Your comments as to what's below and/or new comments and questions can be forwarded to my e-mail address - saltcorner@cs.com. Take into consideration that I'm a 'Senior Citizen' and growing a little slower every day. Your e-mail may be one of twenty or more received daily, and between travel, both pleasure and business, answering may take a week or more.
Hi Bob,
Has been a while since I was searching your brain for solutions to my problems....so thought I owed you an update.
I've been using Marc Weiss BlackPowder and other products since your recommendation about a year ago, and as you said, you stopped using it because the coral was overgrowing your tank. I seem to be having the same problem, however, I'm so pleased, I don't want to stop. I'm looking for some local people to swap corals with instead, and the Marine Technical Concept Mini Cal I got is just working away. So, my tank is right on the numbers - very satisfied with the information you provided to keep my coral garden healthy.
I also miss the old Marine fish Monthly magazine!
Thanks,
Earl E. Carpenter
Hi Earl,
Thanks for the feedback. You and many others are having the same results with these Marc Weiss products, and many invertebrate that have been impossible to keep, such as Dendronephthya sp., are now becoming easier to maintain long-term. And, I think you should checkout the new Combo-Vital, which is a combination of BlackPowder and Spectra-Vital. It's a great product because one can now satisfy with one feeding a wide variety of animals that prefer either plant or animal matter in their diet.
I also write for a marine-only magazine in the UK called Marine World. You can contact their Editor for subscribing info at lizdonlan@marineworldmagazine.com.
Checkout my new website at www.saltcorner.com and let me know what you think. If you have any digital photos of your aquarium/animals, I can post them on my site.
Enjoy,
Bob
Hi Bob,
I just read your book "Live Sand Secrets" and found it very interesting. I am a reefer for over 15 years and now that I'm in a new house, I wanted to get a much larger tank. My system now is a 90 gallon. I like the idea of having sand on the bottom of the tank that is not a nutrient trap. The questions I have are as follows:
1) Have you ever tried using "cell pore" on the bottom of the tank? It comes in 9"x9"x1" squares. I have seen it used in filters with great results.
2) I am having trouble finding the right aragonite or should I say the right size. CaribSea makes lots of sands, but the dealers here don't know the sizes. I even e-mail CaribSea but they haven't responded as of yet. I have been able to find Sea Floor and Fiji Pink. Are these ok to use?
3) If I add "Live Sand", should it be on top half or the bottom half?
Thanks for taking the time to read this and for any help you can give me,
John Brienza
Hi John,
Thanks for your email and if you liked the Live Sand Secrets booklet, checkout my new website at www.saltcorner.com for info on my other books. This site is becoming one of the best informational sites on the web, all without a lot of hype!
As for the Cell Pore product, I spent six years researching microbial processes in various type sandbeds and have been fortunate to have the data completely scrutinized by a biochemist that consults for the worlds leading corporations and governments. One of the many facts learned was that microbial functions in areas that contained no oxygen and those that contained a small amount of oxygen had to be separated into different terminology. The term anaerobic, an area containing little or no oxygen, no longer sufficed if we were to gain access into the next millennium of aquarium husbandry.
Why is that you may/should ask? Simply because the microbial efficiency between these two areas is EXTREMELY important. Those bacteria operating in an oxygen free zone reduce nitrate back to ammonium no further. It is called the ammonification process or assimilatory denitrification (reassembly of ammonium, i.e., ammonification). Not only is a nitrogen product returned to the bulk water (yes, ammonium is a nitrogen produt), the bacteria's inefficient use of phosphorous for energy results in an abundant amount of phosphate in the surrounding areas.
On the other hand, in a zone where oxygen is between .5 to 2.0 ppm, or what should be called the anoxic zone, bacteria will reduce nitrate back to gaseous elemental forms and this is termed dissimilatory denitrification. And, these bacteria are more than 30 times more efficient than those found in oxygen free zones, which results in extremely efficient use of phosphorous and far less production of phosphate!
Because of that and how the processes are controlled by electrical charges I question whether or not the Cell-Pore product when used as a plenum device has the correct redox needed to return oxidized constituents back to the bulk water. If not, it may create a dead end for nutrients or may even prevent them from getting to the material in the first place. Electrical charges can either attract or repel! Another point of contention is the material is composed of many tiny chambers where biomass/bacteria could easily clog/impede any constituent flow into or through the material. Since bacteria are constantly renewing themselves, their biomass could clog/prevent oxygen from entering the medium (even if its redox was originally correct). The entire slab of material would then become anaerobic (no oxygen as described above), and of course this a condition to be avoided if overall system microbial balance is to be maintained.
The material has been advertised as fostering anaerobic denitrification. Yet, if the user wants an anaerobic condition in the lower portion of their sandbed and/or anywhere in aquarium after all the evidence pointing against having such conditions, they could simply place a deep sandbed directly on the aquarium bottom. Bear in mind a "true" Jaubert/NNR plenum is an "open" space and there is nothing in its "space" to skew the extremely important value of its redox or interfere with its "chemical" processes. Actually, nothing in this open space is needed to accommodate microbes nor should there be, as all valued microbial functions are taking place in the above sandbed! The Jaubert/NNR plenum "space" should be considered as one large "pore water" area!
As for sand, crushed coral would work well, as I have used that in client systems with very good results. I used CaribSea "Bermuda Pink" (2 - 4mm) in my past 180 system and that looked very nice. Also, you can get it already inoculated with live bacteria. Call CaribSea at (888) 461-1113 and ask where you can obtain it. In fact, that 180 gallon system was purchased by a local store for their show system and the photo on my opening website page is my old 180 system at their store. I'm planning a new system for my office and hope to have up and running by May or June.
And the 'live sand' should always go on top, as that is the first particles to encounter incoming nutrients. Those microbes further down will quickly establish themselves.
Checkout my new site, and keep in mind there's space for photos of your aquariums. In fact, my guru and I are working a total redo of the animal library that will have close to 1000 color photos and info on each animal! That will hopefully be done by mid June. The goal is to have the most professional and informative marine site in the world!
Hope this helps and keep me posted,
Bob
Hi Bob,
Love your FAMA articles.
My problem is I just purchased a 50 gallon pentagon aquarium and I want to set up a plenum NNR filter in the tank and would like any suggestions on how to build a plenum for this pie-shaped aquarium? Or should I build it in a separate sump? The problem with this idea is there is not much space under the tank for a big enough sump to do a good job of keeping nitrates down in a mixed reef tank of fish and corals. Can a person put an inch of extra coarse crushed coral or aragonite sand and just put the screening on top that, then top that off with the finer aragonite (2inches) and screening then another 2inches to get the proper depth and accomplish the same process of the plenum? I want to get this right the first time!
Thanks,
Rico Horton
Hi Rico,
Pentagon shaped!
Let me first address your thought on an extra inch of sand idea. That's not an acceptable approach. The plenum space 'must' be on the bottom. That space consists of the screened grid. On top of that comes four inches of substrate.
It sounds like you have never read my Live Sand Secrets booklet. If not, checkout my new website at www.saltcorner.com. Go to my 'Bob's Books' section and check them out. Also, read the pages in the Controversy section.
With a pentagon shaped aquarium I would honestly recommend a shallow substrate consisting of about 1.5 inch in depth, and consisting of about 2 mm size sand grains. Leave as much sandbed surface open for vacuuming, and the system should do well. Maybe not as good as with a plenum, but you don't seem to have the space for one. Keep in mind that any type system, plenum, Berlin, DSB can work if the right husbandry procedures are followed and mated to the right bioload.
Hope this helps and keep me posted,
Bob
Hi Bob
First let me say I have just finished reading your book "Protein Skimming & Activated Carbon Secrets" and I have enjoyed it and learned a lot.
I have my 75 gallon reef aquarium running for over 2yrs now with a homemade skimmer I made myself and I have to say I sure made a lot of mistakes in both the design and the installation. Don't get me wrong it works and has worked well for the 2yrs but I can see now it just can not keep up and is keeping my tank from excelling.
