finaddict February 18, 2017 Share February 18, 2017 I have a 36g tank with a hob skimmer. I used to run a hob filter with carbon and sponge but I think that was causing high nitrates. So I pulled it about 2 months ago but my water clarity seems to go down a bit. Last weekend I put the filter with carbon And sponge back in and my tank water was very clear. How do I achieve the water clarity without the hob filter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khh27 February 18, 2017 Share February 18, 2017 What are you considering high nitrates? Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 18, 2017 Share February 18, 2017 Try running carbon alone. Do you have live rock in the system to help hold down nitrates? And, as khh27 asked, what are your readings? And, what's your water change routine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict February 18, 2017 Author Share February 18, 2017 I change 5 gallons of water each week. I have stuck to that pretty well. But I had a hair algae problem for about the last 2 months and was told by my LFS that the HOB filter can hold and generate a lot of nitrate. However my nitrate readings had been between 0 and 5 ppm on the color scale. I also did see higher phosphate than I wanted up to about .25-.5PPM. In the last 3 weeks or so those number have come down to 0 and 0. I did start feeding less, removing what algae I could grab by hand each week, and I used a few drops of a phosphate remover and removed the HOB filter all around the same time. I also figured out that I was getting too wet of skimmate so I dialed that in better. All in all my tank parameters got better and the algae is under control and almost gone. But the water clarity has come down a bit. I do have live rock (about 25-30 lbs and the tank has been running since July 2016. Here is a pic of my set up from two weeks ago: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khh27 February 18, 2017 Share February 18, 2017 Algae will hold nitrates and and phosphate giving you a false low reading. Continue manual removal and what you are doing with 5g a wee water change. Are you doing WC with rodi or tap? Also the sponge is not necessary and will hold nitrates. 5ppm is my no means high but could be false due to the algae. I would suggest carbon and gfo in the HOB filter. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict February 19, 2017 Author Share February 19, 2017 I have been changing the water with store bought RODI salt water. I have finally convinced myself that at 7 or 8 bucks a week (plus the required trip to the LFS each week) it wouldnt take terribly long to payoff an RODI unit of my own so I might be doing that soon. The algae problem is almost gone. I have a couple of bubbles of bubble algae and some hair algae but not much. I think I will try to run the HOB filter but just with the carbon. I also like that it adds flow since I only use the skimmer and one powerhead in my tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 19, 2017 Share February 19, 2017 Just a side note: Get rid of the bubble algae (valonia) now while the numbers are low. It can be a plague of sorts. Let the hair algae clean your water. Remove what you can by hand, but don't worry so much about it in the near term. You don't have much in that tank so you probably don't need to feed very much. What are you feeding the tank and how often? How are you topping off the tank to maintain your salinity? Where are you getting that water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict February 19, 2017 Author Share February 19, 2017 I have been plucking each bubble every week as I siphon off water. It has been good fun trying to release them from the rock without breaking and sucking them up the tube. Some have broken and I think that is why they are still around. I haven't cleaned my tank in a week and I probably have 3-5 bubbles right now. I have 4 fish (2 clowns, 1- four stripe damsel and one purple dart) and I feed them 1/8 cube of mysis every other day. About once a week I will substitute the shrimp with flake food or pellets but I have noticed that a lot of those foods just end up on the bottom. About once every other week I feed some mysis to my hammer and my duncan. I was feeding the fish daily and a bit more each feeding but I think that was contributing to the algae problem. I have been getting RODI at various LFS in NOva. Centerville Aquarium and Vienna Aqurium in Leesburg mostly. I had a second bad experience at Vienna today (not related to water) so I am probably done with that store. I am headed to Winchester Aquarium tomorrow and will see if they have a smaller RODI unit otherwise I will be ordering one soon. I have been told that is not a unit that is good to buy used. Any opinion on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict February 19, 2017 Author Share February 19, 2017 Sorry forgot to mention how I top off. I only lose about 1 gal of water per week. I have been mixing the RODI Salt with some RODI fresh that I have to make a mixture around 1.023 that ends up keeping my tank about 1.025 or 1.026 when I do water changes. Tonight I added 1.25 gallons of RODI fresh water and my tank is right at 1.025. I will do a water change tomorrow with 5 gallons of full salt at 1.026. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 19, 2017 Share February 19, 2017 If food is not consumed, it'll become nitrogenous waste. Even if it is consumed, it'll largely go that way. However, any unconsumed food is just a waste. You might consider a cleanup crew to help keep the bottom clear. Check out For Sale forum for RODI units. Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict February 19, 2017 Author Share February 19, 2017 I do keep a cuc including snails (nesarius and another type) hermit crabs and a shrimp. Mostly I am concerned about clarity when I take the filter off the tank. I will try running the filter with only carbon this week and see how it looks. Thanks for the advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k February 22, 2017 Share February 22, 2017 HOB filters do not generate Nitrate. Total BS. Find a different LFS. Sounds like a marketing pitch for you to buy a different filter. Store bought rodi water can be just as bad as tap water if the filters haven't been changed- check the TDS levels before you buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM February 22, 2017 Share February 22, 2017 Zygote2k is right that hob filters are not magic nitrate factories. Using anything that traps detritus and lets it rot is a nitrate factory, though, which could certainly include a canister or hob filter, but could also include a sump. The LFS likely advises against them because they have seen how people usually neglect them and let them rot leading to coral growing failure and algae problems. Running rinsed carbon somewhere that water can flow over it will clear up the water. This is a good demo video http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/aquarium-carbon-demo-video/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 22, 2017 Share February 22, 2017 HOB filters do not generate Nitrate. Total BS. Find a different LFS. Sounds like a marketing pitch for you to buy a different filter. Store bought rodi water can be just as bad as tap water if the filters haven't been changed- check the TDS levels before you buy. Zygote2k is right that hob filters are not magic nitrate factories. Using anything that traps detritus and lets it rot is a nitrate factory, though, which could certainly include a canister or hob filter, but could also include a sump. The LFS likely advises against them because they have seen how people usually neglect them and let them rot leading to coral growing failure and algae problems. Running rinsed carbon somewhere that water can flow over it will clear up the water. This is a good demo video http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/aquarium-carbon-demo-video/ HOB and canister filters get the reputation of being 'nitrate factories' because they typically provide a highly aerobic environment with mechanical filtration, that if not cleaned regularly, results in the partial breakdown of particulate organics resulting in release of nitrates into the water column. If cleaned regularly, this release can be controlled. However, you must clean them regularly. As Alan said, the same applies to filter socks, sumps, and even areas in your tank where detritus can accumulate and hide. It's not unique to HOB or Over-the-top mechanical filters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar February 22, 2017 Share February 22, 2017 If you're willing to rinse your HOB sponge in a bucket of saltwater daily or so, you'll get rid of a lot of nutrients. All the chunky stuff that the sponge collects will eventually break down into ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. (It will do the same thing if it sits in your tank). By rinsing the sponge in a bucket, you get rid of that junk before it decays. Kind of like a protein skimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict February 22, 2017 Author Share February 22, 2017 This is all great information. I used to rinse my sponge once a week and replace it about every 3 weeks. I am now running a HOB filter with just the carbon which I change out every two days. In my mind, if something requires daily cleaning that is more of an obligation that I am willing to do. I am happy to clean my tank and do water changes every week but daily maintenance changes it form a hobby to a chore for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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