A couple more noob questions

Ok so I have my 75 gallon tank running for about 5 weeks now. when I started the tank out it only had about 40lbs of LR, now it has 80-90lbs ( I added about 50lbs of base rock.). now the base rock it turning a yellow color, I assume normal, meaning bacteria growing on it. I also have a high amount of GHA growing, but not on the base rock, just the older LR. I have now ( as of yesterday) got a 20 gallon Sump/refugium going with sand, couple pieces of Base Rock and cheato, with a 23w 1600 lumens light.
water lvl's:
nitrate: 20ppm
nitrite:0
ammonia:0
ph: still only at 7.8 part of the top of my tank is closed with glass because I need to put my light on it, but the other half is open.

on a secondary note I have 2 power heads coming tomorrow ( koralia #3, koralia #4) and also the Green plant in the pic I posted has doubled its size in 2 weeks..good or bad?


question 1: How long does a refugium tank to help lower nitrate lvl's?
question 2: Once the Refugium has had time to work, should I let nature takes it course with the GHA or should I try to scrub it off? I have another
15 members coming to my CUC tomorrow also.
question 3: Will a refugium help with my PH lvl's?

 

As far as the GHA, what type of water are you using? How much are you feeding?


The more surface agitation you have on the water, the higher your CO2-O2 exchange rate will be meaning higher PH.

 

right now I have been using a water conditioner with my tap water...only choice I have currently.

 

It sounds like you have high phosphates and nitrates. You may be getting a false negative on the phosphate b/c of the GHA. The yellow color is not bacteria growing, but most likely diatoms. It sounds like you have very nutrient rich water. The refugium will help, but if you keep on doing water changes with tap water, you will just keep on replacing the nitrates. My tap water was at 20ppm nitrates before I started using Ro/Di.

 

I tried testing the water before I used it and it comes back clean.

 

You can buy r/o water from stores to help out. You might have a spike from your rock that you have been adding. 20 ppm isnt all that bad, just dont want to go higher. A fuge will help ph swings from happening. A good cuc will help.

 

I understand the fuge will help but wondering how long it will take. just trying to get an idea of when I will know it is working. the green plant from my picture... that is a macro algae right? I have seen it on reefcleaners. should I leave it or try to move it into my refugium?

 

If I could make a suggestion, you're setting yourself up for failure by using tap water. Every step you take to make your water more pristine for your inhabitants, like a refugium, for example; is sabotaged by using water from the sink.

You'd be well served if your next purchase was an RO/DI system. You can get one for about $150 delivered from airwaterice.com or buckeye field supply. They're both 3reef sponsors and have a good product.

For the time being, at the very least, buy RO/DI water from an LFS. Tap water is going to kill you.

Good luck!

 

thanks for your suggestion. I called my LFS and they do not sell RO water. so I was told my local Walmart does. I will try there. also the refuge did raise my ph up to 8.2 and holding steady!!