Did a small PWC today (<25%), and tested the water 3 hours later.
Everything, including Nitrates are reading zero (!!!)
This is with about 85 pounds in a 75g tank, with a 20g fuge (about 17g of water in there).
No chemical treatment - the only filtration I have in the system is a sponge on the overflow, and a phosphate pad (that doesnt' remove anything but PO4) in the sump.
I'm doing 25% changes weekly now, just to replenish trace elements, as per advice of various members here.
Tank is around 6 months old now.
The only problem I've really had since removing the HOB filter a week and a half ago is that the system is slower to remove particles in the water, like when my parrotfish or blenny stir up a bunch of sand. I've also been battling cyano, but that's why I added the PO4 pad. Tapwater reads 0.5ppm PO4.
I also occasionally get some old mysis parts pumped into the tank when I stop/start the return pump from my sump. I think they're accumulating in the UV filter somehow, so I've been trying to stop/start it a few times a day to flush it out.
Now - I need to get an RO or RO/DI filter (looking at some on eBay and at Lowes), and some stronger lighting (I have a stock hood with 64W and a Jebo 260W PC fixture), and I'll be set.
I should restate that - I need to convince the wife that I need an RODI, and more lighting
I also plan on adding another 40 pounds or so of LR, to get around 2 pounds per gallon, but I'm doing that piece by piece, as I find good ones at the LFS.
Everything, including Nitrates are reading zero (!!!)
This is with about 85 pounds in a 75g tank, with a 20g fuge (about 17g of water in there).
No chemical treatment - the only filtration I have in the system is a sponge on the overflow, and a phosphate pad (that doesnt' remove anything but PO4) in the sump.
I'm doing 25% changes weekly now, just to replenish trace elements, as per advice of various members here.
Tank is around 6 months old now.
The only problem I've really had since removing the HOB filter a week and a half ago is that the system is slower to remove particles in the water, like when my parrotfish or blenny stir up a bunch of sand. I've also been battling cyano, but that's why I added the PO4 pad. Tapwater reads 0.5ppm PO4.
I also occasionally get some old mysis parts pumped into the tank when I stop/start the return pump from my sump. I think they're accumulating in the UV filter somehow, so I've been trying to stop/start it a few times a day to flush it out.
Now - I need to get an RO or RO/DI filter (looking at some on eBay and at Lowes), and some stronger lighting (I have a stock hood with 64W and a Jebo 260W PC fixture), and I'll be set.
I should restate that - I need to convince the wife that I need an RODI, and more lighting
I also plan on adding another 40 pounds or so of LR, to get around 2 pounds per gallon, but I'm doing that piece by piece, as I find good ones at the LFS.