7 RBPS in a 80Gal!

[AquaticMonsters]

Just wondering if 7 RBP's in an 80Gal tank good enough with my Rena Filstar XP3 filter?

I havent checked my water params for a month because my water levels were always perfect so I didnt bother buying test strips. A month has past and last night I bought test strips and my nitrates were at 120ppm extremely high. How often should I perform water changes? Last night I did a 40% water change and dropped my nitrates to 80ppm should I still do more water changes now or wait till next week.

 

[AquaticMonsters]

Anybody help?

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

should be fine, i'd do water changes once a week though since reds are such messy eaters

 

[AquaticMonsters]

should be fine, i'd do water changes once a week though since reds are such messy eaters

Thank you ballin.. I was just too worried but at the same time I didnt want to do a very big water change.

 

[Tanks of Steel]

Once a week 25%. Every week. I actually go 6 days. My LFS of highly experienced and locally owned persons have a constant drip of tapwater and a drain rigged so that they never have to do a water change. They put tapwater in at 100% per day with a one second drip. Their fish are amazing in their show aquariums. They are adamant that their method is the best if constant water and draining avail. Judging from their results, I cannot argue. They scoff at chlorine.

 

[leather]

I do a constant drip system on most of my tanks, works great and I don't have to worry about it. If your rbps are big you definitely want to be doing 50% a week, I would do another change in a couple of days and get your nitrates down again. Then keep them there, some fish don't seem to mind high nitrates, but I wouldn't push it.

 

[AquaticMonsters]

I do a constant drip system on most of my tanks, works great and I don't have to worry about it. If your rbps are big you definitely want to be doing 50% a week, I would do another change in a couple of days and get your nitrates down again. Then keep them there, some fish don't seem to mind high nitrates, but I wouldn't push it.

Ok I will probably do this. Also I am using black sand instead of gravels. I should be vacuuming there poop all the time I see it or just do it at the same time of my water changes?

 

[Clay]

Once a week 25%. Every week. I actually go 6 days. My LFS of highly experienced and locally owned persons have a constant drip of tapwater and a drain rigged so that they never have to do a water change. They put tapwater in at 100% per day with a one second drip. Their fish are amazing in their show aquariums. They are adamant that their method is the best if constant water and draining avail. Judging from their results, I cannot argue. They scoff at chlorine.

As they should. Chlorine is dissipated by gentle agitation of the water. If I only had to deal with chlorine, I would be a happy man. Chloramine is a different story. It is a bonded chlorine and ammonia molecule that isn't easily removed by agitation. the bond must be broken down and the ammonia must be removed.

 

[leather]

Ok I will probably do this. Also I am using black sand instead of gravels. I should be vacuuming there poop all the time I see it or just do it at the same time of my water changes?

Depends on your feeding habits how often you should vac, but if you see it laying there it would be good to get it out.

 

[AquaticMonsters]

Depends on your feeding habits how often you should vac, but if you see it laying there it would be good to get it out.

Ok cool. Thanks! I always see poop laying down everyday cuz its sand and the poop never goes underneath like it would on gravel. Ill clean it as much as I can.