Ok, I might have talked about this a few times, but I’m gonna bring it up again..I mean, it’s my forum, right?
Why don't we ever give more thought to what goes on the BOTTOM of our reefs, huh? It should at least be as interesting as programming our controllers or choosing our LED lights, right?
(I know, you're starting to think..."Here he goes..and why DOES he keep getting speaking invites, anyways?")
I love bare-bottom reefs. I love that you can blast wicked flow through them, and I love that you don’t have to worry about any sand kicking up, detritus accumulating, etc. So, now that I got that out of the way, I can wax poetic about other types of substrates that you can employ in your reef system!
Of course, you can use deep sand (4-5 inches or more), shallow sand (3 inches or less), or you could even use a sprinkling of sand…But hey, that’s been done before, so why not look at some other ideas. We’re reefers, right? We’re supposed to try different stuff!
Okay, how about creating a bottom entirely of rubble? Yeah, RUBBLE! You know, pieces ranging in size from the size of a pea on up to golfball - or bigger- size? Think of how awesome it would be to create a network of little nooks and crannies for your wrasses, Ctenochatus Tangs, Centropyge Angels, and other bottom dwelling fishes to forage among! It’s an entirely biotopic substrate, as I’ve seen these types of “hardbottoms” throughout the South Pacific.
As an added plus, you can really blast flow through this system, just like a bare bottom tank. Debris accumulation is not really a factor unless you’re overfeeding and under-maintaining, In addition to fostering natural behaviors in your fishes, a “rubble bottom” provides an instant “natural frag plug” for any coral that happens to break off and fall to the bottom. Easy for you to bring to the next frag swap, right? Just pull of a piece of rubble and replace with a new one! Zoanthids love it, but any type of coral can work.
Still kind of bored? I feel you…Do you have high limits on your credit cards, or an abundance of cash burning a hole in your pocket? You DO? Awesome! Then you should consider a bottom composed entirely of Ricordea and Mushroom Corallimorphs. In addition to being spectacularly beautiful, such a bottom could provide extreme interest for displaying your super extensive collection. Although best suited for a nano system because of the horrific costs, it would be a serious conversation starter, huh? Would this not be the coolest-looking “substrate” ever? Discuss..
Okay, since we are leaning towards the exotic, why not push further and branch out to the totally absurd? How about a bottom that changes? Huh? Hear me out: This one is for nano tank owners, again (who says reefers with mega tanks have all the fun, right?)…Obtain about 50 Astrea or Trochus snails, and feel free to glue some frags of zoos, Ricordea, Xeniids, Mushroom Corallimorphs, etc to their shells? Each night (in theory), the little buggers will move around, creating an all-new “substrate” that acts like a kaleidoscope! Okay, the theory is preposterous, and the Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Mullusks will probably hang me from the rafters, but it’s different, right? The point here being to think outside the box…I’ve presented this goofy one at talks all over the world, but no takers yet…Wonder why?
Alright, you could be more conventional (is there such a word in this hobby?) and create a bottom composed entirely of Green Star Polyps. I mean, you can’t give the stuff away at frag swaps, so why not DO something with it? grow it in “turfs” and glue it to the bottom of a small tank. You could create a very “Iwagumi” look, just like a freshwater aquarium with Glosstostigma or the grass types of plants you see from time to time. Hmm…interesting!
Or, you could fill the bottom of your tank with Zoanthids…that could work, too, huh?
The bottom line here is that. for the creative reefer, there is more than just sand available to you as a “substrate.” Inject your own little flare into the matter, have some fun, and create something entirely different. And if you are the one mad reefer who does try the “Living Kaleidoscope Bottom” idea and documents it with pics, I may just have to send you frags as a reward. (Ok, really, I’ll probably have to send you frags as a deterrent from future insanity).
Share your substrates with everyone. What crazy ideas have you come up with to spice up the otherwise "pedestrian" bottom of your reef...and why?
Okay, enough of this madness…You’d think I was being overwhelmed by frag glue fumes or something…Surely I must have something more productive to do..I think we have a huge sale coming up soon...hmm..
