Baffle or potted plants?
By the way, the blue monti on SPS island has already grown up to the water line and has a flat top. The one that was on the sand bed grew so much its base can no longer support it and it keeps falling over. Very robust SPS!
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By the way, the blue monti on SPS island has already grown up to the water line and has a flat top. The one that was on the sand bed grew so much its base can no longer support it and it keeps falling over. Very robust SPS!
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I am going to use a surf 2 floating algae scrubber which is self contained and will be at the top of the water in the middle chamber, this will provide filtration equal to a fuge 5x it’s size. Keep in mind, the surf 2 + cryptic zone is the ONLY filtration running my current reef. I have no doubt in its capabilities.
I will fill the rest of the section with live rock and run it as a cryptic zone. I may also use a skimmer, since I have one, and just pile rock around it
I will fill the rest of the section with live rock and run it as a cryptic zone. I may also use a skimmer, since I have one, and just pile rock around it
OR... just make a separate fuge in the compartment next to it. I wouldn’t sacrifice my skimmer...Here's a problem I'm mulling over.
This is our sump:
I am going skimmerless and would like to make the middle section both a macro and a cryptic refugium. This is my thought process:
Front half is macroalgae, and the back half is a lot of live rock, nonphotosynthetic sponges and whatnot. I would want sand and mud as the substrate. If I cover half of the middle section with black polycarbonate or something like that, I'm sure that the back half will be dark enough on the back sides of the rocks and inside of them to support a large cryptic zone. However, there's a design flaw...
As you can see, we can't put substrate down, because it will go into Chamber B and block the inlet of water coming through the socks/filter cups (I'm going with filter cups).
Trying to think of the best way to do this. Would adding another baffle, say 3-4inches tall work? I'd like it to be tall enough that the substrate doesn't blow around into Chamber B.
Or maybe go with plastic tuppers, almost like potted plants (and potted rocks/sponges)?
What do you think?
Thanks!
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I also did this on my 75…I took a large mesh media bag and filled with refugite. And put it right under the drain in chamber 1
Stand compartment not sump...
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@JoJosReef
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The macro refugium is more ornamental/pod hotel than nutrient export. Also food for herbivores. I'm usually having difficulty keeping NO3 and PO4 UP, so a turf algae scrubber is way overkill for my setup. I won't have any tangs, so unlikely to get much of a bump in nutrients.
I could go just rocks, but it will still build up detritus that pushes leftward toward Chamber B (or maybe flow will keep it pushed right).
How hard would it be to get another baffle in on the right side of the Chamber B wall?
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@JoJosReef
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My C will already have bio media, surf2, and a skimmer. And possibly rock rubble. I am leaning towards B, it has enough room I would go with B in that case.
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I've never run a skimmer and have difficulty keeping nutrients over zero despite feeding 4-6x per day. So thinking of running skimmerless again. Also potentially incorporating some oysters.
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You’re going to have 400-600gph of water constantly going to the right
I don’t think detritus will push its way left
Also, pods live just fine in live rock. They don’t need the macro. Just put in a lot of nice grade porous live rock and they will breed and live happily. No predators in the cryptic zone, and food and detritus will keep them fed
I don’t think detritus will push its way left
Also, pods live just fine in live rock. They don’t need the macro. Just put in a lot of nice grade porous live rock and they will breed and live happily. No predators in the cryptic zone, and food and detritus will keep them fed
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Adding a baffle wouldn’t be hard, you can get a piece of acrylic sheet cut to the right width and just silicone in place. Would be super easy while it’s empty.
I have just the rock for this, straight from Marshall Island and Fiji.
However, I still like having macros and especially like the idea of a Fiji Mud substrate--I think there's a lot of benefits of having that. I might as Dennis what he thinks about adding another baffle and if that's sensible.
Also... even though it comes with a sump, A Eshopps med cube fuge sump may be better for your needs. Which I happen to have incase you decide to go that way (new in box).
Aquos Class CUBE MEDIUM Aqua-Fuge - Eshopps
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My skimmers never really pull out much, I just use them for gas exchange. But picture this Batman... I run 4 tanks, two have low nutrient issues two have high Po4 issues. They are all run basically the same. I could say "Life is like a box of chocolates, you’ll never know what you'll get." Or... there is Carib Sea life rock in the two with high Po4...
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Also... even though it comes with a sump, A Eshopps med cube fuge sump may be better for your needs. Which I happen to have incase you decide to go that way (new in box).
Aquos Class CUBE MEDIUM Aqua-Fuge - Eshopps
Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.
That fuge is 18x18 and would fit.
Tossed all my CaribSea LifeRock from my old Evo. Had it in water for 2 years and when I took it out, I broke it in half and it was white and bone dry in the middle. Tisk tisk. I bought about 50 pounds of dried out, very old Marshall Island and Fiji rocks from the 70s, guy up in Brea. Really great rocks. If I upgrade again in the future I'll need more, but will probably have to hunt for more live rock or order from TBS again.My skimmers never really pull out much, I just use them for gas exchange. But picture this Batman... I run 4 tanks, two have low nutrient issues two have high Po4 issues. They are all run basically the same. I could say "Life is like a box of chocolates, you’ll never know what you'll get." Or... there is Carib Sea life rock in the two with high Po4...
I wanted to use that sump in my builds, unfortunately my builds are based on a 23.6 x 19 cube and the stand is just a bit too big... My eyes were bigger than my stand...That fuge is 18x18 and would fit.
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I don’t follow. Shouldn't the stand be slightly larger than the sump
Yes, sorry... Those are the outside Dims... Add the thickness of the stand and that equals NOPE, the sump just won’t fit, barely, in both my IM and RS stands
OP
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Ohhh major bummer
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