Anyhow I am confused in one area. In your book you talked about turnover rates but didn't give a specific target to shoot for. Since I plan on purchasing a store bought skimmer soon I would like to know for my system. I planned on buying one built for a 300 gallon tank but am now concerned I will over skim.
My tank has many filter feeders as well as LPS& SPS corals and a somewhat large snowflake eel. I recently removed all my mechanical filtration and my tank is running much better. You can see that the skimmer will be a very critical component to my set up. I'd appreciate your recommendation on a product as well. I can not afford these $300+ skimmers, but am looking to spend $150-$200 on one.
Lastly I am an machinist by trade and an inventor by nature. I have thought about using a separate canister for carbon and circulating a small amount of the water through it. Kinda like a "Kidney Loop" very similar to a denitrator set up. I felt this would be easy to maintain and also eliminate the bags while controlling the flow rates - what are your thoughts?
Thanks for you time
Vince
Hi Vince,
Thank you for the nice words, and that booklet has received similar comments steadily since it came out two years ago! Checkout my new website at www.saltcorner.com for info on my other books and also read some of the product reviews on skimmers. Could be the AquaC Remora Pro model might fit your needs. Yet, keep in mind that a bigger than needed skimmer can always be used somewhat less, but a small skimmer can never be increased past its top output ability.
As I say in the booklet, 'Ultimately the number of true turnover rates needed is influenced by aquarium bio-load.' My booklet suggests some number of turnovers for different type systems, however, they are only suggestions. If I gave specifics, the comments coming back would not be as positive as they are! Every system is different and there are many different thoughts on the value of skimming. But where you are concerned, 2 - 4 turnovers per day should suffice.
And, the separate canister 'is' the way to go where chemical filtration is concerned. And consider this, - I use to cut the Poly-Filter into a hundred tiny 1/4 inch pieces and place them and activated carbon in the same canister filter. Worked like a charm!
Hope this helps and keep me posted,
Bob
Hi Bob
I have just read all three of your books and think you have the rite ideas and was wondering if this email is still a good address?
Thanks, John Mann
Hi John,
Actually, there are 5 booklets with a 6th in the works on Animal Husbandry and a CD book called 'The New Wave.' Checkout my new website at www.saltcorner.com and let me know what you think.
Cheers,
Bob
Dear Bob,
I regularly read your column in FAMA. I have also read some of your earlier books that I source via the web through Champion Lighting and Supply. I am after your latest CD book. Unfortunately it is not available here and Champion Lighting does not advertise it on their web site. I have tried a few other suppliers without any luck. Can you tell me where I can source a copy of your latest book via the internet?
Thanks,
Gary Solomon
Australia
Hi Gary,
Actually, there are now 5 booklets and a CD book called 'The New Wave.' Checkout my new website at www.saltcorner.com and let me know what you think.
I suggest contacting Doctors Foster & Smith (see my page called 'Bob's Books' on my website). You can call free of charge at their 800 number (800-443-1160) or contact them via their website at www.drsfostersmith.com and place the order there. They will then figure out the shipping charge and contact you back with that amount. If happy, place the order with them. So will That Fish Place - check my website for more info.
Cheers,
Bob
Hi Bob:
First of all I would like to thank you for all the information you provide through your column, your booklets, and your new CD book. I have enjoyed them all.
In an attempt to lower the nitrate levels in my 90 gallon fish and anemone tank, about 50 ppm, I have decided to add a NNR plenum to my system. Presently I have about 70 pounds of rock, a small protein skimmer and trickle filter combination, a canister filter for my activated carbon, as well as a UV filter. I only have a few fishes and a couple of anemones, with all other system parameters okay. Yet, I want to lower that nitrate level for my own satisfaction and prepare for the possibility of expanding to a reef system at some time in the future.
I interconnected an old 50 gallon aquarium for my plenum and have followed you directions to the letter, with one exception. I used 1" strips of eggcrate on edge around the outside of the grid and a couple of cross supports. I tied these in place with plastic ties. This gave me a sturdy bottomless box that allowed me to glue the screen to the bottom edge of the 1" strips and have a very neat and tidy covered grid. I haven't used any live sand in the system.
My question is, can I just hook this into my existing system (after the water has cleared) and allow it to cycle within the system or should I cycle the plenum on its own before opening the connection between the two systems? Hopefully my water quality will improve, especially the nitrates, with the addition of the plenum. Furthermore, it has been extremely interesting doing the research and constructing the system thanks to your writing. Thank you again.
Dave Lineker
Comox, B.C. Canada
Hi Dave,
Thanks for your 'thanks.' As for using strips of eggcrate as support for the horizontal grid, I always tell people to position those strips so the square openings in the material are not vertical. In other words, place it so they allow for diffusion from the surrounding outer edge of sand or between sections under the grid. If that's the way you did, that's perfect.
As for your question, connect it to the main system immediately. The sooner the better. By using dead sand the bed will take about three months to become sufficiently active to show some results, somewhat less if one of the biological activator additives is used.
As for the efficiency of an interconnected plenum-equipped tank a doctor in Connecticut gave me some feedback about his a 500 gallon fish-only system. It also had 50 ppm nitrate. He connected a 30 gallon plenum system to his main system and water flowed through the plenum system at 15 gallons per hour. After a few months of operation the effluent from the plenum contained 25 mg/l nitrate. Great efficiency for such a small interconnected tank and it say's a lot about plenum capability!
Keep me posted,
Bob
Dear Bob,
Let me start by saying I have been a reader of your articles from 1987. I have since gained a plethora of information and more importantly have watched the hobby grow scientifically to what now appears to be a full circle with a more holistic approach. Not just bludgeoning the marine aquarium into submission, but rather, scientifically understanding what is going on, i.e., the full understanding of completing the ammonia-nitrite-nitrate and even further into the cycle to remove nitrate via facultative anaerobes and the like to complete the cycle and control nitrates as well. A lot has changed in 14 years, but in a way Lee Chin Eng had grasped this concept way back when.
I guess there's more than one way to skin a cat, but I also believe there is only one best way to do it. I feel we are closing in on that with a fuller understanding of lighting needs, keeping water parameters up, what can be kept with what (or at all) and understanding animal husbandry, and that these creatures are dependant on us, just as your dog, cat or family for that matter. But on to my reason for writing - Over the years I have seen conflicting information concerning feeding land-based plant foods to fishes. I recall reading that land based vegetation has a different cell structure that is not readily broken down by their digestion system. Then, I have read of people feeding everything from lettuce to kale to broccoli to carrots to their fishes. Some people suggest freezing the foods before serving to break down the cell structure, others to cook or blanch them first, or use frozen foods, thawed from the box. Now as embarrassing as it is for me as a sport fisherman to admit, I have actually put Green Giant peas on a hook and you couldn't keep the opal eye perch off it with a stick so I know certain fish love their veggies! Of course, these fish were being caught to become part of 'my' food chain and the long term effects of them eating peas just wasn't going to be pondered upon. Now, I'm reading articles concerning Head & Lateral Line Syndrome being successfully treated with several foods from my grocers produce section. What's your opinion, as well as the scientific community's study of this?
I know most prepared fish foods have wheat flour and gluten in them (certainly from terra firma!), so it seems they can digest that ok. I have also caught fish in the wild that had Lateral Line problems and facial scarring. Nobody is keeping them from getting their veggies! I have a Lemonpeel angel that I have had for over 13 years. This fish has facial scarring that developed several years ago and has spread to cover its whole head, but not really affecting the Lateral Line. I also believe I have seen new scale growth on the head area in the past few years, which I attribute to feeding smaller quantities of my normal food selection, which does not consist of land-based plant foods. But I feed more often throughout the day because fishes normally forage and do not just sit down to three squares a day! However, if feeding my fish some cooked broccoli may induce more positive results in clearing up this scarring, guess I'll give it a go, but I won't if the long term result could be detrimental. This angelfish leads a normal happy active life with his few tank mates with plenty of space and doesn't seem physically bothered by his looks. It is a fish only tank and the nitrates while slightly high, are well within reason (lets say 35 ppm). But mainly my question is - Can fish break down these land veggies, digestively speaking or not? And, has anyone studied the long-term affects of this.
