Do I have enough flow?

[camellia]

I've got a 4', 75 gallon with a center overflow that I cycled for 6 months with a MP25, live sand, a few pieces of dry and live rock (from my DT). I had a mini cycle but no major diatom out break. Because there wasn't a lot of rock one MP25 was over kill for flow.
I moved over the contents of existing DT two months ago. Removed the MP25 and am running 2 MP 10's (anti sync) at 100%.

About a month after moving to new system I started getting minor diatoms. Two weeks ago I noticed my DI was exhausted. I could have done ONE 20 gallon water change and maybe 10 gallons of top off with bad TDS but nothing more. (I also soaked my garage floor, driveway and street the last time I made water hence exhausted DI.) I replaced the DI and did a 20 gallon WC.

The diatoms have gotten worse. Its only on the sand bed in the front of the tank where there is less flow. It blows off with a turkey baster but in CHUNKS! The sand doesn't blow around at all with how I have the MP10's positioned.

The problem may just be my water, another 20 WC is in the making. But do you think 2 MP'10's in a 4' would be enough flow? It's a mixed reef and everything is happy, but I'm sure not!

Thanks

 

[gacolt]

i would change the media's that you use aswell as rebuild your ro/di plus a wc.the to mp10 might not be enough flow if it was me i would add a mp40 on the side glass and put the mp10's on the back glass that would give you plenty of flow.my 125g has a little over 12500gph flowand im thinking of adding another pump.

 

[camellia]

gacolt;968938 wrote: i would change the media's that you use aswell as rebuild your ro/di plus a wc.the to mp10 might not be enough flow if it was me i would add a mp40 on the side glass and put the mp10's on the back glass that would give you plenty of flow.my 125g has a little over 12500gph flowand im thinking of adding another pump.

I guess it could try putting the MP25 back in and see if the muck goes away?!

I did change media but why would you say to "rebuild" RODI? It's putting out zero TDS!

 

[gacolt]

oh i most have misread your post i thought you said it was no good but heck i change my di every 3months micron filter and carbon filter every 2-3 week sometimes every month and membrane every 6m or less never hurts except the wallet or in your case purse

 

[snowmansnow]

gacolt;968940 wrote: oh i most have misread your post i thought you said it was no good but heck i change my di every 3months micron filter and carbon filter every 2-3 week sometimes every month and membrane every 6m or less never hurts except the wallet or in your case purse

I think you're wasting money.

change it when your TDS meter says you need to. Which, for me is every year or so

 

[camellia]

Anyone else ... opinions on my algae and flow issue?
Thanks

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

For grins and giggles....I'd put the 25 back in and see if it goes away. If it does....solution found. If not, then there may be another issue. I can't believe that your DI was exhausted in one go. I ran one lot of DI for 2 years before it was exhausted....probably a few thousand gallons of water over that amount of time. If you're getting 0 TDS on the output then everything is working fine. I'm willing to bet there are some phosphates coming from somewhere.

 

[gacolt]

SnowManSnow;968998 wrote: I think you're wasting money.

change it when your TDS meter says you need to. Which, for me is every year or so

I am wasting money,but anytime i spend money in this hobby im wasting money so why not do it on one of the most important parts of my system clean water.its also cheaper then losing one colony and gives me piece of mind

 

[camellia]

porpoiseaquatics;969079 wrote: For grins and giggles....I'd put the 25 back in and see if it goes away. If it does....solution found. If not, then there may be another issue. I can't believe that your DI was exhausted in one go. I ran one lot of DI for 2 years before it was exhausted....probably a few thousand gallons of water over that amount of time. If you're getting 0 TDS on the output then everything is working fine. I'm willing to bet there are some phosphates coming from somewhere.

My post must be confusing... the DI resign was over a year old.
When I started making water for today's WC and checked the Dual TDS meter on the unit (as always) is when I realized it was completely gone. It was jumping around in the 100''s so most likely the water I used on the last WC was bad as it "overflowed" for a few hours That's why I stated (only) ONE 20 gallon WC could have been bad TDS....

I moved the MP10's down farther on each side and one side hasn't accumulated it's normal daily brown muck. So I guess I need to rethink power head quantity and placement!

