loganj
Aquarium Advice Addict
OK, I've posted about this before and didn't get much in the way of feedback so I'm going to try it again. I'm going to start pulling samples from the DSB in the 180 reef and sending them to Analytical Labs in Cleveland, TN. What, in your opinion, should the samples be tested for? I'm going to have a total metals done on the first sample to establish a baseline for further testing. Unless I'm mistaken, the prevailing theory is that metals are building up in the sandbed and this causes OTS...usually at about the 5 year mark. Are there any other tests that should be done? My intention is to pull monthly samples for testing and graph the results. I realize this isn't really a scientific approach that will prove or disprove OTS, but it should give us an idea what's going on in our DSB's.
An interesting note: GAC will remove metals from water to a certain point. Once the metals reach a saturation level, they are released back into the water in large quantities. So, if you use carbon, change it regularly.
Another theory that perhaps doesn't have as much support is that something is causing a mass die off of the bacteria in the sandbed and this poisons the tank. Any opinions/suggestions are welcome. Testing will commence in May.
An interesting note: GAC will remove metals from water to a certain point. Once the metals reach a saturation level, they are released back into the water in large quantities. So, if you use carbon, change it regularly.
Another theory that perhaps doesn't have as much support is that something is causing a mass die off of the bacteria in the sandbed and this poisons the tank. Any opinions/suggestions are welcome. Testing will commence in May.