Getting out or downsizing...

[noteworthy]

Recently have become very busy and hard for me to keep up with such a large tank when concerning volume of each change. I have had my share of uphill battles with nitrate and have done several water changes but weeks later it is way back up where it was before the change. My current tank is a 125 with a 50 gallon sump and 5 gallon diy skimmer. While the skimmer pulls out a lot I feel like I can never keep up with the demands of the tank.

I know I dont have the rock capacity that I need and this in conjunction with the light issue from near windows I have my algae problems.

Have about 100 lbs of rock in my tank.

Fish:
1 Bicolor blenny
2 Bar Gobies
1 Yellow Tang
2 Clown fish
1 Diamondback Goby
1 Sixline wrasse


I'm thinking about downsizing and using my 50 gallon sump as the main and having no sump. Sell the stand and 125 gallon tank. Setup an ATO for the display and run the skimmer beside the main tank in a cabinet.

As far as other filtration I have none because what I understand is that a skimmer and LR is all you really need. Is my fishload too big for the amount of my rock? All my rock is well aged and over a year old. My 125 has been up for a little over a year in its new location.



I would like a tank that maintains the same salinity with ATO attached and do monthly waterchanges. Currently changing out 70-80 gallons of water every 3-4 weeks and still not getting out the nitrate is killing me.

 

[twilliard]

NOOO!!!!

another one
Keep your tank in the garage, sit back and think about this.

It will all work out.

 

[noteworthy]

Well I'm not doing anything yet... Fish are doing fine but these nitrates are really pissing me off. Too much water to change. Is the bioload too much for my rock? I know people say length is good for tangs. Mine isn't really too big at the moment. I've had him for 3-4 years.


Oh and I use RODI from my own filters. Replaced all the catridges about 5 months ago. It is filtering well. The water going in is good.

 

[twilliard]

Oh gosh, nitrates...

There are MANY reasons for elevated nitrates or nitrates you cant rid of.
I know your sick of this, so instead of me asking you a million questions, bugging you about your tank setup, I think you should relax today and tackle this tomorrow
It can get hard to pinpoint a nitrate problem.

 

[acrodesiac]

Nitrate difficulties are guaranteed in the the first 6-12 months off any reef setup. Please be patient with this problem, time is your reef's best freind If you say that you are limited on free time, there are many ways to simplify a system to keep maintinence time down. You mentioned an ATO, that is a perfect place to start. Other than simplifying the equipment end of the system you could trade some of your more demanding coral species for more forgiving types until you get the system running tike a top. As far as going to a smaller system, IMO if you have the room and the $ to run bigger equipment you will have an easier time maintaining a larger tank (as long as it's not HUGE) Whatever path you choose, good luck and hang in there

 

[billaweed]

Currently changing out 70-80 gallons of water every 3-4 weeks and still not getting out the nitrate is killing me.

WOW! thats a lot of water. I like my 5-10 gallon WC's a week.

 

[noteworthy]

My bioload too much for a 50 gallon? I'm wanting to minimize the amount of water to change.

 

[acrodesiac]

I has a sneaking suspition your skimmer might be underqualified for the job.

 

[Krish]

It took me about 1 year to rid my tank of all nitrates. Infact, I sat between 5-10 ppm for about 4 months!!! :shock: It does take time to all balance out, but you can have a case where your bioload is a bit too much for your rock to handle. I have downgraded many times last year...I went from a 90 gal to a 75gal for better dimensions to a 38gal for something a bit easier to manage, something that took up less space and less equipment, then to an all in one 24gal aquapod and here I sit tankless All were nice tanks, but could never get something I really really wanted so I took a break and said I'd give it some time and see how it goes. Sometimes it's what you need (a little break) for whatever reason, but my best piece of advice would be to do what makes you happy. Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[noteworthy]

Yeah but I just need something easier to manage. Heck if I sell the stand and 125 for a few hundred I'd be happy. Just keep my rock/sand/fish/equipment and put on the 50.


If I did go with the 50 gallon what fish would you guys get rid of?

 

[acrodesiac]

The fish list you have would be fine in a 50g as long as you had suficient skimming. The tang will put out the most waste but he is a vital part of your algae removal, so that's kind of a "catch 22". Some folks on here might say a Yellow Tang will get too big for a 50g which is very true but you could keep him in there for quite a while before that happens.

 

[noteworthy]

Thanks for the help.. I think I might go for the 50 gallon tank with ATO.

my skimmer is listed in the diy forums...
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25253&page=2


post 23 and 27...
I would think that would skim enough - I have a sedra9000 nw on that thing recirculating.

 

[morgan]

in my 50gl i have
1 blue tang
2black oc clowns
1 sixline
1 scooter dragonet
1 lawnmower blenny
i have had nitrate problems but not for awhile my system is almost 2 and half years old
i dont know what coral u want to keep but my 50lps is hard to aquascape coral warfare is abundent

maybe if u changed 50gl every 2 weeks u would have less nitrates
i also only use a skimmer and live rock for filtration i dont have a sump and crave one

maybe u could cut feeding to once every 2 days or something