FireEater
Guest
After a lot of discussion, I have decided to reform my refugium, plus from reading this article HERE
What I am going to do is change my middle chamber out. That is, I will remove my deep sand bed and document it here for others to hopefully learn. More about that will come with pics as I take on this task.
My current system has been setup and running since 2004
I have been in the hobby since 2003 and jumped straight into Reef Keeping with a 65g Octagon Tank. In 2004, I built the current system and the Octagon Tank went away.
My system consists of a 29g non-reef safe tank, a 125g reef tank, both are connected to a 45g Refugium. I also run a 65g plastic barrel in my garage, which is plumbed into the return area of the Refugium.
My return pump in that area feeds both the tanks and the barrel. The barrel also returns to this area to keep the water level in it constant.
My chiller is in the garage connected to the barrel and I have valves on it to turn off, which then separates it from the system for water changes in the garage.
I have another 65g barrel with a RO/DI on it and keep 65 gallons in it at all times, for water changes and topping off.
I run a Carbon Canister on the system. It is full of carbon in trays and can go for months before changing out. I run 2 Two Little Fishies Reactors, one holds Purigen and the other hold N/P Bio Pellets. I run a large ASM Skimmer, a Calcium Reactor, and have 2 two and a half gallon containers that I mix Mrs. Wages Lime and White Vinegar in to supplement, but to mainly keep the system topped off with water. I use drip sets on them.
Lighting on the 29g are T 5's and the same on the 125g. The Refugium has been ran with the CFL's and now with T 12's, and has always been the Daylight 6500K bulbs. I am now looking into a Natural Daylight 5000K LED Bulb to replace the T 12's to get more room for the Mangrove.
I run a sand bed in the main tank, but not a deep one and it gets turned over continually by critters and by me. I run a deep sand bed in the 29g tank, but that is because of the Mantis Shrimp that continually burrows and the Rock Crab which does the same. Actually it is only deep on one end for the Mantis.
Now the Refugium has a deep sand bed and it has been in place since 2004. This is in the middle chamber and is full of dead corals, rocks and rubble. It also has a large Mangrove tree that is mainly for looks as they do not filter the water as much as their reputation says they do.
This Chamber along with the article above is what has led me to this point. Back when I started, Deep Sand Beds were the choice, though there was already talk about them being nutrient sinks. But that talk was new and other than a few stories, no one thought otherwise.
So after reading the article and having the discussion, I have decided to change my old ways of thinking and try the new ways in this hobby that is ever changing on us.
My system crashed a few years ago, we bought a new fishing boat and I neglected the tank. Let the T 5 lights lapse over two years and now I suspect from the deep sand base in the Refugium leaching out bad things.
Like I said, I am changing some things. I do need to say that since I read that thread, took a good look at the sand bed in the middle chamber, that is why I think it had a lot to do with my tank crashed, the Phosphate sink I have created most likely was part of the reason my system crashed.
Though now, after everything I have done over the last year, the system is back up and running, all parameters are in range and corals are growing again. But for how long this time?
I have started again to take great care of the system, maintaining it as before, and by before, I mean before we got the big boat. lol!
So here are a lot of pics of my system as of now. As I said, when I start to remove the deep sand bed, I will document and add to this thread. You can also go to my WEBSITE to see where it all started in 2004.
The new bulb I am thinking about going to for the Mangrove.
65g Top Off water
RO/DI Unit, in the Webpage Link, you will see where I attempted to remove the RO Filter and go with two Paper, 2 Carbon filters and a DI Filter to cut out waste water. Well TDS from my City's water is crazy high, so this method could not lower the level enough to use.
I just checked TDS input/output and it is at 168 in and 001 out.
65g Reservoir wrapped in insulation to help protect water from the Texas Heat and our few days of Cold Winter. lol! Plus the chiller sitting next to it. I connect a hose to the valve on the bottom of the barrel and drain it from there.
The cut off valves
Refill hole and window to look down it it. I use a short hose to fill it here with saltwater mixed up from the Top Off Barrel.
The best pic I could get looking down in it. Detritus does build up here also. From now on when I drain it, I will remove this out also.
The two PVC pipes run to the Reservoir in the Garage. I built this Sump from MelevsReef back in 2004. I used Marc's Model F plans. I haven't talked to him in years, but he was great to talk to and a lot of learning from him.
Here you can see the water from the 65g Reservoir dumping back into this chamber.
