI canister for a new one. **edit** I've been losing snails lately. If it's not associated with the phosphate thing, then my next guess is salinity swings. I have a mark on the tank that is right about .9 gallons. In the spring, that meant about every week and a half. But it's been every couple days lately. That's a really long way to say I don't plan on adding any more snails or hermits for a while.
I've found that with regular water changes, pH is easier to maintain, algae growth is reduced and my skimmer works better. Bob Fenner tends to agree that water changes are important: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water.htm
Funny, I was about to mention I run it on freshly mixed saltwater to remove the organics that leech in from the bucket. My personal, unitiated point of view on water changes is that their need, size, frequency, and benefit are COMPLETELY dependant on what you're trying to keep.
I know for a fact I am. ***Edit*** Sorry, I got pulled away from the computer and then I forgot to come back and finish this. I know that char/coal and activated carbon leech organics into water. Some of those will get skimmed out. None of them I find particularly worrisome (though I must say I doubt I know about every one of them). I know there are several harmful organics and organometalics that get into every commercial saltmix. I used to keep a list and I think it's on my other computer . . . . Anyway, pthalates come to mind. So really it's just a trade off. In my ideal world I wouldn't be adding anything back in, but that's not really an option. So if I have to add more slightly less than perfectly safe stuff in to get the little bit of nasty crap out, I do it. I'm sure there are lots of people out there that disagree with me, but if it was my house and not my aquarium, I for one with rather breath 2-3 ppm of methane than 2-3 ppb of agent orange. Call me crazy. Anyway, if I find I'm adding anything worse than I'm taking out, I just won't do it anymore.
