Lagoon before reef

[Lifelongaquaria]

i know there are many routes to success in our hobby but it has become my personal opinion that the best way for me to approach it is by starting a lagoon tank first. In our hobby stability is King. I find that to many of us mistake low parameters in our water columns as stability only for one tiny change to create spikes in the nitrogen cycle, chemical warfare amongst inhabitants, or the dreaded runaway reaction becoming systemic failure. In nature it is plants that serve as one of the most important parts of ecosystem stability and rebound crashed ecosystems. It has been found that when the seagrass or large macroalge ecosystems neighboring a reef dies soon to the reef behind to die as well. proper maintenance, a good understanding, mechanical, and chemical filtration can all be important parts of excellent water quality. However these things all rely on us to be consistent which introduces more human error. The more we rely on plants and natural relationships the more a system is capable of dealing with massive changes in nutrient levels without ever seeing the dreaded spike and recycling of the system. By taking the time to mature a lagoon tank to become the refugium we are able to start the reef tank with major biological components of stability decreasing the chances of so many of the problems inherent to a newly cycled and maturing tank and increasing the chances for success. I have seen reefs run with nothing but an alge scrubber and sump nothing else. I personally cycled a tank with no pest alge bloom or diatom bloom for the first time using only a cheatomorpha reactor. This has led me to believe that I should start my saltwater systems the same way I start my fresh water systems, the vegitation, substrate, and surface area ( biofiltration ) first. I know this means taking even more time to get things going than we already hopefully take, but as reefers much more experienced than I point out nothing good happens quickly in this hobby. Just my humble opinion, lifelongaquaria.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

i know there are many routes to success in our hobby but it has become my personal opinion that the best way for me to approach it is by starting a lagoon tank first. In our hobby stability is King. I find that to many of us mistake low parameters in our water columns as stability only for one tiny change to create spikes in the nitrogen cycle, chemical warfare amongst inhabitants, or the dreaded runaway reaction becoming systemic failure. In nature it is plants that serve as one of the most important parts of ecosystem stability and rebound crashed ecosystems. It has been found that when the seagrass or large macroalge ecosystems neighboring a reef dies soon to the reef behind to die as well. proper maintenance, a good understanding, mechanical, and chemical filtration can all be important parts of excellent water quality. However these things all rely on us to be consistent which introduces more human error. The more we rely on plants and natural relationships the more a system is capable of dealing with massive changes in nutrient levels without ever seeing the dreaded spike and recycling of the system. By taking the time to mature a lagoon tank to become the refugium we are able to start the reef tank with major biological components of stability decreasing the chances of so many of the problems inherent to a newly cycled and maturing tank and increasing the chances for success. I have seen reefs run with nothing but an alge scrubber and sump nothing else. I personally cycled a tank with no pest alge bloom or diatom bloom for the first time using only a cheatomorpha reactor. This has led me to believe that I should start my saltwater systems the same way I start my fresh water systems, the vegitation, substrate, and surface area ( biofiltration ) first. I know this means taking even more time to get things going than we already hopefully take, but as reefers much more experienced than I point out nothing good happens quickly in this hobby. Just my humble opinion, lifelongaquaria.

Guess this is more of an article but don't know how to post there yet will figure it out so I don't keep posting articles as threads.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

It occurred to me I should be more clear when I say lagoon tank I do not mean brackish but planted saltwater. I apologise if this was misleading.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Any criticism is welcome here. I'm all about the learning.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

Sounds like a good approach to me. I have a 560G DT that is currently empty, but I hope to have it online and cycled for the end of the year. My latest operating tank (much smaller and holding the inhabitants from a previous tank until the 560 is ready), I have had a hard time getting coralline to grow. So my plan with the 560 is too actively seed the cycling tank with coralline starter cultures, and not add any higher lifeforms until the coralline and microfauna are firmly established. From the ground up as it were. Not too unlike what you are proposing with a lagoon tank to balance the DT.

Dennis