mycological
New Member
I've decided to attempt to use sand, live rock, bacteria, copepods, and other organic methods of filtration. I won't be using mechanical filtration.
The sand bed slopes from a high point behind the macroalgae rocks and tapers out under the live rock.
(a third liverock was added to the top of the plate pile, will add an update picture)
Microalgae and copepods were purchased from Algae Barn (galaxy pods). Hearing from other posts, the algae can grow pretty fast and need some culling, but they were recommended by my LFS to introduce a spot for all the micro fauna to establish.
All algae is tennis ball sized. Pictured: Red Ogo $30, Sea Lettuce $30, Chaeto $40
Sea lettuce (+free cycle boosting scud)
Red Ogo is the most interesting looking but also the stankiest. Everything seems happy and healthy but I couldn't leave the cap off for long.
I threw in a couple ceramic biospheres to add additional surface area for PNS (and other beneficial) bacteria... hoping it will help promote a self-sustaining population if they have enough hiding/growing spots. And hopefully that will help sustain the copepod population. But if not I'll probably add copepods and PNS on a regular basis.
So far the only residents are 3 cerith snails, PNS dosing, and galaxy copepods. I'll be adding a Nero 3 to either the back or the side once I figure out which one makes more sense for the live rock - livestock I'm thinking mostly anemone with some mushrooms and zoas. Definitely would like some cool small fish in the future, depending on how much bioload the tank can handle.
Cheapo lights for now, will probably get the AI Prime once I figure out the inhabitants. ATO os being set up to maintain water levels, but I want to find a long term solution that reduces the amount of evaporation. Ive heard mixed things about lids, but I haven't seen many alternatives besides net tops.
New pictures of algae in tank will be added when I get them to stop floating away
The sand bed slopes from a high point behind the macroalgae rocks and tapers out under the live rock.
(a third liverock was added to the top of the plate pile, will add an update picture)
Microalgae and copepods were purchased from Algae Barn (galaxy pods). Hearing from other posts, the algae can grow pretty fast and need some culling, but they were recommended by my LFS to introduce a spot for all the micro fauna to establish.
All algae is tennis ball sized. Pictured: Red Ogo $30, Sea Lettuce $30, Chaeto $40
Sea lettuce (+free cycle boosting scud)
Red Ogo is the most interesting looking but also the stankiest. Everything seems happy and healthy but I couldn't leave the cap off for long.
I threw in a couple ceramic biospheres to add additional surface area for PNS (and other beneficial) bacteria... hoping it will help promote a self-sustaining population if they have enough hiding/growing spots. And hopefully that will help sustain the copepod population. But if not I'll probably add copepods and PNS on a regular basis.
So far the only residents are 3 cerith snails, PNS dosing, and galaxy copepods. I'll be adding a Nero 3 to either the back or the side once I figure out which one makes more sense for the live rock - livestock I'm thinking mostly anemone with some mushrooms and zoas. Definitely would like some cool small fish in the future, depending on how much bioload the tank can handle.
Cheapo lights for now, will probably get the AI Prime once I figure out the inhabitants. ATO os being set up to maintain water levels, but I want to find a long term solution that reduces the amount of evaporation. Ive heard mixed things about lids, but I haven't seen many alternatives besides net tops.
New pictures of algae in tank will be added when I get them to stop floating away
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