 

[camellia]

I need to hook up this pressurized water tank like it was at my old house so I quit wasting water & money. The only water source close by is the washing machine valve. You know anything about that Jeff?

 

[dawgface]

Proper flow is relative to your your inhabitants needs. While most all inhabitants need some kind of flow each have their own specific needs. Wi th your current setup you have enough flow for softies, LPS and if situated correctly a few SPS strategically set. Full SPS you'd need more or bigger powerheads.
Having said all of that, flow is not the culprit here. Diatom algae is needs nor cares very little with the flow in your tank. It's needs light, nitrates and silicate to survive and flourish. Unfortunately it sounds as if you've introduced silicate into your system with higher than 0 nitrate. To be perfectly honest the only thing to do really is let them run there course buring the food source until saved off. Practice good husbandry to avoid adding more and it'll go away.

 

[jimmystephens]

I would add more flow so the diatoms dont settle on the rocks and sand. Use a turkey baster daily to blow of any that does. Turn the skimmer up , run a filter sock and change it out daily. And run lights at 50% or so for only 5-6 hours tops. Dont add anything to the water like alpha or prime, let it run its course. With these steps it will be easier on the eyes. Do weekly water changes 20% or so as normal. It will go away in a few days-weeks depending on ur tank. As for the rodi i wouldnt change it out unless its reading high. I always changed out the filter first (cheapest) tested. Then the carbon tested. If still reading high then i changed out di last. Imo

 

[bcavalli]

+1 Dawg.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Camellia;969150 wrote: I need to hook up this pressurized water tank like it was at my old house so I quit wasting water & money. The only water source close by is the washing machine valve. You know anything about that Jeff?

Can't say that I do. I need to connect mine to a cutoff and just have never done it.

 

[camellia]

DawgFace;969151 wrote: Proper flow is relative to your your inhabitants needs. While most all inhabitants need some kind of flow each have their own specific needs. Wi th your current setup you have enough flow for softies, LPS and if situated correctly a few SPS strategically set. Full SPS you'd need more or bigger powerheads.
Having said all of that, flow is not the culprit here. Diatom algae is needs nor cares very little with the flow in your tank. It's needs light, nitrates and silicate to survive and flourish. Unfortunately it sounds as if you've introduced silicate into your system with higher than 0 nitrate. To be perfectly honest the only thing to do really is let them run there course buring the food source until saved off. Practice good husbandry to avoid adding more and it'll go away.

UPDATE
^^While I'm sure you know more about this hobby than I, I believe flow was the problem.

Without enough flow the detritus was getting stuck in the back, inside the rock crevices and corners (center overflow) thus causing increased nitrates...
With proper flow (for individual tank needs) detritus should be found in the filter and filter socks, agree? (This is my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Anyway it's cleared up, I appreciate ya!

 

[dawgface]

Camellia;972519 wrote: UPDATE
^^While I'm sure you know more about this hobby than I, I believe flow was the problem.

Without enough flow the detritus was getting stuck in the back, inside the rock crevices and corners (center overflow) thus causing increased nitrates...
With proper flow (for individual tank needs) detritus should be found in the filter and filter socks, agree? (This is my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Anyway it's cleared up, I appreciate ya!

Detritus by itself would not cause a spike in diatom algae, of which you reported. If it was diatoms like you said than the introduction of silicates burned themselves out and algae cleared up just as said. Flow does nothing but relocate it. While that problem may have been partially to blame on your nitrate problem it wasn't for the high silicates that were there or the algae would not have been.

Either that or it wasn't diatom algae.

 

[camellia]

DawgFace;972541 wrote: Detritus by itself would not cause a spike in diatom algae, of which you reported. If it was diatoms like you said than the introduction of silicates burned themselves out and algae cleared up just as said. Flow does nothing but relocate it. While that problem may have been partially to blame on your nitrate problem it wasn't for the high silicates that were there or the algae would not have been.

Either that or it wasn't diatom algae.

Ok I'm going to do some home work so I can have a intelligent discussion with you the next time I've got issues
Thanks Jessie

 

[dawgface]

Hey bottom line it looks better which is what you where after right

And sounds good, would love to!