Wet & Salty for Christmas 2017.

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Seven month old 120G tank with reverse flow undergravel filter on top with 40G cryptic refugium on bottom.
 
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That looks great...amazing color.

Thank you.

I am very happy with the color spectrum of my lighting. Three 4’ BML light bar at 108W each with 12K kelvin and two black box led at 300 W of 14K kelvin for a total maximum wattage of 800W. I suspect after I measure wattage, it will be around 500W.
 
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I am very happy with how my substrate is feeding the tank. With a reverse flow up from Plenum, the 2” deep substrate never goes anarobic. Also, detritus never sinks into depths of sandbed allowing detrivors to use their talents. As an added bonus, when lights go out as pH drops from 8.15 to 7.85. Aroggonite begins to dissolve at a pH of 8.05 contributing to carbonate & bicarbonate alkalinity as well as trace mineral addittion.

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I should better explain what I meant when I said that my substrate was “feeding the tank”. With four drawf angels, while observe their eating habits, I see much grazing in substrate. After further investigation, I note that angels are eating calcareous worms. Previously, I had observed Mandarin grazing the same way. While I think Mandarin is eating copepods, I also think he is eating tiny worms. In either case, he is fat.
 

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What are you using to drive your reverse under gravel filter? I ran them in freshwater about 20 years ago, but now I can't find any power heads with the right adapters. I think you and Paul B. are the only people still using them. If I remember correctly Paul is using dolomite gravel much deeper than you are.
 
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What are you using to drive your reverse under gravel filter? I ran them in freshwater about 20 years ago, but now I can't find any power heads with the right adapters. I think you and Paul B. are the only people still using them. If I remember correctly Paul is using dolomite gravel much deeper than you are.

When I built my undergravel compartment from eggcrate, there are no adapters for plumbing. Flow under eggcrate is provided by a 1/2” pvc manifold made into a rectangle to support the weight of substrate. Small 1/8” holes were evenly spaced and drilled. Fifty years ago, Paul used dolomite. I used 2” of aroggonite. I see no reason for dsb. Yes, I operated a Jaubert Plenum dsb for 25 years. In those days we were told nitrate was bad. Even with heavy feeding, I regularly add ammonia to my system. My systems all thrive on ammonia addittion. I feel that I am removing phosphate from system by encouraging biomass growth with nitrogen addittion.
 
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Looking really good!

I looked at your build thread. Kudos to you. For me, it is a joy to see children brought into the reefing community. More importantly, as quality family time to share the beauty of the undersea word which never ceases to amaze me. We nurture what we love.

Laissez les bonne temps roulee,
Patrick

PS: After reefing for many years, I overheard one of my teenager daughters tell her friend, “Don’t ask my Dad about his aquarium, he will never stop talking”. As it was many years ago, I still am talking about reefkeeping. PaulB and I both started our reef tanks in 1971 after returning from Vietnam. He collected things from Long Island Sound and my first tank was a Galveston Bay biotheme.
 
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Early in the sequential stocking of micro fauna and fana, I allowed 90 days with no fish predators in tank. Once nitrifying bacteria population was established, I added 50 lbs of diver collected uncured live rock straight into tank with large amphipods and many things as spores waiting to bloom. During this same time I added three species of copepods from AlgaeBarn.

This species was of the most interest to me because of its heat tolerance with my outside propagation system. The very good description by AlgaeBarn shows the life cycle as a detrivore and then again as a free swimming herbivore, making them a source of live fish food.

https://www.algaebarn.com/product/ap/
 
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Added 10K copepods from AlgaeBarn to refugium surface skimmer chamber. There is much scum in this 7G compartment, I consider that super food for pods.
 
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Tank biofilter took a big hit. Pump for reverse upflow undergravel filter failed without me knowing. I replaced pump and redid piping so that pump is easily accessed near the surface.
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Back when I ran a reverse flow system I pre-filtered the water with a sponge on the powerhead intake. Do you like it without. (Not speaking of aesthetics here.)

Seemed to work well back then...seems like a "dirty" sponge could be a potential browsing station in a reef tank.

Trying to recall how @Paul B had been feeding his old #rfugf...was it from the ATS?
 
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Back when I ran a reverse flow system I pre-filtered the water with a sponge on the powerhead intake. Do you like it without. (Not speaking of aesthetics here.)

Seemed to work well back then...seems like a "dirty" sponge could be a potential browsing station in a reef tank.

Trying to recall how @Paul B had been feeding his old #rfugf...was it from the ATS?

@Paul B and I both started reefing in 1971. He uses a protein skimmer, I don’t. A recent friend @Lasse uses a protein skimmer, then pumps skimmate into Plenum. I don’t use anything on my pump suction. If it is in the water, it goes into the cryptic Plenum. I expect cryptic sponges to proliferate there. However, I also have a cryptic refugium for that.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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