To vacuum the sand bed or not when dosing silicate.

[dennislagoon]

That should be sufficient to show nitrate & phosphate on a 9 month old system. Do you have a full tank shot with white light showing the uglies before you removed the sandbed.

Frankly, if I don’t dose, they will bottom out after a couple of weeks.

Unfortunately I didn’t took a photo before removing the sand bed, but to give you an idea, my substrate would be fully covered within a couple of days. Except for the parts that are shaded.

Dosing phytoplankton is good.

I see little need to continue dosing bacteria. If you were running your protein skimmer, it would be a type of carbon dosing to grow bacteria that absorb nutrients that are then removed with protein skimmer. I suggest you use your protein skimmer for gas exchange only and allow wet skimmate to return to tank.

Thanks for the suggestion. I’m a bit hesitant on this one. Since I’m not really experienced with a skimmer, I have to dial it in, tune it and fiddle around with the amount of dosing No3 and Po4 again. Not sure if I’d like to change that much in a short period of time if that makes sense.

 

[Subsea]

Frankly, if I don’t dose, they will bottom out after a couple of weeks.

Unfortunately I didn’t took a photo before removing the sand bed, but to give you an idea, my substrate would be fully covered within a couple of days. Except for the parts that are shaded.


Thanks for the suggestion. I’m a bit hesitant on this one. Since I’m not really experienced with a skimmer, I have to dial it in, tune it and fiddle around with the amount of dosing No3 and Po4 again. Not sure if I’d like to change that much in a short period of time if that makes sense.

I only mentioned the skimmer because oxygen gas exchange is critical for a healthy reef. If you provide robust circulation at air/water interface, it is sufficient. This is a 55G macro tank.

 

[dennislagoon]

That’s really cool. Love macro algae. If it wasn’t for my tuxido urchin, I would certainly add some too.

I’m indeed aware of the gas exchange, so I always have my return nozzle make quite some movement at the surface.

On a bright note, my hammer opened up today which I’m really happy about. Unfortunately my duncan looks like beyond saving now. Doesn’t come as a huge surprise as it’s my first coral, so it went through a lot.

 

[Subsea]

For my systems, urchins are bulldozers as they knock things over. I haven’t tried Tuxedo Urchin, the ones I have eat my favorite ornamental red macro algae: Bortacladia.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

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Botryocladia is a beautiful specimen that does very well in the marine aquarium. It features stiff, lightly calcified branches with bright red air bladders. It resembles a cluster of grapes and is sometimes referred to as Red Grape Caulerpa, although it is not a species of Caulerpa at all. Depending on the species, it can grow in rather large clumps attached to rocks and coral fragments in depths of up to 30 feet or more. It is very hardy and seems to do well in aquariums with good water quality and low to medium lighting. There are several varieties available in the aquarium trade, but identification can be difficult as they all have the same basic characteristics.​
	Aquarium Care Information​ Scientific Name: Botryocladia Sp. Common Name: Red Grape, Red Berries Origin: Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, Pacific Depth Collected: 15-130 feet Maximum Height : 18" Growth Rate: Slow Light: Moderate Temperature: 78-84 Propagation: Fragmentation, sporulation

Glad you got your hammer back.

I am presently dealing with an electrical problem that nuked 5 year old 120G display with 40G cryptic refugium, while I was away for 2 weeks. The 120G display has a plenum in which a MaxiJet power head flows into plenum and up thru the substrate. This pump failed when epoxied power cord pulled out of motor. In addittion to sandbed going anarobic because of loss of flow, the copper windings in motor were filled with saltwater. Not sure how much copper got into the water in 2 weeks but every urchin was dead; all rock anemone were dead, Aptasia survived, hermits & snails also survived. All GSP survived. I am fortunate to have a 25 year mature tank to assist with inoculation of micro fauna & fana. The live rock in this tank is being removed and subjected to peroxide soak of 10% for 10 minutes.

 

[dennislagoon]

That's indeed a beautiful macro. Looks similar to dragons breath which I have been looking for like forever, but isn't easily available where I live.

Sorry to hear about that 120G. Sounds like a true horror story! Hope things will turn around for you soon.

 

[Subsea]

No fish died, as I continue to thin out excess GSP, I will gradually build this tank into an invert lagoon with feather dusters, anemones, ornamental sponges
(red tree & yellow ball) along with flame scallops & sea apples.

The 120G & 75G come together in an L. I did my knee jerk move this morning as I added chemi clean to 120G for a 48 hour treatment, after which I will gravel vac top 1” of sandbed.

 

[dennislagoon]

Sounds and looks like a really good plan.

I have chemi-clean laying around as well, but really as a last resort if I get ever overrun with cyano.