dsb working?

Hi all, i have had my dsb in place for over a year now. Nothing stirring it up except nass snails. They stay at the top anyway right. The bed is 6" deep and im starting to wonder if its working right. I never see the gas bubbles being released from the no oxygen area. I have been using Prime to condition my fresh water and since my test readings are crazy ( over a year). 100+ ppm nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite always at 0. I now the prime detoxifys the nitrate but shouldn't the dsb still be getting rid of it. Ie benifical bacteria. I have used 3 different test kits all api thou. Same results. I see no life in the bed at all. Some videos ive watched on dsb show worms in the bed. I have worms and bristle worms but never see them in the bed just in surface area. Is it api not liking prime. Is it a nonworking dsb? Id love to get a goby again but not untill im sure the dsb isnt working. Any ideas on how to test. Its a entire 55g tank with 6" dsb hooked to my 75 dt that is bare bottom. Multiple hob filters running floss and carbon and a Skimmer.

 

Well that does not sound right at all.

What is the bioload/what does it include?

Did you introduce any type of live rock to the sump. You are using tap water for water changes and top off?

What type of substrate did you use for the DSB?

 

the load is pretty heavy, in the dt (75) there is 2 triggers, a lunar wrasse, and a vol lion, a foxface and a filefish. in the 55 (refugium) there is a six line, firefish goby, bicolor angle, fairy wrasse, and a royal gamma.

the 55 has the 6"dsb hole thing, it is made of sand! da: lol. as of the size not sugar fine but its not course either. i used 40-60 lb aragonite sand (live)- what i rip off i now know. and the rest playground sand that i washed. i use to have a 2-3" bed in the 75 dt but removed it and put it in the 55, when i was having a water preameter fight ( probly due to the messy eaters), thinking a dsb would help with the parameters. I let it settle in the 55 tested next day and it was fine, then hooked back up to DT. again this has been set up for over a year scince i moved the sand. and at first the nitrate level was good below 20ppm, then i noticed it was over 100 the next time . i had started using Prime i belive in between these two water changes, so i suspect it, but either way for a year its been 100+ and nothing has died except a pj cardnal, and of course the feeders. my CUC is unaffected, brittle stars, urchins, crabs and snails. the stars and crabs in the 75, urchins and snails in the 55. i was always told inverts cant handle the nitrate like fish can, so thats why i have tried testing with others test kits, same results. i suspect my nitrates are not really 100+ but i dont see life below the surface of the bed either. all the worms stay in the empty shells or are 1/4 from the surface.

as for the top off water- yes i use city tap water that i put in a 30g bin and treat with Prime and have a power head running in it, top off when needed from bin. i have in the past called my water athority and asked them the specs of the water. i was told nitrates was 5ppm or lower. so i now i can never get 0ppm but i would think 5-10 should be achivable.

rock both tanks have rock in them. probly about 120lb in total between both tanks.

any ideas corailline? i would love to have my watchman back again but dont want to disturb that bed unless i know its not working. thanks

 

Your filter floss? does it get changed like every 3 days? Could it be the nitrate factory?

And why the prime?

And you're set on a DSB? I decided against it after reading many cons to having one.
(If you're reading this, have a DSB, and like it- I'm glad it's working for you)

Is it possible to start growing Chaeto in the 55? My chaeto area probably equals a 10g tank, if not more, and my nitrates always read 0.

I dunno

 

No i change the floss once a month, i will change it more often just to see. I use prime because it removes chlorine, and ammonia. And detoxifies nitrates and nitrite. So its my tap water conditioner. Im interested in nowing what disadvantage a dsb has? I could put in more plants in the 55 i have it divided for the return pump.

 

When I used Tap water, I was told that when you put the salt mix in the tap water, it buffers the chlorine and no de-chlorinator is needed.

This actulaly worked for me for over ~ 6-9 months, and worked well, before I continued to add coral and go with Ro/DI

If you google, or site search the cons of a DSB- there will be healthy discussion on the pros and cons.
DSB- once (before I was reefing), it seemed like a must.
Now it seems- it getting kind of rare.

ONce a month on your filter floss? I actually don't think many are using that either anymore.
My detritus filters- the few I have, get washed in tap every 4-7 days.
Such as some coarse sponge I used to use in the top of my overflow used only as noise suppression.
Now, thats actually a long slender bag of GAC (granulated Activated carbon) most of the DT water goes thru every pass to the sump. I wash that the same now.
I also run a DIY Phosguard reactor (gartorade bottle, a tube, and a pump)
I have a huge chaeto basket area, - would easily fill a 10g tank, my Nitrates always read 0.

Good luck, there are a dozen ways to skin a cat! (lots of ways to do things well)

 

I would continue to use the Prime if you are using tap water Chlorine is not the only thing present that could be dangerous.It also contains(in most areas)chloramine which can be deadly to your inhabitants.
Your Nitrates are probably comming from your tap water.