Looking forward to hearing from you, and keep up the good work! I believe Mother Nature appreciates you too!
David Novak
Austin TX.
Hi David,
Thanks for your e-mail and agree that many now in the hobby are looking more towards science and trying to understand root cause instead of relying on superficial remedies. But we have a long way to go because some are difficult to convince and/or not wanting to change their ways. But those with an open mind will, in fact, are beginning to see how understanding nature's pathways result in better aquariums and healthier animals.
As for people foods, there's no doubt some of them have value for our finny friends. Poor diet can be the cause of many parasites and bacteria related problems. It can also cause the loss of what was a perfectly healthy fish. Once fishes become weakened by nutritional deficiencies they may never recover no matter what changes the aquarist makes to their diet. Underfeeding is a prevalent attitude among many aquarists as there is general fear of overfeeding the aquarium. I support not overfeeding, however, underfeeding is a totally separate subject. Some fishes are plankton feeders, some graze algae, some eat like cows and others eat only when an occasional meal is available.
It's therefore necessary to understand the number of feedings and type of food needed to provide long-term health. If numerous feedings are preferable, feed only what will be quickly eaten. The remark that "I only feed every other day" when there is a variety of plankton and algae grazers in the system is poor animal husbandry. Keep in mind the right type of foods fed the correct number of times each day helps maintain animal health for the long term. If water quality is a concern, there are ways to correct that without starving the fishes!
People foods, such as Romaine lettuce, Iceberg lettuce, kale, baby sweet peas, spinach and broccoli do not deliver the nutrients that fresh macroalgae or dried Nori seaweed can. However, these people foods continue to be used. Iceberg lettuce is not a fitting substitute for Romaine lettuce as it is very high in cellulose, which can clog the digestion tract. Neither is spinach, as it contains oxalic acid, which can cause crystals to form in the kidneys. In fact, most of these people green foods are high in nitrate, which will sooner or later show up in the aquarium.
Occasional feeding of these greens can add fiber to their diet and help keep their digestive tract clear. Yet there's really no worthwhile nutritional value for herbivorous animals with these people foods. For those who wish to continue using Iceberg or Romaine lettuce, first blanch it in scalding hot water for about 30 seconds or freeze it prior to feeding. You can also place them in a microwave for 15 seconds prior to feeding. This helps break down the cellulose and aids in digestion.
There are many different types of flake and freeze-dried foods. Most flake foods contain a variety of ingredients, e.g., algae, liver, Tubifex worms, shrimp meal, fish meal, yeast, and beef heart to mention just a few. The colors of the flakes are a fairly good nutritional indicator. Green flakes provide vegetable matter and enhance colors. Red flakes promote colors and encourage spawning. Yellow flakes provide growth and conditioning matter. Brown flakes provide natural raw material and enhance resistance to disease.
Spirulina flake is one of the more important flake foods, especially for herbivores. It is a microalgae and is specially grown for human consumption because it is high in protein and Beta Carotene plus many other vitamins and minerals. It's also a natural antibiotic and helps to improve survival rate. This green flake food is excellent for Surgeonfish, Angelfish and other species that require vegetable matter in their diets because its cell wall is a saccharate instead of a regular plant celluloid-like material such as in lettuce.
Another excellent form of dry algae is the dried Nori seaweed. This seaweed/kelp can be found in oriental food stores and comes packaged in sheets as thin as newspaper. There seem to be a few different types, e.g., green, red, and brown varieties. My fishes prefer the green seaweed. I also enhance the dried seaweed with either an all "B" natural vitamin solution (about three drops mixed in a teaspoon of water) with no preservative or a similar vitamin "C" solution. There are also prepared vitamin and mineral supplements that can be used to fortify dry foods, e.g., American Marine's Selcon, which contains highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) and vitamin C, or Kent Marine's Zoe, both excellent products.
Due to the processes involved in producing dried and freeze-dried foods their taste and nutritional value is not as good as fresh, live or frozen foods. They, including krill, should be enhanced with a vitamin/mineral additive. And, where frozen foods are concerned, keep in mind freezing alters their amino acids. So the addition of a vitamin/mineral additive is quite beneficial. Also, care should be exercised as to the amount fed at any one time, especially where flake food is concerned as it begins decaying almost immediately upon contact with water, leaching vitamins or going to waste.
As for lateral line disease/disorder it has always been my position that diet, stress and/or poor water quality (in that order) has been its cause. My personal feeling is that lateral line disorder could be considered comparable to rickets or beriberi in humans. Poor water quality and stress no doubt irritates this condition caused by a vitamin/mineral deficiency and deteriorated areas become a haven for bacteria/infection. Surgeonfishes/angelfishes are mostly herbivores and their diet consists mainly of algae. Micro or macroalgae contain a wide variety of trace metals/vitamins and the lack of proper supply of these may just be the cause of this problem. Broccoli, which contains vitamin C, A, E, and some iodine, is one of the more acceptable people foodstuffs for fishes and can be fed without treating it any fashion except rinsing under tap water before use.
Many years ago the president of a local aquarium society was given a purple tang that had come into a local pet store in the most dreadful condition I've ever seen! It was riddled from head to tail, or what was left of the tail, with what we call "lateral line disease." The fish was placed in a 100 gallon aquarium that contained some Lionfish and lots of good hiding places. The water quality was good and the tang was fed flake food soaked in an all-natural multi-vitamin solution and was also given the excess macroalgae from my aquarium. The flake was fed as often as possible in the beginning, sometimes as many as ten to fifteen times a day. Only a small pinch of treated flake was dropped in the aquarium, never any more than the fish could eat in a minute or two. Within a few months the fish was almost fully recovered and looked like it just came from the ocean! I only wish I had a before-and-after picture. A fellow aquarist from England contacted me during that time and had a similar lateral line problem with one of his angelfish. After trying the above feeding routine he wrote to say his fish was returning to normal.
As for leading edge science, over the past few years words such as immunostimulants, glucans, and probiotics have became buzzwords. Professional aquaculture companies have begun selling treated foods and additives containing compounds that can reduce the chance of infections and/or improve the possibility of recovering from a particular disease.
Enhancing the mechanisms that ward off disease with certain chemicals known as immunostimulants is a growing and worthwhile approach. It is accomplished among other things by increasing the level of macrophages, a particular "killer" white blood cell that devours disease-causing cells and also activates T-cells, which produce antibodies. It also seems to be effective against viral and parasite-related problems. The enhancing, however, is a temporary condition and does not build increased permanent resistance. Any product containing these compounds should be used periodically, as fishes seem to establish enhanced resistance periods for only a short period of time. Manufacturer recommendations should be followed and if unsure always rotate the use of enhanced products, e.g., every few weeks with other quality foodstuffs.
Keep in mind that without an adequate supply of carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals in the diets of our animals, treated foods will be useless. Always feed a varied diet and supplement with known and tested products that truly benefit the animals in the aquarium. And, more of treated foods is not better as their over usage may inhibit the immune system besides wasting money since these products are more expensive than non-treated foodstuffs.
And, the use of good bacteria and/or their byproducts to fight troublesome bacteria has been known for many decades. Encouraging good bacteria to utilize the same growth space that troublesome bacteria would utilize is a way of preventing the initial colonization of disease causing organisms thereby resulting in an overall long-term healthy animal. These desirable organisms are called "probiotics." As for "prebiotics" they are the substances that provoke or inspire the growth and colonization by probiotic organisms.
