Something weird

[Hondatek]

So I added cheato to my emporer filter. Was told by the lfs it would work and by a few people here said it probably wont. Here is the weird part. Since I added the cheato my skimmer Is barely putting any skim out. After a few days and adjustments later I'm still not getting skim. Also my trates earlier this week were 20 and they are now 10. Now I'm thinking the cheato is working that's why the skimmer is barely working and my trates dropped.does that make sense to anyone besides me lol. Is my skimmer barely working a sign the cheato is doing good?

 

[Gti_Leo]

yeah the chaeto sucks out organics from the water and uses it to grow, havign chaeto will always work but having it in your power filter at full flow will limit how much organics it is able to take out.

also if your filter pad was old and was removed you will also notice your nitrates will be less as it will not hold organics that will eventually decompose

 

[Hondatek]

Glad you answer because you answered my other post. I stuck the pads in the other emporer that's on there. Im slowly adding live rock to the hob and going to remove pads slowly in a few weeks so maybe that has something to do with it as well?

 

[Gti_Leo]

are you able to reach in the HOB filter? if so pull the intake tube otu and pull otu the impeller and take of a fin or two, that will slow the flow rate down a bit and allow the flow through the chaeto to be lower which will allow for better filtration.

there is a general rule of thumb to have 5x the total system volume flowign through a fuge, so in the case of a 75g its recommended to have a flow of about 375-400gph, which now that i think about it should be fine for either a emporer 280 or a 400. so lightings is the key, what type of light did you get for it?

 

[Hondatek]

It's actually 2 emporer 400s and a cascade 1500 hundred canister which is for 200 gallon or I think 400 gph. With 1 basket sponge and floss and 4 baskets ceramic rings and live rock.one emporer has 4 pads and the other has cheato and live rock. I just put a clamp lamp with regular bulb. I'm going to cut the filter impeller and get whatever light I need tomorrow when I get paid.What type of compact light is best?

 

[Gti_Leo]

a simple 6500k swirly compact flouescent is more then plenty, and you can leave the impeller if you don't want to cut it.


keep those filter pads clean if you want t have 4 in it or you will get nitrate spikes

 

[Hondatek]

Ok cool. Yea I'm trying to slowly replace all pads and to just one and just go with rock and rings and cheato if it works out and only one pad for polishing.

 

[Gti_Leo]

don't use rings, they trap orgnaics, just use rock if you're goign to go that route

 

[Hondatek]

Even when maintained and rinsed in old tank water bi weekly?