hey guys... just need some input

[RockoC87]

My sandbed is about 2 and 1/2 inches, and i have basic powerheads around the tank the thing is i don' have a bunch of room, the way that the stand is set up, itis kind of made for a canister filter, the only way i could get a big sump or fuge working would be to put it off to the side of my aquarium below it, and that mught look kinda tacky, but if it would make that much of a difference on nitrates, i would save up and out my money into setting that up.

[bluewalk20]

1st you have so many fish for 46 gal and also their is not need to feed your fish every single day three times a week is more than enough to feed your fish and watch the amount of food that you feed them also and a sump as well to increase the volume of water, plus when you do water change get an output or power head and stir up the water all around the tank or get a pitcher and remove some water then drop it back into the tank to make some strong current to get all the junk off the rocks and gravel the remove the 35% or water amount of water you are removing and you will be removing all that junk in the water most people just remove water from the tank then add new water but they remove undisturbed water from the tank with low nitrate level but if you stir up the water then test it that water has a much higher reading just a few things to things about i have a 72 gal with my nitrates at 0 all the time

[Tim Marvin]

If your going to add another tank put in a 20 gallon refugium and keep it full of caulerpa, but be sure to harvest often. Plants will eat up those nitrates in no time. When I was farming acropora, ricordia, zoo's and other various corals all in the same system I ran a 100 gallon refugium and it handled all the fish, coral cutting, and heavy feeding.

[RockoC87]

I have done water changes like that, blasting rocks to gets stuff off, and it did remove a lot of junk.

[RockoC87]

is it hard to set up a 20 gallon refugium, it seems like it would be pretty hard, and maybe costly, any help or advice.

[txstateunivreefer]

if cost is in question the easiest way to lower your nitrate problem is to lower your fish load cut down on feeding. then if you want to buy something pwr heads would be the next stop to keep your dead spots down. you say you do the h20 changes so that option is out. like stated above get a diffrent skimmer too

[bluewalk20]

it easy you can run it with an overflow box down into a 20 gal tank then from there make a divider from the overflow box with piece of plexi glass use aquarium glue to glue it in place then place every thing you want in the refugium and i belive coralife has a mini light fixture you can place then for you return you can use your fluval to return the water back into the tank

[erikharrison]

with 13 fish, you're going to need it. HOB overflow, sump and return, not too hard, not too expensive.