Enhanced products are especially useful during stressful times when animal immune systems become overtaxed. Shipping, aggression by tankmates, poor water quality and poor diet are a few examples of these stresses. These products are valuable tools in lengthening animal vitality and longevity in our aquariums.
So, in a nutshell, there are benefits to be derived from certain people foods, exactly which ones and in what quantities is still not a perfected science where our pets are involved. And, with the use of treated foodstuffs, the ability to lengthen life spans is becoming a reality. But, even though we are seeing better foodstuff products, it all begins with understanding the needs of your animals.
Hope this helps,
Bob
Hi Bob,
First, I must say your biological filtration explanations are the clearest I've ever seen! Thank you for that.
I am writing because it is very difficult (almost impossible) to find aragonite in my local area. I have tried contacting suppliers in the US to find out if there are places in my country where I can purchase this material for my plenum, however, no answer yet. But Halimeda is available in large quantities and can be found in many shops. Is that useable, as I understand it is as soft as aragonite? Could be if I use it I might not need a lot of calcium supplements. Am I correct?
Best regards,
André Brianti
São Paulo - Brazil
Dear Andre,
Thanks, and as for your question, the most important aspect about plenum substrate is its physical size. Keeping grain size near the 2 -4 mm is very important for oxygen diffusion. Aragonite is very good since it is soft, but crushed coral would suffice if it were the only media available.
As for the local halimeda gravel, it may be too course and flat-sided, even though its very soft material and dissolves at the same pH as does aragonite. Unfortunately its shape contributes to the material packing tightly and blocking diffusion. And, it also contains a lot of organic matter. For these reasons it does not generally suffice as substrate material for any type natural aquarium. Yet, if the material could be sized correctly and made more three dimensional in shape, the organic material can be stripped out by soaking it in a solution of hydrogen peroxide. The best of the halimeda species for substrate material is 'incrassata.'
And yes, there is some reduction of calcium supplements when a suitable aragonite product is used, but it would not eliminate their use.
Hope this helps,
Bob
Dear Bob,
I have several reef systems that have a plenum system installed with a trickle filter. All of the systems have sufficient live rock included in the aquarium itself and a good protein skimmer. They are stocked with numerous corals and a moderate number of fish. Would you agree that the systems would function best without the bio-balls in the trickle filter? Wouldn't the trickle filters function as a sump without the bio-balls? I have one 400 gallon system that has bio-balls added in a header box and in a sump where they are completely submerged by water, as well as bio-balls in a trickle filter. Would you recommend removing them as well? I have read that trickle filters are producers of nitrate. Do you agree?
Thanks for your response.
Tom Gray
Hi Tom,
The sole purpose of bio-balls is to provide adhesion sites for nitrification bacteria. The bacteria's sole purpose is to oxidize the ammonia-laden compounds flowing past them and reduce it to nitrate, which is the processes final product. The location of the bio-balls in an area where water 'trickles' over them helps to replenish the oxygen used by the bacteria in the reduction process. Should the media be submerged, the oxygen used by the bacteria is not replaced and distracts from the overall dissolved oxygen in the bulk water.
So yes, trickle filters generate nitrate and it's the reason why I recommend this type equipment not be used in conjunction with/on plenum systems. It's actually preferable to allow the majority of nitrate production to occur in the upper plenum sandbed and diffuse downward to be used by the very efficient microbes living in the lower anoxic portions of the bed. In plenum systems, having any equipment that distributes nitrate laden water into the system's bulk water is counterproductive and not in the best interest of overall water quality.
As long as you have a quality protein skimmer that helps keep system water well oxygenated, the trickle filter is not needed. Yet, if you want to keep the unit in action, its media should be removed, however, not all at one time. Removing equal portions of the bio-balls over a few months is the way to proceed. In place of the bio-balls in the trickle section some hobbyists use small pieces of live rock and/or small containers/sacks of phosphate removing media/activated carbon. That's fine, as is the installation of acrylic deflector panels arranged so as to lengthen the flow of the water passing through the trickle section, which helps add some oxygen. As for the unit's sump, it's the ideal place to makeup for evaporation, add various additives, and/or house various helpful pieces of equipment.
In other than plenum systems or where high nitrate levels are not a concern, the use of trickle filters and/or fluidbed filters is quite effective.
Hope this helps,
Bob
Dear Mr. Goemans,
I have several questions to ask about the plenum system. First I would like to say I enjoy reading your monthly Sand Mail column in FAMA. I find it very helpful along with your various books. I am setting up a plenum system in a reef tank and am going to use aragonite for the bed material. For the 4 inch bed, does all need to be aragonite or can I mix, say 2 inches of live sand and 2 inches aragonite. I also understand aragonite dissolves slowly over time at a pH of 8.2, so eventually it has to be replaced, but how soon will that become necessary?
I also plan on using a calcium reactor with the system. Do I use the same formula to figure out how much aragonite it needs as is needed as with live sand? When the aragonite breaks down, does it release enough calcium, magnesium, strontium, iron, so that other additions are not needed? Lastly, where is the best place to order live sand or the aragonite? Keep up the great writing, I enjoy reading your articles.
Thanks!
Troy Steinberg
Hi Troy,
Thanks for your comment about my column and if you like the column, you should see my new website! Check it out at www.saltcorner.com. As for aragonite, it is the best choice possible for substrate in reef aquariums because it dissolves slowly adding some of the more important minerals. Notice I said 'some,' as it does not generally keep pace with system needs. For that a calcium reactor should be considered, or possibly a two-part solution. And even that may not add all the essential elements needed. Therefore regular testing is advisable, as are necessary additions of those needed elements.
As for substrate, the most important factor is sand grain size. Staying close to the 2 - 4 mm size is preferred. Mixing different type material, e.g., live sand, crushed coral, or aragonite is certainly acceptable. Again, grain size needs to remain in the acceptable range. And attention to the more course, angular shaped material is also preferable because it provides for better diffusion/penetration of oxygen. Much of the beach collected finer sands are more rounded, therefore restrict diffusion somewhat. They also contain organic material and probably some oil-based products. Aragonite sands now come prepackaged with 'live' bacteria! It's the way to go instead of some of these beach-collected sands. And, use of as much 'live' sand as possible will help establish microbial colonies more quickly. Its always wise to establish the users of nutrients first, than allow nutrients to accumulate while bacteria colonies are only beginning their colonization efforts.
As for eventual additions of substrate, the time will come when bed depth looks somewhat low. Just when that's going to occur, is like predicting the weather six months from now. But additions in my systems took place a few times a year with small amounts being delivered through a length of PVC pipe to different areas in the aquarium. Then spread out with a small, long handled homemade acrylic rake. Worked well for me.
As for additions to the calcium reactor, the formula you are referring to appears in one of my booklets and pertains to 'sand' with a grain size of about 2 mm. It's there to help hobbyists estimate the number of pounds of live sand when ordering. It does not apply to reactor media because that's a larger grained media. As for brand preferences and ordering, I've mentioned some in your response, and if others have similar interest, please contact me.
Hope this helps,
Bob
Dear Bob,
Please could you tell me is there any star fish or anemones I could keep in my set up. It's a 180 Vision tank with an Eheim 2233 and a Fluval 304 filter and a pump driven protein skimmer. I have a cleaner wrasse, two clowns, one banggi, one dart fish, a boxer shrimp and a blood shrimp, all doing well.
Tom Topping,
Northern Ireland
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your letter and when it comes to anemones, I usually recommend to those that have 'planned' for their use, to place them in the aquarium prior to adding any other type of livestock. The reason for this is they will go where the current, light, food, and décor suit them the best. When added at a later time they may crawl over something live of more value and injure or kill it. Then, when settled down, build the rest of the livestock/corals around it. Keep in mind anemones are mostly difficult to maintain, therefore their species needs to fit the goals of the system. They can not be considered an easy to addition, as fishes are, to the system. So, without knowing much more about your goals, would recommend against an anemone at this time. However, if it's a must have, we need to discuss it much further!
