Adding reborn to reef

[Kuloneli]

Hey guys I’m new to r2f. Just wanted to see what y’all thought about SLOWLY siphoning out sand and slowly adding two little fishies reborn as substrate. I’m doing 25 gallon water changes every 2 weeks and want to slowly take sand out and replace with reborn. Planning on taking time and getting it done over a course of 3 months. Currently have a 80 gallon innovated marine sr80 tank that’s been setup for 10 months. Please let me know your opinions.

 

[Formulator]

Replacing sand shouldn’t be an issue if you do it slowly, maybe 20% at a time. But why?

 

[vadryn]

Do you have a container with a lid you can start cycling the reborn in SW? 5g bucket, small powerhead and a lid. Put reborn in there, fill with tank water from your WC, a peice of LR is good, and even put the sand in there that you are taking out for the next couple WC. In a month you'll be adding reborn that has a month head start. Not sure a heater is even needed if the bucket is kept room temp.

 

[areefer01]

But why?

Not speaking for the OP but I've seen some social media content recently that has them doing this.

 

[Formulator]

Not speaking for the OP but I've seen some social media content recently that has them doing this.

Weird. Any idea what the goal is?

 

[FUNGI]

either aesthetics or constant calcium.....I dont get it either....but does seem to be some type of trend

 

[areefer01]

Weird. Any idea what the goal is?

No, I do not know to be honest. I also believe one of the lads over at WWC has it in their small displays. I thought I saw Vic's nano with it. Few of them do. Again I don't know why nor judging /shrug

 

[Formulator]

No, I do not know to be honest. I also believe one of the lads over at WWC has it in their small displays. I thought I saw Vic's nano with it. Few of them do. Again I don't know why nor judging /shrug

Ya, no judgment here. Just couldn’t figure out what was going on here lol

 

[officialreefbros]

Soooo I did that becuase I like the visual look of it and to let mushrooms grow everywhere.

I slowly removed sand with each waterchange. I 2nd the going slow and once you have it all out doing a heavy rock blow off and get that residual sand out.

I didn't realize this until I was about to add it but you need to super rinse reborn, soooo much sand comes out of it.

So far I'm happy with it, but it can be a little annoying to gravel vac if you go with the large size. You have to almost like drill it in to get down (maybe I just have a small tube lol). I did have a bit of a nitrate rise just from playing with the sand so much.

 

[Formulator]

I did have a bit of a nitrate rise just from playing with the sand so much.

This would be my biggest concern with the whole idea. The bottom of the tank becomes a huge nitrate factory.

 

[officialreefbros]

This would be my biggest concern with the whole idea. The bottom of the tank becomes a huge nitrate factory.

Yeah especially when you start removing some then it shifts and can blow around differently.

It wasn't bad for me and none of my coral were bothered (granted it's softies and LPS)

Hopefully my 0.02$ help. But it is do-able and you're the one that looks at it everyday so it's make it how you want it!

 

[FUNGI]

did calcium go up? Just curious, as thats what its usually used for (calcium reactor media)

 

[Chrisv.]

I put some reborn and some larger particle sand in areas where very high flow was messing with my sandbed. It did a great job controlling erosion when placed in specific problem areas.

 

[mrpontiac80]

Yeah most of the displays at WWC uses it for substrate if I’m not mistaken. On their videos Vic likes it for tons of flow, and says it’s easier to clean by siphon.
I like it, but I love the look of sand too. I have a section front and center of my 180 that the sand blows away and I used small chunks of Marco rubble but would have used reborn if I had it.

 

[Formulator]

did calcium go up? Just curious, as thats what its usually used for (calcium reactor media)

I was just looking at reborn and thinking more, I guess its really not much different than using crushed coral/aragonite substrate, which is calcium carbonate. Shouldn’t raise calcium in the aquarium since it is stable at aquarium pH.

 

[officialreefbros]

did calcium go up? Just curious, as thats what its usually used for (calcium reactor media)

Not that I noticed. With mostly softies I don't test it often and without the C02 to dissolve it it's mostly chilling

 

[officialreefbros]

I was just looking at reborn and thinking more, I guess its really not much different than using crushed coral/aragonite substrate, which is calcium carbonate. Shouldn’t raise calcium in the aquarium since it is stable at aquarium pH.

Yeah exactly

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

This is nothing new. Reborn is simply a purer form of crushed coral.

Something that we used to put at the bottom if the tank before people started to get concerned about trapping detritus and spiking nutrients.

That's primarily the reason why it has fallen out of favor. If it makes it's way back because what's old is now new, then people will also learn for themselves the cons.

did calcium go up? Just curious, as thats what its usually used for (calcium reactor media)

It wouldn't be calcium, it would be calcium carbonate, and unless the tank has extremely low pH, then you don't need to worry about that.

 

[Chrisv.]

It wouldn't be calcium, it would be calcium carbonate, and unless the tank has extremely low pH, then you don't need to worry about that.

Right -- the tank would essentially become a calcium reactor at that point.

 

[Formulator]

Right -- the tank would essentially become a calcium reactor at that point.

Well, I suppose every reef tank turns into a calcium reactor if you lower the pH enough ;)