Cut off valve from both overflows in the tanks
What I am going to do is change my middle chamber out. That is, I will remove my deep sand bed and document it here for others to hopefully learn. More about that will come with pics as I take on this task.
My current system has been setup and running since 2004
I have been in the hobby since 2003 and jumped straight into Reef Keeping with a 65g Octagon Tank. In 2004, I built the current system and the Octagon Tank went away.
My system consists of a 29g non-reef safe tank, a 125g reef tank, both are connected to a 45g Refugium. I also run a 65g plastic barrel in my garage, which is plumbed into the return area of the Refugium.
My return pump in that area feeds both the tanks and the barrel. The barrel also returns to this area to keep the water level in it constant.
My chiller is in the garage connected to the barrel and I have valves on it to turn off, which then separates it from the system for water changes in the garage.
I have another 65g barrel with a RO/DI on it and keep 65 gallons in it at all times, for water changes and topping off.
I run a Carbon Canister on the system. It is full of carbon in trays and can go for months before changing out. I run 2 Two Little Fishies Reactors, one holds Purigen and the other hold N/P Bio Pellets. I run a large ASM Skimmer, a Calcium Reactor, and have 2 two and a half gallon containers that I mix Mrs. Wages Lime and White Vinegar in to supplement, but to mainly keep the system topped off with water. I use drip sets on them.
Lighting on the 29g are T 5's and the same on the 125g. The Refugium has been ran with the CFL's and now with T 12's, and has always been the Daylight 6500K bulbs. I am now looking into a Natural Daylight 5000K LED Bulb to replace the T 12's to get more room for the Mangrove.
I run a sand bed in the main tank, but not a deep one and it gets turned over continually by critters and by me. I run a deep sand bed in the 29g tank, but that is because of the Mantis Shrimp that continually burrows and the Rock Crab which does the same. Actually it is only deep on one end for the Mantis.
Now the Refugium has a deep sand bed and it has been in place since 2004. This is in the middle chamber and is full of dead corals, rocks and rubble. It also has a large Mangrove tree that is mainly for looks as they do not filter the water as much as their reputation says they do.
This Chamber along with the article above is what has led me to this point. Back when I started, Deep Sand Beds were the choice, though there was already talk about them being nutrient sinks. But that talk was new and other than a few stories, no one thought otherwise.
So after reading the article and having the discussion, I have decided to change my old ways of thinking and try the new ways in this hobby that is ever changing on us.
My system crashed a few years ago, we bought a new fishing boat and I neglected the tank. Let the T 5 lights lapse over two years and now I suspect from the deep sand base in the Refugium leaching out bad things.
Like I said, I am changing some things. I do need to say that since I read that thread, took a good look at the sand bed in the middle chamber, that is why I think it had a lot to do with my tank crashed, the Phosphate sink I have created most likely was part of the reason my system crashed.
Though now, after everything I have done over the last year, the system is back up and running, all parameters are in range and corals are growing again. But for how long this time?
I have started again to take great care of the system, maintaining it as before, and by before, I mean before we got the big boat. lol!
So here are a lot of pics of my system as of now. As I said, when I start to remove the deep sand bed, I will document and add to this thread. You can also go to my WEBSITE to see where it all started in 2004.
The new bulb I am thinking about going to for the Mangrove.
65g Top Off water
RO/DI Unit, in the Webpage Link, you will see where I attempted to remove the RO Filter and go with two Paper, 2 Carbon filters and a DI Filter to cut out waste water. Well TDS from my City's water is crazy high, so this method could not lower the level enough to use.
I just checked TDS input/output and it is at 168 in and 001 out.
65g Reservoir wrapped in insulation to help protect water from the Texas Heat and our few days of Cold Winter. lol! Plus the chiller sitting next to it. I connect a hose to the valve on the bottom of the barrel and drain it from there.
The cut off valves
Refill hole and window to look down it it. I use a short hose to fill it here with saltwater mixed up from the Top Off Barrel.
The best pic I could get looking down in it. Detritus does build up here also. From now on when I drain it, I will remove this out also.
The two PVC pipes run to the Reservoir in the Garage. I built this Sump from MelevsReef back in 2004. I used Marc's Model F plans. I haven't talked to him in years, but he was great to talk to and a lot of learning from him.
Here you can see the water from the 65g Reservoir dumping back into this chamber.
Cut off valve from both overflows in the tanks