But the same is not true for star fishes, now called sea stars. And keep in mind, besides sea stars, there are also brittle stars and serpent stars that might interest you. You can checkout the differences on my website at www.saltcorner.com. If you have corals in your system there are only a few sea stars to chose from. They are the Blue Linckia (L. laevigata), Red Star (Fromia milleporella) and Orange Star (F. monilis). All are good choices for the reef system. Any others need to be weighed carefully before they enter the system.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Bob
Dear Bob,
Thanks for your last letter. After a major rethink and some substantial research, I've finally figured out what corals, fish, equipment and décor I'm using. For corals I'm sticking with large polyped stony corals; the list is as follows: a large group of different colored mushroom anemones, a group of yellow polyps, a torch coral or candy cane coral, a Pineapple or true brain coral, a tooth coral, a bubble coral and an anchor coral. I understand that all these corals have similar requirements. I'm also having a small group of Asterea snails, and later on four blue legged hermit crabs and for crustaceans a pair of boxing shrimp.
For fish I've made substantial changes. Instead of a flame hawkfish, I plan to keep either a long nosed hawkfish or a royal gramma, a midas blenny instead of a bi-colour blenny as they are more peaceful and don't nip corals, a pair of fire gobies for colour and a pyjama wrasse. The pyjama wrasse will be added last as I heard they can be quite aggressive to anything which is added later on.
For equipment I'm not using a plenum as it will take up too much room, which I can't spare in my small tank. So instead I'll place 1.5" or 2" of coral sand on the bottom. I don't like the idea of making a kind of bridge as this sounds a bit dangerous, so I'm going to use a largish protein skimmer and one 1500lph circulation pump or two 1000lph circulation pumps. With lighting I'll use two triton tubes at 24" long in a single hood. (confused on the right amount of watts).
There's a lot of confusion as to what supplements I should use for my intended reef tank, and I'm wondering if you can advise me on what to use? For water changes there's also some confusion. The confusion is in the purification of water and if it's necessary, as the water we get from the tap is very clean. I'm clear that you need to let the water and salt mix for 24 hours but why do I need to purify my water?
Thanks for your thorough help with the last letter.
Regards
Adrian Keene,
Australia
Dear Adrian,
Thanks for your return posting. As for corals, they all basically have the same requirements, which is moderate water movement and medium light. And medium light would about 3 watts per gallon. As for the shrimp, Boxing shrimp do not provide cleaning services in captivity, and they must be a male and female, as two of the same sex will fight each other.
As for supplements, since you're not using a calcium reactor, I would highly recommend using a two part calcium and buffer additive. An iodine additive would also be useful, and use as directed. Otherwise, since your system is less complex than if it contained a lot of reef crest stony corals, no other additives are really needed. Of course those that sell them might disagree, but honestly, your calcium and alkalinity levels are the most important.
When it come to the quality of water from the tap, only you can be the best judge. If there is little or no nitrate, no phosphate, and no copper, then the tap water should be fine. In the United States every user is entitled to a free test of the water coming to their home. If that is possible in Australia, I would take advantage of it and see what the different levels are. Otherwise, unless you test it, its guesswork.
Cheers,
Bob Goemans
Dear Bob,
In about 18 months time I am moving house and am planning on setting up a large marine tank. I am thinking of somewhere in the region of about 250-300 gallons (tank only). At the moment I am researching the Eco-system filtration method. I have to admit I do have my doubts about running a tank without a skimmer but the method does seem to be catching on.
My first query is the proposed tank will (probably) be built behind a wall with plenty of room for filtration. Now Des Ong's tank (last issue in Practical Fishkeeping) was 361 gal (total) with his refugium being 61 gal (26"x23"x14"). Now before I saw this feature I was planning on building a refugium somewhere is the region of 50"x24"x18" possibly to fit under the tank. Do you think there would be a significant difference in water quality by doing this (supposing the tank was of the same spec as Des Ongs).
My second query is concerning substrate. Ever since first buying my first issue of Practical Fishkeeping there has been various articles on this. In my view the cons seem to outweigh the pros. But I wanted to keep the animals that like to bury or sift through the substrate (gobies, anemone, etc) so I came up with this idea.
My third query is have you any ideas were I can get hold of or subscribe to any American marine fishkeeping magazines, seen as everyone seems to think that these are one step ahead in various methods and products.
Thanks for the help and keep up the good work,
Craig Barnes,
Selby, North Yorkshire
England
Dear Craig,
Thanks for a very interesting post and I don't want to get into a 'mud slinging' contest! (sorry for the pun!) As for the mud-type refugium, I think they are fine for fish-only systems, however, I have a different opinion when it comes to their use on reef systems. As you probably know I don't sell aquarium products - never have and never will. I speak from past experience (57 years of aquarium keeping, and note, I've never been paid to say nice things about any aquarium products).
In all honestly, when someone sells or distributes a product, they have a financial interest in its wellbeing. I've seen products come and go, and I think mud systems will be one that will wear out their welcome in a few years. I find it difficult to understand why a hobbyist would want a mud/swamp like environment that is rich in hydrogen sulfide and probably also contains some methane, attached to their reef system. Why have a nutrient rich system attached to a nutrient poor system! Algae scrubbers did not work for reef systems, and I predict mud systems will go the same road.
With that said, I had an opportunity to visit Leng Sy's shop in Irvine California and see firsthand the level of success he was having with his Ecosystem/Miracle Mud. There was no doubt his mud system refugia teamed with life. In fact, I preferred to look at his refugiums than his main systems! His bare-bottom main systems were quite healthy looking, however in my opinion not as healthy as what the more environmentally microbial balanced plenum system/Berlin system can offer. Yet, the 'degree of success,' is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. We had a backroom chat, and delved into various topics. I came away convinced this was a 'bump in the road' endeavor, and not based on sound knowledge of microbial processes. And, without the help of Mike Paletta, a good friend of Leng, I doubt it would have proceeded this far. And, since there's a lot of money to made in selling the mud product, it's a method that will be touted by those benefiting from its sales.
One of the numerous thoughts presented that I don't buy into is that there is competition in these mud systems for nitrogen compounds between the bacteria in the sandbed in the main system and that of the Caulerpa in the refugium. However, the word "competition" is a misnomer.
The destructive denitrification process in the sandbeds anoxic zone would be supplied nitrate from the above mineralization and nitrifying bacteria in the oxic zone of the sandbed. Since the diffusion gradient is controlled by electrical charge, it's not possible for it to 'compete' with the Caulerpa in the refugium. However, Caulerpa will normally absorb some nitrate from the bulk water and slowly break it down to ammonium for growth. However, most of the Caulerpa needed nitrogen supply would come from the ammonification process in the mud. That's because most of the mud particles are so tiny its porewater is almost nonexistent. Therefore it harbors the ammonification form of denitrification throughout most of its bed, liberating generous amounts of ammonium. So the Caulerpa would not be dependent upon getting nitrate from the bulk water and wasting its energy to break it down. It would simply be supplied a readily available amount of ammonium, which is what it really needs for growth, directly from the mud. And since Caulerpa does not have roots, its evident that ammonium is leaching up into the bulk water of the mud bed.
Also, Leng's system uses a mud that is high in iron. Iron, in any type sandbed system whether a plenum or directly on the bottom, is instrumental in phosphate releases. In all honestly, mixing the two methods in one aquarium is an ill-advised approach. You are probably aware that the best phosphate removing compounds, such as ROWAphos, is an iron-based product. Iron, in the substrate also attracts phosphate, and when the sulfur/sulfate processes occurs in the bed (a very normal process and always occurring process in sandbeds), the iron is oxidized and the phosphate is released. Some of the phosphate's oxygen molecules are utilized in surrounding processes producing phosphorous, however, some phosphate probably also leaches into the bulk water. Good for algae growth!
