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As for dosing silicates for sponges, I am not sure about that. I just trimmed about half a pound of sponge in my tank and gave it away because it grows to fast and I never dosed silicates or even know how to do that.
A RUGF creates an atmosphere where pods, worms, tube worms, bacteria and Godzilla larvae can live and reproduce all the way through the gravel and especially in the detritus laden area under the filter plate. That is a place absolutely filled with pods and worms which I can see through the bottom glass. But it depends on what you want to keep. I have breeding mandarins, 2 pairs of pipe fish and 5 or 6 queen anthias along with a few other creatures that rely on pods and worms. If you keep a tank full of moray eels, lionfish and manta rays you don't need this microcosm of miniature food sources. I personally run a very natural tank and don't use almost any of the things written about in this thread.
For many years my nitrates were under 10. Now they are 160 (as tested by a LFS because I don't have or want test kits)
My phosphate is 2.0. I don't care what the readings are because I believe most of this hobby is run on rumors. If nitrate and phosphate caused algae, I would be able to open up a produce stand in front of my tank.
But I have no algae.
Corals supposedly don't like high nitrates. I keep mostly a LPS, gorgonians, sponges and softy tank but I do have a few SPS that have quadrupled in size and have had many grow to large. (Those all croaked in an accident when my Supermodel tank sitter let the water level fall 7")
My nitrates are considered high because I keep my fish healthy which means spawning. To do that, you must feed way to much for a tank full of SPS which I am not striving for. I also use no dry foods.
I also think all this talk of trace elements is silly except if you are going for "no" water changes at all. I only change about 20% of my tank 4 or 5 times a year and only dose baking soda and drive way ice melter.
My tank runs fine and has no problems even after decades so maybe a Reverse Undergravel filter is needed to keep a tank this long, no one really knows.
I do however have a load of other, white sponges in my reef that are growing under the rocks only in the dark
I do however have a load of other, white sponges in my reef that are growing under the rocks only in the dark so I assume I have the 25% of sponges that don't require silicates.
Given that we have definitively established that the RUGF is the key to success, how do you set one up?
Tony
That is the single biggest mistake I have made in this hobby and all because someone somewhere said it was a bad idea if there are any other things out there like this please let me know.
Hi Paul;
so the space underneath the RUGF plate is itself a haven for pods etc, & benificial when used in the actual aquarium (not necessarily in the sump) if keeping fish that specifically eat that food. OK, sounds good!
But, aside from the above benifit, and providing surface area for aerobic bacteria to grow, are there any other useful benifits of using a RUGF, anywhere in the system?
......
I didn't see him specify it was only beneficial if setup in the display.
It provides the same benefit no mater where it's setup.
Why does it have to provide anything more then what has been stated. A safe place to multiply, a slow flow of oxygenated water, and food.
I don't think anyone is waving plates around saying the end is nigh if you don't use one now.
No, that's my suggestion, as the pods etc would be 'in the tank where the fish can get at them'.
I'm not sure its placement in a refuge/sump is as benificial for fish food unless there is some transportation system getting the pods etc from the sump to the tank.
It doesn't. I'm asking a serious question - if there are any other advantages other than food & aerobacteria activity.
But how does a RUGF create oxygen?
One person has done just that.
The RUGF passes water that is oxygenated under the plate where as in a sand bed that can not happen nor deep under or in rocks where oxygen is depleted or non-existent.
And there is a continuous feed of fresh oxygenated water. Where are you getting the idea that I said the UGF creates oxygen?How does a RUGF create oxygen?
But the oxygen is used up by the aerobacteria, & the pods, & the worms.
Nothing creates oxygen in a RUGF.
Photosynthesis creates oxygen.
Where are you getting the idea that I said the UGF creates oxygen?
Oh no problem, I was wondering how or where I was being interpreted as saying that. And by all means it is absolutely not necessary or required to have a successful tank. But what it can provide is what I'm after which is a habitat that can help produce a greater biodiversity."Why does it have to provide anything more then what has been stated. A safe place to multiply, a slow flow of oxygenated water, and food. "
perhaps I miss understood you?
No worries
The slow flow of oxygenated water is from the reversed pumping of water to the plate so its pushed through the stand pipe and out the plate."Why does it have to provide anything more then what has been stated. A safe place to multiply, a slow flow of oxygenated water, and food. "
perhaps I miss understood you?
No worries
The slow flow of oxygenated water is from the reversed pumping of water to the plate so its pushed through the stand pipe and out the plate.
Here you can see the pump in the back there which that model can reverse its flow which is pushing down into that pipe.
yes i understand how they work.
i'm old enough unfortunately to have been around when undergravel filters, run in both the standard direction & reversed, were popular.
How deep is the sand bed above your plate, &, what particle size do you use?