Nothing secret about it . Just nature stuff , sea shells mixing with corals .I get the feeling this is all very TOP SECRET and that you're not really going to explain what you're up to.
Dave.M
7,000 litres Natural reef tank - Thailand
- Thread starter sirichok
- Start date
dave.m
Active member
Well, I am curious when you talk about microbes but don't describe them. Surely you're not going to try to resurrect those old stories about Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Those stories were disproven many years ago in marine aquariums and laid to rest.
It would help everyone here and help advance the hobby if you could please describe what the process is that you're introducing to your aquarium, how it works or is intended to work, and what is the underlying science so that we may all learn. Thx.
Dave.M
It would help everyone here and help advance the hobby if you could please describe what the process is that you're introducing to your aquarium, how it works or is intended to work, and what is the underlying science so that we may all learn. Thx.
Dave.M
As I mentioned in the first page of my build , I am trying to corporate many types of biological filters as much as possible into one system . If I think that there is a possibility however small it is , i will certainly include them in my reef tank. I am trying to mimic nature and nature tends to not stick to any one type of filter but millions so that even if one type fails then there are literally millions which will not fail , that is the wonder of nature. That 's why quality of sea water is so stable. Let's not complicate the equation any further , I am just trying to find suitable media for microbes to grow and I think hollow sea shells are appropriate to use as media for microbes.
dave.m
Active member
Okay, I am just trying to understand your methods, not to challenge you or demand any sort of scientific qualification. I have never heard of anyone putting a base layer of sea shells under their substrate before and so I am trying to learn from what you are doing.
I know that people using crushed oyster shells in their substrate and also to make artificial reef rock have reported a lot of problems with high nutrients from the oyster shells. Is it possible you might experience the same high nutrient issues with the smaller shells you will use?
Dave.M
I know that people using crushed oyster shells in their substrate and also to make artificial reef rock have reported a lot of problems with high nutrients from the oyster shells. Is it possible you might experience the same high nutrient issues with the smaller shells you will use?
Dave.M
These are not crushed sea shells , just small sea shells . So I don't think there will be any nutrients issues but I will keep a watchful eye and thanks for your kind information.
A while back, I created a thread called something like "Natural Filtration Methods" and I described some of the different 'natural' methods I was going to employ in order to create a healthy Microcosm for my shark breeding system, which is roughly 2000-2500 gallons. Years ago, I had read the works of Jauberts, the refuges in Monaco Aquarium, Martin A. Moe and both of his miniature Ecosystems of a Temperate zone and tropical zone through the Smithsonian. More recently, as an educated biologist, I am more interested in biodiversity including the smallest of Microflora and microfauna.
The thread never really took hold with most people but (Paul B) who is also in NY as I am, who's aquarium is over 42 years old added notes. In his threads, you can find that he adds local muds from less eutrophic, estuary type areas from even here in a temperate latitude.
I believe that the greater the biodiversity of both microbes, micro-invertebrates and crustaceans, as well as an organic carbon source can create a superior environment for marine animals to flourish. However overtime, due to competition and natural selection, the amount of diversity begins to lessen, with solitary species taking control and outcompeting the rest.
I have taken interest lately in "cryptic refugia" and have a glass tank with Live Rock pieces in it, where all gaps between the pieces of rock have been filled with sponge growth! I'm actually afraid to disturb it at this point as removing one rock would shift this natural 'mortar like sponge growth'.
Needless to say, you keep surprising me with each phase of this build!
I'm very curious of this microbe extracted from mangrove root, and what it is and what it does that attracted you to it?
Using all of these nature, locally collected shells, mud, rocks etc. can carry the risk of introducing high nutrient levels initially, and contaminants.
I'm sure you've done your homework however! The rock work has come out looking like art! Well done.
The thread never really took hold with most people but (Paul B) who is also in NY as I am, who's aquarium is over 42 years old added notes. In his threads, you can find that he adds local muds from less eutrophic, estuary type areas from even here in a temperate latitude.
I believe that the greater the biodiversity of both microbes, micro-invertebrates and crustaceans, as well as an organic carbon source can create a superior environment for marine animals to flourish. However overtime, due to competition and natural selection, the amount of diversity begins to lessen, with solitary species taking control and outcompeting the rest.
I have taken interest lately in "cryptic refugia" and have a glass tank with Live Rock pieces in it, where all gaps between the pieces of rock have been filled with sponge growth! I'm actually afraid to disturb it at this point as removing one rock would shift this natural 'mortar like sponge growth'.
Needless to say, you keep surprising me with each phase of this build!
I'm very curious of this microbe extracted from mangrove root, and what it is and what it does that attracted you to it?
Using all of these nature, locally collected shells, mud, rocks etc. can carry the risk of introducing high nutrient levels initially, and contaminants.
I'm sure you've done your homework however! The rock work has come out looking like art! Well done.
Tradewinds
Well-known member
I enjoy following your thought process, but wouldn't the natural selection have the shells above the sand, as the shells become sand as they are broke down?
From my calculation of water flow in the tank , the sea shells should mix evenly with the coral substrate and would not totally immerse so you would see roughly 40 % of sea shells appearing across the coral substrate.
Yes! I've been using 3 of the popular 'mud' varieties, Ecosystems miracle mud, CaribSea Mineral mud and Walt Smith's Fiji mud. I've used all three to help propagate mangroves. If I could have done it with a bigger budget originally, I probably would've built something very similar to Sirichok double sump.
I'm very excited to see how the Mangrove sump develops over time!
Another benefit Mr Sirichok has is the natural sea water which will import plenty of microscopic life!
I'm very excited to see how the Mangrove sump develops over time!
Another benefit Mr Sirichok has is the natural sea water which will import plenty of microscopic life!
Moser
Active member
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