Until next time…
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Why don't we ever give more thought to what goes on the BOTTOM of our reefs, huh? It should at least be as interesting as programming our controllers or choosing our LED lights, right?
(I know, you're starting to think..."Here he goes..and why DOES he keep getting speaking invites, anyways?")
I love bare-bottom reefs. I love that you can blast wicked flow through them, and I love that you don’t have to worry about any sand kicking up, detritus accumulating, etc. So, now that I got that out of the way, I can wax poetic about other types of substrates that you can employ in your reef system!
Of course, you can use deep sand (4-5 inches or more), shallow sand (3 inches or less), or you could even use a sprinkling of sand…But hey, that’s been done before, so why not look at some other ideas. We’re reefers, right? We’re supposed to try different stuff!
Okay, how about creating a bottom entirely of rubble? Yeah, RUBBLE! You know, pieces ranging in size from the size of a pea on up to golfball - or bigger- size? Think of how awesome it would be to create a network of little nooks and crannies for your wrasses, Ctenochatus Tangs, Centropyge Angels, and other bottom dwelling fishes to forage among! It’s an entirely biotopic substrate, as I’ve seen these types of “hardbottoms” throughout the South Pacific.
As an added plus, you can really blast flow through this system, just like a bare bottom tank. Debris accumulation is not really a factor unless you’re overfeeding and under-maintaining, In addition to fostering natural behaviors in your fishes, a “rubble bottom” provides an instant “natural frag plug” for any coral that happens to break off and fall to the bottom. Easy for you to bring to the next frag swap, right? Just pull of a piece of rubble and replace with a new one! Zoanthids love it, but any type of coral can work.
Still kind of bored? I feel you…Do you have high limits on your credit cards, or an abundance of cash burning a hole in your pocket? You DO? Awesome! Then you should consider a bottom composed entirely of Ricordea and Mushroom Corallimorphs. In addition to being spectacularly beautiful, such a bottom could provide extreme interest for displaying your super extensive collection. Although best suited for a nano system because of the horrific costs, it would be a serious conversation starter, huh? Would this not be the coolest-looking “substrate” ever? Discuss..
Okay, since we are leaning towards the exotic, why not push further and branch out to the totally absurd? How about a bottom that changes? Huh? Hear me out: This one is for nano tank owners, again (who says reefers with mega tanks have all the fun, right?)…Obtain about 50 Astrea or Trochus snails, and feel free to glue some frags of zoos, Ricordea, Xeniids, Mushroom Corallimorphs, etc to their shells? Each night (in theory), the little buggers will move around, creating an all-new “substrate” that acts like a kaleidoscope! Okay, the theory is preposterous, and the Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Mullusks will probably hang me from the rafters, but it’s different, right? The point here being to think outside the box…I’ve presented this goofy one at talks all over the world, but no takers yet…Wonder why?
Alright, you could be more conventional (is there such a word in this hobby?) and create a bottom composed entirely of Green Star Polyps. I mean, you can’t give the stuff away at frag swaps, so why not DO something with it? grow it in “turfs” and glue it to the bottom of a small tank. You could create a very “Iwagumi” look, just like a freshwater aquarium with Glosstostigma or the grass types of plants you see from time to time. Hmm…interesting!
Or, you could fill the bottom of your tank with Zoanthids…that could work, too, huh?
The bottom line here is that. for the creative reefer, there is more than just sand available to you as a “substrate.” Inject your own little flare into the matter, have some fun, and create something entirely different. And if you are the one mad reefer who does try the “Living Kaleidoscope Bottom” idea and documents it with pics, I may just have to send you frags as a reward. (Ok, really, I’ll probably have to send you frags as a deterrent from future insanity).
Share your substrates with everyone. What crazy ideas have you come up with to spice up the otherwise "pedestrian" bottom of your reef...and why?
Okay, enough of this madness…You’d think I was being overwhelmed by frag glue fumes or something…Surely I must have something more productive to do..I think we have a huge sale coming up soon...hmm..
Until next time…
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
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