As you may also know, carbon is a player in how well inorganic nutrients, e.g., nitrogen and phosphorous are utilized. Mud/fine sediment and/or deeper beds tend to store more carbon, whereas courser sand cycles carbon. This in turn relates to how the type sediment/bed supplies heterotrophs and autotrophs their essential foodstuffs. Heterotrophs are mostly responsible for breaking down organic matter and prefer areas where diffusion abounds and where carbon is well cycled. Autotrophs, such as cyanobacteria, prefer an abundance of carbon. Since heterotrophic bacteria are the mainstream inhabitants in our sandbeds, should they be limited by carbon and inorganic nutrients it would have a negative impact on their neighbors and the microbial food web. Therefore the ratios between carbon and nitrogen, and that of phosphorous are very important issues when facilitating population densities of either bacteria. And those densities are very important to 'long-term' success.
And, the comments made that iodine is liberated into the bulk water is, without question, poor information. I'm convinced from the looks of Leng's tanks that unwanted iodate, not the more useful form of iodide, was in over abundance. (This is a long story, but you hopefully get the point.)
Of course, bio-load and on-going husbandry/water changes play a major role in any type system, however, small mud-like add-on systems need some forethought as to their application.
And, running closed system aquaria without a quality skimmer, is without question, another one of those 'blips' on the radar screen. Here one day and gone the next. A not too well thought position, as system oxygen content/redox benefits alone are indispensable for most marine systems. And, with excellent plankton additives on the market, such as Marc Weiss Spectra-Vital and BlackPower products, the attention to closed system naturally generated plankton levels is far skewed, and in my opinion, falls more into product hype than anything else.
As to refugium size, it's their purpose that relates to size, and of course the space to contain them. Without a doubt, the larger they are, the more water there is to diminish overall poor water quality problems. Yet, that's like saying I'm not going to take care of myself because there's always a medicine to cure the situation. And because you don't mention your environmental goal - fish-only or reef system, it's difficult to recommend a refugium size. But keep in mind a refugium is 'another' tank to care for. The larger it is, the more care it will need. All I can say is that I would have the largest one possible that fits the available space, no matter what the goal. It can always serve as a separate quarantine or hospital tank if needed. And, since I never did get to see your sketch, would suggest a bed of fairly course sand, something in the range of 4 -8 mm, with a depth of about four inches in the main system, where you can enjoy your digging fishes.
As for US magazines, there's two major publications I can recommend - Aquarium Fish (www.aquariumfish.com) and Freshwater and Marine Aquarium (E-mail: FAMAMAG@aol.com) . Check them out, and I currently have a column in FAMA.
Hope this suffices, and if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to contact me,
Cheers,
Bob Goemans
Dear Bob,
Please can you tell me how to construct and run a mud refugium sump, in my marine tank.
Tank size: 36" x 24" x 24"
Mr. G. J. Seagars,
Kent
England
Dear Mr. Seagars,
Let me begin by noting I only favor using mud systems when they will be connected to fish-only systems, and even then it's a subject that should receive much forethought and research. The reasons are long and quite involved, and I just answered a letter from a gentleman in North Yorkshire last week requesting my thoughts on this method. If you're interested in those thoughts, please contact again and I'll reiterate them.
Otherwise, the method is based on a deep bed consisting of a product called 'Miracle Mud.' A deep bed would be something in the height of 10 - 15 cm.
After establishing the needed depth, the refugium is filled and once the water has cleared, some cured live rock can/should be added. This may/will provide some worms and crustaceans that will hopefully grow and reproduce in this environment. Once everything is settled in so to speak, which may take a day or two, some Caulerpa, preferably C. racemosa, should be added and the systems photoperiod set to either an opposite time frame from the main show tank or left on around the clock. The lamps used should be common household lamps, not expensive aquarium lamps, as the common household lamp is more high in the red spectrum, which algae prefer. Caulerpa additions may have to be done in the early development of the system, however, once the system becomes nutrient rich, the Caulerpa will grow nicely. Thereafter, a third of the older Caulerpa should be removed periodically when its mass dictates. Adding some hermit crabs, and/or other detritus sifters or other inhabitants is optional as that depends upon the overall goals, which you have not noted. As for water flow between the main system and the refugium, something in the range of 50 to 80% of the refugium volume per hour would suffice. Otherwise, general maintenance is no different than other systems, which again depend upon their goals, e.g., could be calcium and buffer are needed, as the so-called Miracle Mud will not provide these items.
Hope this helps,
Bob Goemans
Hello Bob,
I have a few questions if you have the time. Here's my problem. I keep getting hair algae, it starts real slow, but gains speed and then I must clean my rock to gain control. This is a yearly thing. I also just went through a bad cyanobacteria problem but one of those antibiotic additives cured the problem. As you know from a previous letter, I have a 135 gallon custom-made tank with a built-in plenum. My tank has never really been without hair algae and not sure why. I use many types of snails and crabs as well as 2 burrowing stars and a cucumber. My water specs are as follows, pH - 8.2 at noon and 7.93 at midnight, and alkalinity 4.1 meg/l. I can't really read any phosphate and the same applies to nitrate and nitrite. No copper either, and calcium holds at 420 ppm and magnesium holds at 1200. I add a little iodine and use one of those two part additives, however, still have to occasionally add a buffer to hold the higher alkalinity reading. I have 240 pounds of Fiji live rock. My water always appears green in tint when viewed end to end. I use an Iwaki pump with a flow of 600 GPH and a medium grade skimmer fed by a second pump. It doesn't really make much dark scum, as it just collects a light green to brownish water. It also needs constant adjustments. I occasionally add some bacteria enhancement products and feed my six fish with plankton-like foods every other day. Can an improperly sized or bad quality skimmer lead to algae problems? Does the amount of substrate over a plenum make a difference? What should the tank turnover rate be - five times per hour or more? What is the best skimmer and the best rule for lighting - 3 watts per gallon or more?
I know you're a very busy person, but I'm at my wits end with this tank. Any time you could spare in helping would greatly be appreciated
Sean Benson
Phoenix, AZ
Hi Sean,
Algae is like death and taxes, you're not going to avoid them! There's not a system that will always be totally algae free (nor would you want it that way), but the difference between a somewhat algae free system and one that is overgrown can many times be traced back to how the system is started, then maintained. Begin a system with more nutrients than there are bacteria to utilize them and algae get a foothold. This would be a system that used dead sand and uncured live rock to begin. Nutrients coming from the rock have to go somewhere if there aren't any bacteria to properly utilize them! They coat the rock and sand, mainly as calcium phosphate and also accumulate in the sand and bulk water as nitrogen products, such as nitrate and ammonium. Then, add to that a hobbyist who doesn't understand the carbonate buffering system (alkalinity) and improperly uses calcium and buffer additives and the problem worsens - more calcium phosphate coating the sand and rock. And once algae become recognizable (cyanobacteria growths like hair algae and slime mats), they begin to make their own nutrients directly under their mat. They then become independent of any nutrients floating around in the bulk water. You could easily at that time have zero nitrate and phosphate and still have copious amounts of unwanted algae and/or cyanobacteria. The damage has been done! Then add the possibility of excessive bioload (too many fishes and food for the existing microbes and/or the efficiency of those existing microbes), and the problem becomes even more frustrating!
The ideal start of course is to establish a live and functional sandbed before placing too much rock in the system. And use well cured live rock when doing it. Then, a month after the bed has been established, finish the rockwork, preferable with cured branching rock. And leave much of the sandbed surfaces open for maintenance by not piling the rock like a brick wall or pyramid! Use a quality skimmer and calcium reactor and understand what it takes to maintain good water quality.
This is all easy to say, but doesn't answer your questions. However, it's necessary to point out because too many people want pieces of the ocean in their living rooms overnight! I don't know how your system was begun, but the following are some possibilities that you may want to consider.
