Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
I called in at the LFS today to pick up a 5kg bucket of Rhowaphos and whilst there I was chatting about algae reactors, and I had been looking at the ALR series for a while now.

I didn’t get one because it’s just something else to clean and maintain and apart from the obvious it’s no different to changing the rhowaphos but looks much more fiddly and I’ve read they can be a real pain to keep clean.

Anyway, an easy solution we decided, was a plastic container filled with Miracle Mud, and LED light which the LFS use and a clump of Kelp. I don’t now if the Miracle Mud was necessary but it adds things back to the system so....

The LED light is waterproof in case you see it stuck into the water at the bottom!

So this is my adventure into a refugium with a view to lowering nutrient levels, with a possible view to eventually not using, or reducing the dependence on Nopox and rhowaphos, if indeed this is possible.

I’m certainly not trying to strip the water clean, and will monitor this, but it’s just something I wanted to try.

I’ve put the LED in a reverse overnight cycle so on at 9pm and off at 11am and I’ll see what happens.

Can anyone ID the type of Kelp this is ??

View attachment 48926View attachment 48927
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Shaun - Are you at risk of increasing your maintenance on the tank? We've spoken about this before, but what is the risk of 'something' going wrong with the Kelp, with the resultant die off causing problems in the tank? You question the dependence on NOPOX and Rhowaphos, but are you at risk of just shifting that same dependence onto something else?
I'm not criticizing anything you are doing here, but just hoping to help you ask yourself the right questions.
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Nobbygas said:
Shaun - Are you at risk of increasing your maintenance on the tank? We've spoken about this before, but what is the risk of 'something' going wrong with the Kelp, with the resultant die off causing problems in the tank? You question the dependence on NOPOX and Rhowaphos, but are you at risk of just shifting that same dependence onto something else?
I'm not criticizing anything you are doing here, but just hoping to help you ask yourself the right questions.
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We are all here to question what we do and thats how we help each other get on so thats all good

As far as maintenance is concerned there is no extra work other than harvesting the kelp. Its called caulerpa prolifera so I’ll need to read up on that. Thats why i did it as its not like a reactor with loads of cleaning etc.

Ive been reading above refugiums for months to be honest and the only reason i didnt get the ALR reactor was its just another task and looks a pain to clean.

As far as dependence you are correct, but I just fancied having a try at growing some to be honest, to see what it does and don’t see any real potential for a die off (hopefully!!). I have read things about it going “sexual”( or was that somewhere else!!lol). The other reason is its natural food for the tangs which is the other reason why I thought I’d give it a try.

The miracle mud is useful anyway for trace elements etc., so apart from the LED light and they were only £39 theres no major expense so if i get bored with it or dont like it, or read something ill just clear it out.
 
Pancho75

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
I do not know how much maintenance culerpa adds to the system but I keep chaeto in my sump and it adds zero maintenance and helps me lowering my nitrates and phosphates. I just added more 2 weeks ago to help with the nutrients spike and now NO3 and PO4 were cut by half. Ah! and I do not use NOPOX at all.


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SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Pancho75 said:
I do not know how much maintenance culerpa adds to the system but I keep chaeto in my sump and it adds zero maintenance and helps me lowering my nitrates and phosphates. I just added more 2 weeks ago to help with the nutrients spike and now NO3 and PO4 were cut by half. Ah! and I do not use NOPOX at all.


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Have you got it in a basket or something Pancho, or just free floating in the sump?

I was thinking of getting a ‘pond planter’ or similar to help contain it when it starts growing out.

As you’ve said it’s pretty easy, and it also makes the sump look much prettier and ‘alive’ rather than dingy !
 
N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Good luck to the both of you with your reefing version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon !

I await the results with baited breath........you need to convince me :)
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
Have you got it in a basket or something Pancho, or just free floating in the sump?

I was thinking of getting a ‘pond planter’ or similar to help contain it when it starts growing out.

As you’ve said it’s pretty easy, and it also makes the sump look much prettier and ‘alive’ rather than dingy !
Click to expand...

Ive ordered a 35x35x26 cm pond basket to contain the caulerpa prolifera so it cant escape. It will be like an oasis in the sump of bright green tranquillity, or Hanging Basket of Babylon!

I fed it to the tank on a clip yesterday, initially the fish were scared because it was waving about, but then they went crazy especially the Regal Tang. He was behaving like he was on 'speed' or something for an hour after! lol

Maybe I might try it myself...… Bit of soya sauce...…..
 
Pancho75

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
Have you got it in a basket or something Pancho, or just free floating in the sump?

I was thinking of getting a ‘pond planter’ or similar to help contain it when it starts growing out.

