# Bio sump problem?



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

Hi, great site/forum and hope you guys can help me.
I have a saltwater tank that has been set-up for just over 10 or so Years. Its 4x1.6x1.6 foot with good size bio tank, I think it all holds about 250/280ltr.
I have 4 2000ltr ottos, one in the sump, 2 in the tank for flow and the last one in the sump, which go through a UV and then through 2 fluidised(?) beds and back into the sump.
The tank sit around 26 in winter to 27/28 in summer. Got about 18kgs of live rock. I change 50 liters about every 3 weeks. the last 4 months its only had 5 small fish, the largest being a wrasse of about 5 inches and they only get feed every 2 days(2 cubes of marine green and 1 brine or Krill cube).
All my fish have always come from the Gold Coast Seaway as with my fresh water unless I go outside on calm days.
The thing is when I've been doing my water tests the passed month the Nitrate is off the scale. I can change up to 100liters every 3 or 4 day till its all sweet and then in 3weeks off the scale again.
Now my question is this, is there a time frame, age limit to a Bio Tank?...
Should I pull the sump out and clean it out as if it was like new again?
Hope I've put enough info in and that someone can help.
Regards,
Rob.


----------



## fishe4 (Apr 17, 2007)

*Bio sump problem*

Hey 
from what you are saying i would imagine you are experiencing heterotrophic competition, meaning that an organic bacteria is thriving in your sump rather than an inorganic which you would prefer. 
sumps dont not have a time on how often they should be clean, but by what you are saying i would assume you are just running a sump with filter media. what i would suggest to do is to give your sump a once over, but without to much disturbance - so if possible syphon out all solid debris in the filter and give 25% of the media a rinse through and carry this out a few time to prevent to much disturbance on your system. 

hope this has been helpful

fishe4


----------



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

Thanks mate, will give it a go as I've everything else.
Rob.


----------



## Mrmofo (Feb 11, 2007)

10 years is pretty stable..id assume ur testers r off, they all have expirey dates i think the ammonia/nitrate/nitrites r good for 6 months then the chemicals break down.what r u using test strips or liquid? take it to ur LFS i over heard some one at the store having the exact same problem with high readings but tank was fine.do u have bio balls? they r usually the key for high readings too.


----------



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

I did take some water to get tested at my local and they got the same reading. I have Bio balls with a layer of biggish broken coral on the bottom and then the 2 fluidised beds.
there is a fair bit of crap on the bottom of sump.
Rob.


----------



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

Quote""i would imagine you are experiencing heterotrophic competition, meaning that an organic bacteria is thriving in your sump rather than an inorganic which you would prefer.""

so, is there a way to fix this if thats the case? I have just flushed out the sump and changed 50ltrs of new water, will change another 75ltrs in 2 days.I'll keep changing that much water till my Nitrate is back down.
Rob.


----------



## fishe4 (Apr 17, 2007)

unfortunetely this is a natural problem, and will persist until the cause is removed! what are your reading like at present? also do you have live rock in your system (approx weight?)


----------



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

Have about 20-25lbs of live rock, tests yesterday are nitrate 10-20,SP @ 1.021...(it was1.025 when first had problems). Ph 8.0, Amm nil, Nitrite nil,Cal 400ppm. Have changed about 75ltrs of new water and 20ltrs of a Tap water with Prime in it. am going to turn my lights back on tomorrow and I'll do 75ltr water change.
My Nitrate was 160 originally.


----------



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

...forgot to say, that I took up some water to my local ,2 days, and he tested Nitrate @10ppm I had done 50 ltr water change but he said it would still be up abit like 40-80ppm or so. So my test kit my not have been OK or not shaken enough.


----------



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

Well, didn't take long, I have changed over to an active reef plug sump. the only thing is since I've stripped out the old Bio-cubes from the sump I've been sick in bed for the last 24 hours or so. May not have anything to do with it but seems strange that with in 2-3 hours of the clean out i get the sweats and headache, not to bad but enough to slow ya down.
Any way the tank seems good, all water tests good so far, am testing twice a day just to keep an eye on it.
Looking long way through my tank has always had a slight green hue in the water but this morning its so clear. Fish are a lot happier... maybe because the Wrasse has gone.
I go off tomorrow to buy a Skimmer, where I'm going to put it is another thing.
Rob.


----------