I know of 'many' periodical outbreaks of algae that are caused by local water company's. They occasionally use a poly-phosphate additive to control rust throughout their distribution system. Legally they can do that without telling people, but if your not using a quality RO/DI unit it will show up as an algae bloom in your aquarium.
As for using any type chemical for killing a cyanobacteria outbreak, that's an incorrect approach. It will return, only now more antibiotic resistant! Cyanobacteria is useful bacteria, and one of the oldest forms of bacteria on this earth. It's the first to show itself when conditions may be getting out of hand nutrient-wise. It tells us that something is happening and possibly needs our attention. Small outbreaks of this bacterium (film-like growths) should never be seen as a problem, however, once it begins forming large 'mat-like' areas it should be siphoned out with small diameter tubing. Then some thought to system maintenance is in order, e.g., improve lighting as this bacteria prefers the red spectrum, and increase water movement in the area where its forming.
As for jumping into a system already experiencing serious algae problems, curing the problem now becomes more difficult than if the system had begun correctly. Rock is usually coated with phosphate, providing the energy to start the alga spores. Water quality may not be what it should be because the user does not know how to properly maintain it. The sandbed may be mostly anaerobic, such as with deep beds directly on the aquarium bottom, which shunts efficient microbial growth/energy usage.
I'm familiar with the brand aquarium mentioned in your letter, however, not sure if your model plenum covers the entire tank bottom or is short of the side panels by about four inches as some have been. If so, the 4 x 6 inch surrounding volume of sand is microbially inefficient when compared to the bed over the plenum. If I were to subtract that non-efficient bed volume and also subtract any plenum bed surface area covered by rock, could be most of the sandbed is inefficient. If this is the case, efficient denitrification will not happen in the covered areas and in those surrounding deep areas. Efficient denitrification is where nitrate is reduced to nitrogen gas, such as in areas that contain some oxygen (anoxic). Those areas that are oxygen free, such as anaerobic areas, only reduce nitrate to ammonium, not nitrogen gas, and ammonium is the prime algae nutrient! Unfortunately this ammonium exists in very small undetectable levels on our test kits, but enough to assist in the growth of algae.
When it comes to bed depth over the plenum grid, the recommendation of about four inches of a material with a grain size of 2 - 4 mm still applies. If the bed is much deeper, the penetration of oxygen via diffusion is hampered, thereby reducing the level of very efficient nitrate reduction. If the bed is too shallow, there's simply a reduction, volume wise, of the more efficient anoxic area. And that additional area could be considered a 'safety-net' where occasional influxes of excessive nutrients are processed, preventing any swings in overall system balance.
To help minimize such an existing condition, the nutrients that eventually breakdown to nitrate and ammonium, the proteins, should be removed with a very efficient skimmer. There are quite a few very good skimmers on the market, and have recommended some brand/models in my return letter.
When it comes to ridding the system of phosphate, nothing that I know of is better than the 'iron' based products on the market. There are three iron-impregnated pads on the market, one iron-based granular product from a US based firm, and one now being imported from the UK that I know of. They are all 'excellent' at removing phosphate. I would not recommend operating a system without one of these products in use.
Removing growths of unwanted algae by hand is necessary once it becomes visible. Depending upon herbivores once it gets unsightly is often a mistake. They only redistribute the nutrients, which mostly come back in the near future as nitrogen accumulation/algae growth. The best approach is after a major cleaning, introduce 'some' herbivores so as to help keep algae growth minimized.
You mention a sand shifting starfish, which I believe, is Archaster typicus (Thought to come from Fiji, about 4 inches across and a light tan color.) I tried one in a 125 gallon system and it was a major mistake in my opinion. It wiped out all my valuable benthic organisms! Properly constructed beds have both diffusion and bioturbation processes. Therefore the beds limited infauna, which activates the bioturbation processes, have great value. Using these benthic creatures as a food source for this starfish does not make sense! I recommend removing them.
Water movement depends upon what is being kept in the system. There is also some confusion on that subject, as volume-wise movement is different than how much actually flows by certain animals. Some stony corals need high flows, such as three to five times system volume past their bodies. Some deeper water or soft corals do well on one to three times system volume. That's why wavemakers with various on/off periods and outflows in varying directions is best in more complex reef systems. My 180 gallon system experienced temporary surges up to 2000 gallons per hour. Yet that did not occur throughout every part of the tank. Depending on its aquascaping, some portions of that tank received little flow, however, what was in those areas like it that way. The thing to do is insure all areas of the tank receive some flow, as cyanobacteria prefer stagnate areas.
Lighting is another area that needs some forethought when it comes to algae. Corals prefer the blue-green portion of the spectrum and algae prefer the longer wavelength, the red band. Metal Halides often need replacement after 12 months of use. The shift of spectrum usually begins after three months of use, and sometimes becomes visible to the human eye after six months of use. Once near twelve months, there's often a sufficient spectrum shift towards red, which provides a more viable environment for algae. Add to this the fact that when the light waves travel through bulk water that contains excessive nutrients and/or an excessive amounts of calcium ions, the light wave is further lengthened. So, in an aquarium where the bulk water contains high nitrate and calcium exceeds that of natural seawater levels, the best and newest lamps are still producing a favorable spectrum for algae! My rule of thumb is about 2 - 3 watts per gallon for soft corals, 4 - 6 for a combination of soft and stony, and about 8 watts for fringing reef sps corals.
All in all, a quality protein skimmer and calcium reactor are two great tools for helping to maintain water quality. But the overall picture of a successful system is much larger than some helpful equipment. It's really a combination of many things, and understanding microbial processes is at the root level. Then add helpful equipment and combine that with sensible bio-loads, and the result then takes on the appearance of something we had hoped for when beginning the system.
Hope this helps,
Bob
Dear Dr. Goemans,
My name is Patrick Jenkins, and everyone calls me Pat. I hope you don't mind me writing to you about my newly set-up 55 gallon aquarium. I thank you for all of the articles you have written on this subject, unfortunately most of my literature is in storage at this time and quite frankly I'm not sure which boxes they are in. I am sure you are quite busy and if you cannot answer this E-mail at this time I will understand. I have set the tank up as a plenum system.
This 55 gallon acrylic aquarium system came with a built in overflow, variable output pumps, a bio tower and media, and a protein skimmer (airstone type) being fed from sump with a powerhead. There is DLS in the overflow tower and two 350 GPH powerheads for water movement.
There's about 100 pounds of mixed substrate: 40 pounds of crushed coral and shells, 40 pounds of a smaller type supposedly already bio activated, 20 pounds of what's supposed to be aragonite sand (no brand name), and 10 pounds of substrate from a 10 gallon tank I tore down when I set this one up. My guess of the average grain size is 2 to 4 mm
A homemade plenum sets on the bottom of the aquarium consisting of three lengths of 1" PVC conduit drilled on all four sides every 2" to 3" and covered by 1/2" eggcrate wrapped by plastic window screen. The substrate depth above the plenum averages about 4 1/2" to 61/2". There is also a layer of screen about 2" below the surface of the substrate to prevent disturbance of the lower level by animals.
Approximately 45 pounds of live rock is setting on 3" diameter x 1 1/2" high PVC rings (6 of them) that are sunk to the dividing screen described above. There is also 35 pounds of rock, which is newly bought and mostly cured from a local fish store. The rest is 4 years old from the10 gallon tank I tore down.
At this time the lighting is only 60 watts, but I have purchased a 250W 6500K metal halide and a do-it-yourself kit and am building a canopy. Eventual wattage will be at least 310W.
The tank was filled with synthetic seawater made with tap water, My local tap water is fairly low in dissolved organics, its ammonia is undetectable, nitrate is 2.2 ppm, pH 8.2, and alkalinity only reads 1.2. I do have an R/O drinking water system and will use it for make up and water changes. It doesn't have a DI cartridge so it doesn't help with the nitrate in the tap water.