As you’ve said it’s pretty easy, and it also makes the sump look much prettier and ‘alive’ rather than dingy !
Click to expand...
I do not have a basket but I have been trying to find a net to contain it. As soon as I changed the light in the sump, it started to grow fast so perhaps I should have a contention to keep it in a place and avoid a mess. I have it located in the chamber left to the skimmer. I was told it is also good to grow pods as they will eat it.


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Pancho75

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
Ive ordered a 35x35x26 cm pond basket to contain the caulerpa prolifera so it cant escape. It will be like an oasis in the sump of bright green tranquillity, or Hanging Basket of Babylon!

I fed it to the tank on a clip yesterday, initially the fish were scared because it was waving about, but then they went crazy especially the Regal Tang. He was behaving like he was on 'speed' or something for an hour after! lol

Maybe I might try it myself...… Bit of soya sauce...…..
Click to expand...
The alcohol is not working anymore?


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SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Pancho75 said:
The alcohol is not working anymore?


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Oh yes darling it’s working! But a little added ‘green weed’ maybe ! Lol

The Tang certainly liked it!

I’ll post a picture when my new ‘Babylon Genesis ‘ container arrives

It’s going in the same place on the left of the sump we’re it is now and maybe I’ll try and put the miracle mud in as well in it’s container if it fits.

I tried moving the light to the top of the cabinet rather than pointing down/sideways but it didn’t look anywhere near as intense higher up.
 
N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Serious question (for a change), but I've heard about it, but just what is Miracle Mud and what does it do?

PS - Can I buy it for She Who Casts No Shadow to put on?
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Nobbygas said:
Serious question (for a change), but I've heard about it, but just what is Miracle Mud and what does it do?

PS - Can I buy it for She Who Casts No Shadow to put on?
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Oh so you want some now do you! Lol

Your lady would look great with it, like a Maui warrior!

This is what happened..
Well I called at LFS for a 5kg bucket of rhowaphos and ended up coming out with some kelp to grow, a sump LED (i already have one! lol) and a pot of Miracle Mud!

The LFS was raving about it so it’s in my sump in a new refugium. It’s in a plastic sandwich box with some kelp to grow on top

I’ve now been reading up on it and it looks like it releases trace elements (I already use Red Sea Coral Colours etc) and it also looks like it harbours denitrification bateria, and I have plenty of that already. So I probably don’t need it, won’t notice a difference.........

I’ve been trying to read up on it but there isn’t that much specific data or reviews on it, just rather ‘vague’ reviews and comments. A bit like mine! Lol

Anyway I leave it in place until it gets in the way or I get bored of it, and report if I think anything of it, or it makes any difference.

This is maybe what happens when your tank is running fine, but you just need to ‘fiddle’ with things and then end up at the LFS!
 
R

rustyreefer

Well-Known Member
I like the idea of adding a fuge and have been planning on doing one in my tank once it fully cycles and I start adding fish. Not too sure how I will do it yet but I will start a tank page soon and start adding some things. Right now I cannot get the new RSK 900 skimmer that comes with them to fit in the skimmer compartment.. :cursing: Those tabs that the shelf(which is not needed)sits on are getting in the way of the fit. Once I get that sorted I was thinking of adding it to the far left compartment.
Ill be curious to see how it works out for you. Ive been looking at algaebarn and they have some pretty good starter kits.
 
E

emvanburen

Well-Known Member
Good luck with the fuge. I’ve been fugeless for a while after my nutrients dropped. I found the light added a lot of heat too, and caused algae to grow in the skimmer. But if I start struggling w nitrate it will be back.


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SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
rustyreefer said:
I like the idea of adding a fuge and have been planning on doing one in my tank once it fully cycles and I start adding fish
Ill be curious to see how it works out for you. Ive been looking at algaebarn and they have some pretty good starter kits.
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Mine might not be a good example because I keep phosphate locked down very low so it will be interesting to see if the ‘weed’ grows at all.

It makes the sump look ‘pretty’ though, but I think it’s one of those things that won’t be in there very long, especially when I need to do any maintenance. And the miracle mud.... that’s what happens when you have nothing to fiddle with and the LFS knows which ‘excitement’ buttons to press!

I ordered a pond basket that came yesterday to keep it contained. You know when you measure something and ‘it looks about right’, well it’s about as big as the entire sump! Lol

Mmmmm......
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
I’ve just found this site that looks quiet good for anyone in the UK/Europe

https://www.livealgae.co.uk/

I’ve just ordered some Botryocladia algae as the others red ones were out of stock.

I’ll grow some in my new toy, sorry Babylon Genesis Refugium and when it’s big enough add it to the display as it’s not invasive. Oh and the fish could well eat it so I need some extra before I add it.

There are all sorts of pretty non invasive types, it’s a whole new world........
 
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