What are you keeping in your system currently?
You don’t consider 1000 gallons of macro algae nutrient export?So with a 150G reef tank in my new home, I plumbed a remote sump that grew into 1000G of algae refugiums and two propagation/growout troughs that were 4’ by 8’ by 12” high. With zero nutrient export
I have unopened test kits that expired 10 year ago.You don’t consider 1000 gallons of macro algae nutrient export?
Patrick…so the focus of this thread is recycling nutrients. I’m a little confused what you’re trying to accomplish. Why do you want to recycle nutrients.? I missed that part.
Also, may I ask the current nutrient numbers.
So if you don’t export, and the algae remains actively growing in the system it will still consume nutrients.did not harvest seaweed in refugium, the pods feed the system growout tanks.
Nutrients is one of my favorite topics, but I must say this does seem a little strange because you don’t test. I’m trying to wrap my head around the goal here. Not saying it’s wrong, but it’s just really different.@Reefahholic
Instead of exporting nutrients, I used those nutrients to grow coral which when fragged & removed “exported nutrients”.
To start with, the 1000G remote refugium was 15 years ago and I have moved on to cryptic sponges for recycling nutrients.So if you don’t export, and the algae remains actively growing in the system it will still consume nutrients.
Nutrients is one of my favorite topics, but I must say this does seem a little strange because you don’t test. I’m trying to wrap my head around the goal here. Not saying it’s wrong, but it’s just really different.
Of course soft corals like higher nutrients, but how do you really know how much was available or how beneficial it really was? Having 1000 gallons of macros I’d assume there’s not a lot of nutrients available unless the algae stops growing. Plus, they’re also consuming some very important trace elements.
Isn’t there an easier/better way of achieving the same goal Patrick? I mean dosing nutrients is very easy and cheap especially Phosphate. Plus you can target/control a better ratio and limit undesirables like Cyano, Dino’s, or bad bacteria which all thrive at low or depleted levels, excessive levels, or with an inverted ratio.
GSP on backglass was ping pong ball size 5 years ago. Most everything else is Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico: Rose Coral & Gorgonions came in on GulfLiveRock. Ornamental sponges include Red Tree, Orange Elephant Ear and Yellow Ball. Special invertebrates include Sea Apple (2 years in system and Flame Scallop at 18 months in system. A different system, houses two deepwater NPS gorgonians.What are you keeping in your system currently?
For starters maybe a skimmer to help with aeration and some export, testing periodically, and if you’re not changing water it would be wise to check on trace element’s to see what’s going on.Easier/better way? Define better.
Excellent, I’m very curious. Also, if you could share the system age, and the details of what is all in it currently.PS: For the sake of this discussion, I will have LFS measure alkalinity and big3 nutrients this week.
Ok. Would you say the LPS and Soft corals do better at a PO4 of .01 and NO3 of 1 or maybe at 0.2 and 20?@Reefahholic
First, I don’t accept the notion that corals need a ideal ratio of nutrients.
Or excessive nutrients, depleted, or inverted ratios.growth is not determined by the most abundant nutrient but it will be limited by the least abundant.
100% agree!Cynobacteria & dinofallegets are negative bioindicators where diversity of micro fauna & fana like micro starfish, amphipods, copepods, spagetti worms etc, etc…. ARE GOOD BIOINDCATRS
So you’re keeping a low demand system with primarily NPS, LPS, and Soft corals. However, they would benefit tremendously if you changed a little water from time to time or dosed back some trace elements. You’re Missing out!!GSP on backglass was ping pong ball size 5 years ago. Most everything else is Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico: Rose Coral & Gorgonions came in on GulfLiveRock. Ornamental sponges include Red Tree, Orange Elephant Ear and Yellow Ball. Special invertebrates include Sea Apple (2 years in system and Flame Scallop at 18 months in system. A different system, houses two deepwater NPS gorgonians.
As I am a Laissez faire reefkeeper, I emulate nature. I have many interest that keep me busy, I don’t need to make work, when Dynamyc Equilibrium is working just fine.So you’re keeping a low demand system with primarily NPS, LPS, and Soft corals. However, they would benefit tremendously if you changed a little water from time to time or dosed back some trace elements. You’re Missing out!!
It works, but could be better. I get it though, some tasks get annoying like cleaning a skimmer cup, but I’ve seen my tanks benefit much more when running a skimmer. The pH stays higher because CO2 is removed (better growth), organics don’t build up (better growth), the aeration in the tank is much better and water movement is huge in a reef tank.As I am a Laissez faire reefkeeper, I emulate nature. I have many interest that keep me busy, I don’t need to make work, when Dynamyc Equilibrium is working just fine.
How did you come to that conclusion. I say even if it did come in from the air…it definitely wouldn’t be enough to sustain my reef. heheWhen I measured, I sought NO4 > 10ppm. I don’t measure phosphate, I think it comes in with the air. .
For sure there are CUC members that can perform several tasks.What you have described is your maintenance schedule. I do not necessarily equate maintenance with better. I prefer to find janitors that perform required maintenance. After 52 years of continuous reefing, I see little reason to change.
I know you’re getting some gas exchange, I just believe a skimmer is more efficient.Why do you assume I need a skimmer for aeration or export. I possess a DO METER and have excellent gas exchange.
Nice picture.In my current dry rock tank I had to dose 0.16 ppm of PO4 daily for about one full year before it finally saturated. That’s not a typo, 0.16 ppm daily for about a year. I can only imagine where the tank would have went had I not kept the N/P ratio where it needed to be. Now that the first year is behind, I’m seeing the tank come to life. At 3 years it should be nice and juicy, but still a Ghetto compared to the food available in the ocean. I did add 10 lbs of LR about 4 months in, because I could see it was basically going nowhere. The Dry rock was outcompeting the corals and the Biome. I slowly shifted the balance little by little, and kept dosing a high quality (very bioavailable) PO4 which basically saved the tank from certain death! Well maybe not death, but the headaches would have lasted much longer had I not added 10 lbs of LR and dosed PO4 and Nitrogen. Will probably never start another tank w/o some LR in the system. It just brings in some much needed diversity. Only downfall is it brings in a lot of pests with it as I’m sure you’re familiar with Gulf Live Rock. Anyway, this year should be much better. Looking forward to some of these corals growing into colonies.
Thank you for that wisdom & discernment.There must be a million ways to be an unsuccessful reefer and lots of ways to achieve your goals as a successful reefer. Seems to me that “success” is an individual benchmark though. To some, using the latest gear, testing and methods this means chasing elements and focusing on making sure SPS in particular has more than enough ambient elemental support to grow and develop at maximum speed. To others, testing, fancy gear and modern methods don’t mean much as long as base principles of nature are followed. very different approach, very different results. Both Successful in their own, very different, ways.