Cryptic zones vs Skimmers

Tankkeepers

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Hello all I want to hear from both users of cyrptic zones and skimmers

I myself use a designated cryptic zone in place of a skimmer with very good results very similar to steves methods as this is where I got the idea from when I first started out

Steve makes a plausible argument that instead of Berlin Systems, utilizing Live Rock and skimmers, that folks might instead be better off using heterotrophs as and associated with sponge and sea squirt life, as these use the "same" organics as skimmers remove.

For reference http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tyreecmatv1.htm you don't need to buy the book to get the basics (I did and what a good read)

I continually see skimmers recomended but never see designated cryptic zones recomended as an all natural alternative


Let the debate begin
 

xxkenny90xx

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Any reason that you can't have both in one section? My skimmer section is dark and full of sponges which are awesome! I also run a skimmer in there
 
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But I wouldn't think having both would hurt any thing I'm may be wrong as iv never ran a protien skimmer so cant say for sure
 

xxkenny90xx

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Ya I've never bought a sponge but I have some really bright greens and some white ball sponges. And who knows what else. They're really cool to see but of course prefer to stay hidden. I'd like to buy some more colors someday. Got any pics of yours?
 
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Broke alittle piece off as its to dark to take a pic lol its a black(only in light) branching Fiji sponge that comes from areas where its exposed to air for 12 hours a day so air does not hurt it id love to have some of the colors you have but have never gotten them to do very well there are also some barnicals and a bunch of feather duster in there with it

16018430677077768067151011211812.jpg
 

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Have you seen any increased nitrates due to the cryptic zone? Being as it is collecting a ton of detritus and so on...
I’m starting one in my sump. I’m just worried about the nitrates elevating out of control.
 
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Have you seen any increased nitrates due to the cryptic zone? Being as it is collecting a ton of detritus and so on...
I’m starting one in my sump. I’m just worried about the nitrates elevating out of control.
What most people call denitrus or think is denitrus is not yes it collects silt(not sure how to word it so silt) to put it simply but the sponges eat denitrus and various other things just because it's brown does not mean it's denitrus and to awnser your question no my nitrates and phosphate both drop keep in mind it takes 3 to 9 months to establish depending in sponge type etc but 1 golf ball size sponge can filter 10 gallons if water an hour give or take again depending on type of sponges fan worms etc the leftover inactive non organic silt left behind just give more places for other organisms to live that would otherwise not be in the tank in as great a number copepods worms etc
 
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To add to thia I knew someone whos tank was 5 years old this brown had collected in the middle under a rock cave a aquarium specialist when she hired one told her it needed to come out and proceded to gravel vac it out within a few days her 250 gallon tank full of palys and zoas and rose bubbles crashed everything died and nothing would live that she tryed to put into the tank afterwards she tryed to get it back to how it was(stable) over 6 months eventually selling the tank and is no longer in the hobbie
 
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Try and get any sponge type that can handle being out of the water then use your fingers and press it together and move the around to powderize it so to speak in the area you want to seed small particals are fine does not have to be powder fine this cloud will at this point be in a spore type state and whereever they land and are happy they will start to grow tbats how iv always done it but buying a large show spong so to speak it will almost always dye I use a black branching fiji sponge seed my tank with the tip of a finger sized one and it's now hand sized in less then a year branching between the rock and growing up and out of it
 
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There's also a few types of partially photosynthetic sponges that dont need light but can grow in light just fine and even thrive (mine is turns black under light in the low flow areas of the fuge) try and get a branching type not an encrusting type as encrusting types can out grow and over take coral in some instances where as the branching types normally dont
 
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I dont know of any at all that are toxic even when they die might see a slight rise in nutrients as with anything when they dye but I dont know of a single one that's toxic and powdering the the leftovers the coral eat as there is a direct relation between sponges and coral

Coral love the sponge sheddings and sponges purify the water to make it a better home for coral removing waste
 

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After my socks, I have a big section of live rock that I keep “cryptic”. Lots of sponges and tube worms. I rarely look in there to be honest. Skimmer is in The next chamber. Even with skimmer in next chamber before the return, I guess it doesn’t make a difference. The sponges and other creatures had their chance before the goods get swept away. Pretty sure I have a lot of the same things in my display that I can’t see.
 
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What if always wondered is if someone had a setup like that then removed the cyptic zone how much more would be skimmed or what would happen (please don't try it as it'll probly crash or at the very least cause alot of problems)
 

ScottR

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What if always wondered is if someone had a setup like that then removed the cyptic zone how much more would be skimmed or what would happen (please don't try it as it'll probly crash or at the very least cause alot of problems)
I recall @Abhishek posting something like this once. Was a great thread. I’ll look for it.
 

ScottR

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Perhaps not really pertinent to your question but some great responses and insight.

 
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