Livingrock
New Member
Hi all. I am in Northwest FL and I would like to try building a brackish pond, perhaps convert it to salt if it seems doable. I am looking for unicorns who may be familiar with both ponds and reefs. I am not sure how salty is realistic, but I think I am south enough to do some temperate corals.
My thoughts:
In freshwater ponds they use a refugium too (they call it a bog filter but seems to be the same purpose). In that system you create an elevated space about 25-30% the surface area of the main system and fill it about 12" deep with 3/8" peagravel and plants. The gravel provides surface area for beneficial bacteria and the plants absorb excess nutrients similar to how algae does in a saltwater refugium.
The big difference is you can't run brackish through a bed of gravel with algae sticking out of the top. The algae has to be submerged. Well that takes away the point of the gravel entirely since the water will flow over it instead of through it. So my question is, is algae enough by itself to be a filter for extra nutrients in a large outdoor application? Will sand be helpful or awful in the refugium?
My thoughts:
In freshwater ponds they use a refugium too (they call it a bog filter but seems to be the same purpose). In that system you create an elevated space about 25-30% the surface area of the main system and fill it about 12" deep with 3/8" peagravel and plants. The gravel provides surface area for beneficial bacteria and the plants absorb excess nutrients similar to how algae does in a saltwater refugium.
The big difference is you can't run brackish through a bed of gravel with algae sticking out of the top. The algae has to be submerged. Well that takes away the point of the gravel entirely since the water will flow over it instead of through it. So my question is, is algae enough by itself to be a filter for extra nutrients in a large outdoor application? Will sand be helpful or awful in the refugium?