There are two fishes , a 3" purple tang and a 2 1/2" Kole tang. There are also two brittle stars about 5" from tip to tip and two turbo snails. All animals were transferred from the 10 gallon. Except for maybe a conch or two I'm not going to add any animals for at least the next two months. There are no photosynthetic animals.
I have some questions:
1. I thought I read an article by you where you advised removing the bio-media from the sump , but I cannot seem to locate it. Is this right? Should I remove it? What should I use in its place?
2. On the right rear side of the tank I didn't get sand between the end of the plenum and the glass side of the tank. There is about a 1" square area where I can see into the plenum. Should I be concerned about this?
3. Are there any problems with this set-up that you can see from my description?
4. Is this enough info?
I thank you for any advice you may offer.
Sincerely,
Patrick Jenkins
Hi Pat,
Thanks for your letter and everybody calls me 'Bob.' Let's first begin with your questions, and then I'll add a few comments that may help you have long-term success.
Your exactly right about removing the media, whether bio-balls or DLS from the bio towers. It does not make sense to generate nitrate, which is the end result from this type media, and allow it to enter the bulk water of the system. It is far better for the entire system, including the animals, if the nitrate is produced in the oxic layer of the sand (its first half inch) and then allowed to diffuse downward into the anoxic portion of the sandbed where it is totally oxidized. Why dump it into the bulk water - that's simply not a logical approach, especially in reef systems! As for replacing it with something, I would recommend using activated carbon and a quality phosphate removing compound somewhere in the system, probably in the sump where water can slowly flow through them. If prefiltering of the water before it reaches the sump is desired, I would recommend using a section of 'blue-bonded' filtering material and washing it clean at least weekly.
If the plenum system was started with all dead sand, bio media in the towers would help with additional sites for nitrification bacteria, and cycling time may be reduced somewhat. However, a couple of months later when the plenum's sandbed becomes established, the removal of the plastic bio media should begin. If live sand and rock is used to start the plenum system, the plastic bio media becomes an unnecessary addition and not in the best interest of the environment.
As for the small amount of light that enters into the plenum, that's not a problem. Only if most of the plenum area were open to light would I be concerned. In those cases, I recommend some black tape (like electrical tape) or wood trim being applied along the open outside glass area to prevent light entering. As for sandbed depth, 6.5 inches is far too much because oxygen penetration, which is the key to plenum sandbed efficiency, may be insufficient in the deeper zones. Try to stay in the four-inch range, give or take an inch.
I'm not sure if the rock PVC 'lifts' are necessary. That would depend on the shape of the rock. If they were basically flat-shaped, then the lifts may be ok, however, they also should be drilled with many holes to allow for circulation between its inner area and the surrounding bulk water. I really prefer the use of branching rock in most reef aquariums as it allows for better water circulation.
Depending where your goal for this system goes, you may want to consider a calcium reactor so as to reduce dependence on calcium and buffer additives. A reactor will create a very positive effect for stony corals and some soft corals. Also, a quality RO/DI, dedicated to aquarium use, would be on my list of equipment additions, as the tap water supply in this country, in my opinion, continues to go downhill. And airstone skimmers, again in my opinion, went out of style with the dinosaurs! There's no doubt in my mind your system should have something much better than what you now have. If you want some brand recommendations for these 'tools' let me know.
Hope this helps, and keep me posted,
Bob
Hello Bob,
I am a partner in a pet shop in Greeley Colorado. We focus on aquatics and reptiles. Six months ago I began my own personal reef tank at home. I studied thoroughly before taking on the microcosm. I read the Reef Aquarium books by Sprung and Delbeek, Natural Reef Aquarium by Tullock, and browsed many others over the years. I had heard of the amazing results of the plenum and found myself very interested in that system. There was not much information on the plenum, only how wonderfully it could work. I had also found some information about live sand bed filters. I had spoken to some employee's at GARF and they were fairly helpful but some miscommunications between us may have caused my personal tank some problems.
My tank is a 72 gallon bowfront. It has four 55W fan cooled compact lights. Two lamps are 10K and the other two are Actinic. I also have one 40W Blue Actinic T12 bulb toward the back of the tank.
I also have a 20 gallon sump/refugium with a high performance protein skimmer built into the return side of the sump. Some prefilter sponges follow the skimmer, and then an eggcrate plate about 18" x 18" with some live rock growing sawtooth-like Caulerpa algae on it. The sump has its own lighting system, two18 watt compacts that run nine hours at night opposite the lights in the show tank. I have read this may help to maintain pH levels at night. The Caulerpa grows great and coralline algae grows on the live rock and walls of the sump.
In the show tank I have plenty of alternating water flow rolling from the top back of the tank toward the front bottom. Not round and round but rolling top to bottom. I have Powersweep powerheads that continually alternate the flow of water in the aquarium. I do not notice any serious detritus build ups on my live rock. Many hermits and snails keep my 90 pounds of live rock clean. My live rock is suspended above the substrate on aragonite arches that I built from advice from GARF. I really like the arches. Everything is covered in coralline algae including the exposed parts of the arches. My corals with large polyps seem to do pretty well, my polyp colonies do well, feather dusters, Xenia, cnidarians, all do very well. On the other hand I have had problems with SPS or stony corals. Discoloration, some black bacteria, and red cyanobacteria have invaded my branched stony corals. Most have been lost.
Some stony corals are growing, but Acropora, etc. are not. My big concern after reading one of your new booklets is that my show tank has a 3" deep 'very' fine aragonite sandbed!. Yikes! I think the hermits are keeping cyanobacteria to a visual minimum on the sandbed but not on the branched corals. My phosphates are next to undetectable but my nitrates have begun to creep up over the past few months. I tried a red slime remover (a mix with Erythromycin) and it did eliminate the slime algae. But, discoloration of almost all of my stony corals has me concerned. The Acropora corals lose their pretty tips, turn white then black and die. I will not attempt any more corals until my problem is solved. My lamps are new, and kept fresh. Calcium levels between 390 - 420ppm, and iodide levels are normal. I think my sandbed may be a mistake. I am considering removing the sandbed and replacing it with a plenum in the tank.
I will move the inhabitants and live rock to some bins I have with the powerheads and aeration. I will keep most of the original water not disturbing the sand bed. I will scoop out the sand bed carefully. I will place my new plenum in the tank with 2 - 3 mm aragonite coral over the plenum. The aragonite will be 2" deep with a 2nd screen layer and 2nd aragonite layer 1-2" deep for the top layer.
* Should I add any of my old fine live sand to the top of my new layer of aragonite coral?
* Is this a solution to my problems?
* Is this going to be dangerous to the short term health of my existing corals?
* Would it be wiser to slowly remove sand until it were only 1" deep.
My original plan was an in tank plenum but I thought my small sump plenum would do the trick. Obviously it is not. I also found that GARF uses aragonite coral, not fine sand for all of their 3 - 4" live sand bed filters. That may have been my big miscommunication! I may be totally off base with my problem, if so let me know. Thank you so much for your time.
Sincerely,
Aaron Blake
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for your letter and that booklet has been out for almost two years. Unfortunately, you did not see it in time! Misinformation in this hobby is certainly a problem, however, where GARF is concerned, they are one of the better aquarium product companies and it sounds like a misinterpretation on your part.
As for your aquarium, start over! Do not use any of the old sand as it is far too fine for a plenum sandbed. In fact, its too fine 'period' unless you want to replicate a swamp! Follow the instructions in my booklet.
As for your sps corals, you don't mention alkalinity level, which is a prominent player in the carbonate buffering system. Also, sounds like the light may be insufficient. I would consider doubling what you now have. When the tips of Acropora lose their color, that's usually a sign of insufficient light intensity. And bacteria growths among the coral branches can be a sign of insufficient water flow in those areas.
As you now probably know I don't sell aquarium products, never have. My goal is informing the hobbyist through my writing and low cost booklets on what constitutes better aquarium husbandry. In fact, checkout my new non-profit website at www.saltcorner.com. Hope this helps, and keep me posted,
Bob