Keep it Simple

[Dave_1972]

Dave,
I read your proposed tank thread discussion with Lasse. What do you plan on keeping in your system?

The point of this thread, is to show “elegance in simplicity”.

I don't mean to derail your thread so I'll try to be brief and give you a little more info.

Basically for inhabitants - I am thinking a mixed reef (SPS/LPS and maybe softies), inverts, and trying to keep the fish load down. So think a tang, plus some smaller fish (with an emphasis on utility - sand sifting, nuisance control, etc).

I'm slowly working up a skimmerless sump design where one side of the sump would be a macroalgae refugium with a DSB and RUGF setup for dosing similar to @Lasse ideas. The other side of the sump would be split between a semi-cryptic and full cryptic zone. Hoping that the cryptic zones can fulfill much of the role of a skimmer. I also plan to do a small sand bed with a second RUGF in the display to help keep detritus elevated in the water column for export. I'll be looking for ways to create gas exchange, manage large particulate removal, and a host of other issues I'll need to account for.

For husbandry I think I'll go fishless quarantine and try to feed the best quality fresh/frozen food I can (made harder by living in central Arkansas) - similar to @Paul B ideas on fish health - but do a coral and invert quarantine (that can double as a frag tank later) just to watch out for certain hitchhikers I'd like to avoid. I'll be adding pods, bristle worms, phyto, and anything else that will be beneficial though.

I'm going to start a thread on everything I am thinking about and try to nail down my initial design as I get closer to starting work on this - sadly I have a couple of house projects that need to happen first and the pandemic has really backed up that work. So I'm probably still a year out from really getting started.

Plenty of time to annoy people on the forums with questions!

 

[terraincognita]

See if this is of interest. If Chaeto likes it, why wouldn’t coral zooanthellia like it?

Brightwell Aquatics - ChaetoGro

Overview​

• For all marine aquariums & ULNS systems
• Shrimp & Invertebrate safe
• Phosphate & Nitrate free
• Provides 13 elements critical to long-term health, growth, and coloration of aquatic plants
• Well-suited to ULNS aquariums and designed for nutrient control of phosphates and nitrates by chaetomorpha uptake
• Formulated utilizing extensive research on aquatic algae nutrient requirements

Sizes​

250ml | 500ml

Technical Background​

Nutrients are substances required by algae for survival; they are collectively involved in all aspects of the biological and chemical reactions that allow algae to function properly. Brightwell Aquatics ChaetoGro provides these substances in concentrations found by researchers to be necessary for long-term health. These elements, and some of the processes that they are involved in, are:

Potassium - Protein synthesis, water and charge balance, enzyme activation.
Boron - Chlorophyll production, flowering, root growth, cell function.
Carbon - Required for all organic compounds.
Calcium - Cell wall stability and permeability, enzyme activation, cell response to stimuli.
Chlorine - Water and charge balance, photosynthesis.
Iron - Required for photosynthesis, component of enzymes utilized in redox reactions.
Magnesium - Component of chlorophyll, enzyme activation.
Manganese - Formation of amino acids, enzyme activation.
Molybdenum and Cobalt - Required for nitrate reduction.
Nickel - Enzyme activation, processing of nitrogenous material.
Sulfur - Component of proteins and the coenzymes that are involved with nutrient utilization and growth.
Zinc - Chlorophyll production, enzyme activation.

ChaetoGro does not contain phosphorus or nitrogen

I'll look into this for sure. Thank you for it!

 

[Subsea]

@Dave_1972

Its my thread, I asked you. No derailing here. I will get back to my topic when I get live rock from divers.

I am good with what you said, except for this:
[Hoping that the cryptic zones can fulfill much of the role of a skimmer. ]

Not a chance. Cryptic Zones are unlite, low flow. They recycle nutrients into live food. Protein skimmers promote gas exchange and export dead bacteria from the water column.

 

[Subsea]

@Dave_1972

Its my thread, I asked you. No derailing here. I will get back to my topic when I get live rock from divers.

I am good with what you said, except for this:
[Hoping that the cryptic zones can fulfill much of the role of a skimmer. ]

Not a chance. Cryptic Zones are unlite, low flow. They recycle nutrients into live food. Protein skimmers promote gas exchange and export dead bacteria from the water column.

One last point on Cryptic Zones, when I convertEd 30G mud/macro refugium into a cryptic zone, I turned out the lights, added rocks seeded with cryptic sponges and voila, I was Cryptic. During this same time, cryptic sponges grew in high flow cannister filter.

 

[Subsea]

owner/diver of Gulf Live Rock, informed me of a fair weather & successful diving collection trip on Easter Monday. Live rock shipment will arrive Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

Gulf Live Rock.com

Gulf Live Rock Specializing in wholesale and retail sales of Aquacultured Live Rock and live sand at direct from the diver prices. Free Shipping! coral reeftank

gulfliverock.com

https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/90af1256-3dfc-46e5-86cb-4b2dddf55349/10862546_606925549408126_1810116509655600239_o.jpg/:/cr=t:5.36%25,l:5.36%25,w:89.29%25,h:89.29%25/rs=w:740,cg:true,m

 

[Subsea]

Less than 24 hours after pickup from Southwest air freight.

 

[Subsea]

Two select rocks went into 25 yr mature 75G mixed garden.

 

[Subsea]

Early morning light shinning thru a meadow of Caulerpa Prolifera

 

[Subsea]

I so much enjoy shimmering rays of sunlight.

 

[Subsea]

Day 7 on cycling uncured live rock. Tank water is immaculate. I added a crew of mini Blue Leg Hermits and some orange clowns to contrast black mollies.

Tank is less than 1 month mature but it was ramped up with powerful bacteria filters than seeded with live sand and live rock.

 

[Subsea]

Late evening with natural sunlight only coming in thru two 2’ by 4’ windows facing NE & NW. Diver collected live rock 10 days after introduction to tank.

 

[Subsea]

Morning sunlight beams with waving glitter lines.

 

[Subsea]

Live rock 30 days removed from Gulf of Mexico.

 

[Subsea]

I have began to gravel vac new sandbed and then add at least 20lbs to three other tanks. I removed most of the best live rock for Hippqo Tang to curate under my supervisio.

Note new base rock which was removed from greenhouse live rock propagation when I shut down greenhouse system. It was bleached by the sun for 5 years. Note the density of marine life forms on this rock. I have began to build a customized rock with Bortacladia cuttings from in the Fall. Also included a small Yellow Ball Sponge recovered from behind some live rock.

Many bubbles due to low water.

 

[Subsea]

At 4 months, I am so pleased with variety of ornamental macro on gulf live rock in 55G macro mixed garden lagoon. Lights went off 2 minutes ago.
picture #1 55G display At 7pm with with overcast sky’s.
picture #2 30G display at same time.
picture#3 75G display at 25yrs mature with some select gulf live rock from 4 months ago.

 

[Subsea]

Macro lagoon lighting with natural sunlight Windows off at 6am.

 

[Subsea]

With fast growing Caulerpa Paspoidies, I find it requires additional nitrogen to prevent it from going sexual. I dose 10ml of ammonia every day

 

[Subsea]

Just cleaned glass after 2 weeks. I pulled out a lot of Red Grapes and Dragons Breath aquascape other tanks. The sun is just coming out which will wash out some of these mixed colors.