Does anyone know of or have a site that can show me how to build my own acrylic eco system for my freshwater tank? I desperately need to cut my nitrates down and bi-weekly 50% water changes are not working. Thanks
DIY Eco system
- Thread starter TankBuster
- Start date
Sorry about the repeated threads. My browser wigged out, and started to stutter. I got like 50 pop ups all at once! Very sorry.
Ok, Eco system like the type for saltwater, where you put the skimmer and pump and miracle mud and everything in one tank. And there are dividers and everything, almost like a wet/dry. Aquafuge makes one almost like it.
Looks like you're talking about either a refugium or a slime filter (anaerobic). There are plans for refugiums in this forum. However, you'll find that a protein skimmer will not work in a freshwater system unless its a large commercial line-pressure model.
You may want to also post the size tank you're referring to, the fish in the tank, feeding schedule, food types, etc. The more info you provide, the more accurate and timely the responses will be.
You may want to also post the size tank you're referring to, the fish in the tank, feeding schedule, food types, etc. The more info you provide, the more accurate and timely the responses will be.
u could use any miracle mud type filter just replace the marine algea with plants but w/o co2 they will not help that much
u need a plant that floats like water lettuce or hiacinth so they get co2 from the air but the roots are submerged to draw up nitrate and dont forget the lights
i have the same problem its from overcrowding and overfeeding
noone want to hear they can only keep one fish in that tank
how ling has it bean since u completely cleaned the tank there is alot of gunk in the gravel and filters wich decompose and creat nitrate
drop the cash or do the water changes
u need a plant that floats like water lettuce or hiacinth so they get co2 from the air but the roots are submerged to draw up nitrate and dont forget the lights
i have the same problem its from overcrowding and overfeeding
noone want to hear they can only keep one fish in that tank
how ling has it bean since u completely cleaned the tank there is alot of gunk in the gravel and filters wich decompose and creat nitrate
drop the cash or do the water changes
Ok, well I had a salt tank before and I had what is called an eco system where the lights ran 24/7 and calurpa grew and kept the nitrates down.Now on my fresh watewr tank 250 gallon with a 10 inch puffer that no one can figure out what he is and a 12 inch shovel nose catfish, an 8 inch alligator gar, 2 common plecos one is 5 inches the other is 10 inches and a 10 inch black ghost. Feed krill every other day, about 15 pieces, feeder goldfish 2 times a week and 6 algea wafers per week. I have reduced the gravel from 3 inches deep to just a thin layer. Even when I just had the puffer alone, nitrates got to be a problem. Nitrates now are between 30 and 40 on the A.P test kit. So... what I would like to do is have a refugium/eco system and grow plants in it and I know"without the protein skimmer". Oh and I do 50% water changes about every 2 to 3 weeks, more often 3 week intervals. I have 6 tanks and this is the only one with problems like this. I dont mind paying good money for a refugium/eco system. The reason why I want to DYI is so I can get the practice on buildinig my own aquarium soon. A big one. So, I hope this gives enough info on my situation. Thanks for your help, it's appreciated. If anyone here knows Wes @ rare fish, he knows what the eco system is pretty much. So I hope I can find the schematics because it needs to be all in one type of set up. Holy CRAP I am rambling on here.
I would try doing more frequent water changes. Every week do a 25% water change. What type of filteration do you have on the tank now? I do not have personal experience but I haer that even a large numer of plants will not help much with the nitrates.
I have 2 XP3's and the reason I cant put plants in the main tank is because my shovel nose will not rest util they are all floating. I have a friend that has a 300 gallon with 6 count them 6 red tail cats and they are about 2 and a half feet long each and his nitrates are always at 0 and he has that eco system. He says that if it were not for the eco, he would be in trouble. So I figure, why not try it. worse case senario is I build a huge salt tank and use it for that if it doesnt work on the fresh water tank. I would copy his dimensions but I am in Texas and he is in Cali.
i used the eco system miracle mud for salt and now im working with the fresh water mud it will not eliminate your nitrates only put them lower you will still need water changes try floating plants like water letuce