What is Your System Bio-Load?

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Thanks Lee. To clarify, the only source of mechanical filtrations is bonded filter pad, cut to size and placed in between the baffles, in the sump. I don't use it all of the time. Just when I feel the need to "polish the water column". maybe I should rethink that approach. The space limitations in the sump prevented me from using a filter sock.

I knew about the passive carbon filtering being insufficient but again, space is the issue. I'm considering adding a canister filter for the purposes of mechanical filtration and carbon usage. Kill two birds with one stone. I'll have to double check just how much room I have left in the stand.

Thanks for pointing out some aspects that should get attention Lee.

[JayandLaurie Maynard]

Hi... I'm new here, I hope it's ok to chime in and ask some questions? I'm putting together my second reef tank and would like to know what it's capable of.

Tank is 48"x18"x24" (it is a tall model)
-110lbs of live rock
-4 controllable Tunze powerheads (controlled by a Reef Keeper elite, waves, storms etc,)
-3"sand bed

Sump is 30 gallon
-300 micron 7" filter sock
- w/ a skimmer rated at 280 gallons
- 20" tall 4" diameter media reactor w/ 1000ml of Vertex Bio-Pellets

Refugium
-32"x12"x14"
-30lbs miracle mud
-chaeto
-30lbs live rock ruble

My total water volume should be around 120 gallons. The tank is just about to be put together (the live rock is cycling) do you have an idea of what the capable Bio-load of the tank is? Also are there any of the Tangs that can be in a tank that's only 4' long? If anyone has an idea of some nice fish that would do well please speak up. I don't want a ton of fish around 2-3 show fish would be ideal.

[leebca]

Of course you may jump in. It is the only 'old' thread I allow to remain open. When other very old threads get some action, I usually close them at that time, but not this one.

Before I go through the exercise, I need to be clear that this system so far is not yet together, right? If this is true, I question why the substrate will be 3" deep? The optimum is usually 1.5, maybe up to 2". The next question would be the rating on the skimmer. The package rating is usually worthless since there is no industry standard for their claim. What is best to know is how much water does it process in a given period of time, usually gallons per hour (gph) which is a combination of the ability of the equipment and the pump being used with it. Can I get the gph for this skimmer/pump?

Other missing but useful information is the flow rating (gph) of the Tunze models you will be using, and the system pump gph. I don't see in your list the system pump you will be using.

The other thing I'd wonder about is the aquarium. Why the tall (show) model? You will lose much of the bioload capacity this way. If the tank is short with a large foot print (length and width) it will allow for a larger area for biological filtration. This isn't a must sort of thing, but again, before the exercise, I want to be sure this is the tank you want.

You posted that this is a reef tank? The bioload capacity may not be that important then. Non-mobile marine life creates very little nitrogen waste and in order to get a good control on nitrates (which non-mobile marine life usually doesn't tolerate very well) you'd want to keep number of fishes very low. That is to say, the bioload calculation is really for a fish tank (with or w/o live rock) to see how much fish can it hold. In a reef system you don't want to get near this capacity. Maybe you didn't mean 'reef tank.'

Provide me with the above info and I'll do the calculation for you.

[JayandLaurie Maynard]

First off let me apologize... I didn't realize I was posting in a "Fish Only" section (I can't believe I didn't catch that before posting). Yes it will have corals etc... The dimensions came out of a lack of room horizontally in the room it's going in and that I need to have less light at the bottom of the tank and stronger light at the top of the tank, thats why it's so deep. The sand in necessary for footing for certain livestock that I may use. The sand however is not yet in the tank.

The skimmer is rated at 1140 lph
The pumps are turbelle streams 6155w/ Flow rate: up to 3,963GPH (probably won't reach that though)
The return pump is anEheim 1260 Universal Aquarium Pump 640GPH

I understand the corals etc.. don't really have much of a bioload so I was wondering more for the fish

Any insight would be great

Of course you may jump in. It is the only 'old' thread I allow to remain open. When other very old threads get some action, I usually close them at that time, but not this one.

Before I go through the exercise, I need to be clear that this system so far is not yet together, right? If this is true, I question why the substrate will be 3" deep? The optimum is usually 1.5, maybe up to 2". The next question would be the rating on the skimmer. The package rating is usually worthless since there is no industry standard for their claim. What is best to know is how much water does it process in a given period of time, usually gallons per hour (gph) which is a combination of the ability of the equipment and the pump being used with it. Can I get the gph for this skimmer/pump?

Other missing but useful information is the flow rating (gph) of the Tunze models you will be using, and the system pump gph. I don't see in your list the system pump you will be using.

The other thing I'd wonder about is the aquarium. Why the tall (show) model? You will lose much of the bioload capacity this way. If the tank is short with a large foot print (length and width) it will allow for a larger area for biological filtration. This isn't a must sort of thing, but again, before the exercise, I want to be sure this is the tank you want.

You posted that this is a reef tank? The bioload capacity may not be that important then. Non-mobile marine life creates very little nitrogen waste and in order to get a good control on nitrates (which non-mobile marine life usually doesn't tolerate very well) you'd want to keep number of fishes very low. That is to say, the bioload calculation is really for a fish tank (with or w/o live rock) to see how much fish can it hold. In a reef system you don't want to get near this capacity. Maybe you didn't mean 'reef tank.'

Provide me with the above info and I'll do the calculation for you.

[leebca]

No problem. I'm glad we're on the 'same page.'

One of the important things you'll want for your system is the control of nitrates. Many corals can't tolerate much in the way of nitrates. The more fish you have the more nitrogen wastes will be produced and hence more nitrates will be produced. So you want to keep the number of fish to a minimum.

I would setup your system and get the system aged and stabilized and then introduce your corals. Learn to control all the parameters and chemistries, including nitrates. Without fish you should be able to control the nitrates easily. Then think about the fish you want that will be compatible with those corals and other marine life you want to keep in there. Put the fish through a quarantine process and introduce it to the tank and then monitor things to be sure you can still control the nitrates or then come to the conclusion you'll need to alter some of your equipment, refugium inhabitants, and maintenance to reduce nitrates more, OR, get rid of the fish, OR discover you can add another fish.

In any event, I would not go over adding fishes when, full grown, will not exceed 6" in total. Your system can handle more fishes, but because of your concern for controlling pollutants (nitrogen wastes) you will not want to exceed this suggested limit. Determining the actual limit will depend on trial and error as noted above, to monitor the impact their presence will have on the nitrate level and pollution.

I would only ask, as a marine fish person, that you not starve your fish or restrict their feeding just so you don't have to worry about nitrates.

Good luck!

[JayandLaurie Maynard]

Thank you very much everything you said makes a lot of sense