How much media is too much

[Susan Edwards]

This sort of goes with my aiptasia post a few minutes ago. I had to remove all media due to aiptasia on the bags. To keep the stuff "live" I stuck the bags in the 45g which is coming down, along with all macro algae.

any way, I have a lot of various media bags
siproax
nyos zeo
denitrate
ceramic bio spheres
matrix
rubble rock in bags

I figure the denitrate is just providing live surfaces for good bacteria, and maybe the siproax and matrix as well

Question is do I need this much. Some of this came from the tank I upgraded from so wanted the live stuff to get new tank started. I also have ceramic balls. Still in sump

My numbers are
No3 1.8
PO4 .09
I am dosing neophose and neonitrate a couple times a week.
My chaeto has almost stopped growing, the ulva lettuc is looking good. Maybe I don't need these either?

I don't want to totally take it all out and suddenly have a no3 issue.

My plan is to inspect each bag and rinse and scrub off any aiptasia. And put back what I think I need.

Ssee the other post for the aiptasia issue which led to me taking all this out

 

[exnisstech]

The only thing I use is rock and a container of rock rubble for pods to live in. Not sure if there are any advantages to running all the other stuff?

 

[Saltyreef]

Agreed. Sometimes the media can harbor nitrates too.

 

[bushdoc]

Agree with two reefers above, additionally you will most probably not get rid of Aiptasia totally by rinsing and scrubbing your media, you would have to sterilize it. If you really want biomedia, I suggest bio-brick, it can be cleaned easier than tons of siporax.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Agree with two reefers above, additionally you will most probably not get rid of Aiptasia totally by rinsing and scrubbing your media, you would have to sterilize it. If you really want biomedia, I suggest bio-brick, it can be cleaned easier than tons of siporax.

do the bio bricks break down and crumble?

so it sounds like what I've had in the sump prob. doesn't contribute a lot and not worth putting back in, except the bag of rock rubble which I'll inspect. Does no good to get new until I get rid of the aiptasia