Advice on what to grow

[Mental1]

Hi Everyone --

I have not spent much time in this forum so please forgive my naive questions. I looked at the list of threads but could not find the info I want. I can never use the search. So if you would like to refer me to a thread I completely understand and am happy to read.

I am attaching a file of my basement system that I am in the process of planning. I am going to have a good size fuge -- 75 gallons and I am trying to decide what to grow. First thought was miracle mud and caluerpa but then you have the downside of having to replace the mud. I was going to have 2 sections, the first one with the mud/caluerpa and the second one with DSB and chaeto. I am adding water volume to my system but not bioload. I have a 65g display and I want to get away with not adding another skimmer. I was also thinking I would do the reverse lighting -- for only 12 hours a day.. well, night!

The I saw the London guy David Saxby's system and he uses sugar sand and caluerpa sertularioides and, he claims, gets the same impact as miracle mud with the critters it hosts. He recommends having some kind of filtering set up to prevent anything from getting into pumps. But then there's the issue of the caulerpa going sexual. The simplest thing is a DSB and chaeto I guess but I am really struggling with this decision. And mangroves are sexy at the moment but do not provide the same level of nutrient export I guess.

Can anyone help!

 

[Mental1]

Absolutely no one has an opinion? No ideas? No help? Wrong forum? Questions too stupid? What?

 

[graveyardworm]

Hi Sherri, depends on what you're looking to accomplish. Are you looking for a just a utility type area for nitrate reduction and a safe place for critters to breed/grow? Then I would keep it simple with a DSB and cheato. If this is something viewable or something you would like to be an attractive addition to your system there are some really nice macros out there, you could even try seagrasses, the 75 will have the height necessary for the DSB and seagrass if the baffle at the end is set high enough to allow for it. I'd be happy to share some Halodule with you ( not doing too well in my system at the moment and a new start might be what it needs ).

Here are some ideas of what could be accomplished, although if this is to be a fuge I would skip the fish.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1232393

and not to knock the rest, they are all beautiful, but these are two of my personal favorites.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=620824

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1095208

 

[Mental1]

Thanks David -- so this was the wrong place to post this question I guess -- just about planted tanks nothing to do with fuges .... perhaps we can chat at the Feb. meeting!

I don't mind having the tank be both attractive and functional but it will be in the basement. I also need to get the paint off the back of the used tank as the front glass is scratched. I like pipefish and could see putting a couple of those in .... But I really do want nutrient export and some critter breeding to populate the display. I don't think you get a lot of critters in the chaeto do you? Not the variety you get with the mud or the type of caluerpa I mentioned above.

 

[graveyardworm]

This certainly the right place for your question. Pipefish would probably put a dent in the critter breeding. Chaeto makes a great place for critters to breed it grows rather tightly and can provide a safe haven for various pods, some species of snails, small shrimp, and I'm sure more. I would still use the mud bottom for additional homes and breeding space for worms and other sand bed critters. A small pile of LR rubble helps to create additional habitat.

 

[Mental1]

Your seagrass is planted in sand though right? I am thinking that the tank is big enough to do several sections with different stuff ... Could have a small section up front with some rubble to also dissipate bubbles, then a mud and seagrass/caluerpa section, then dsb chaeto, then bubble trap exit section. Overkill?

 

[redmangrove]

My tank has several sections besides the DSB. Take a look...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1160264

 

[Mental1]

You are my hero. Help me is all that I can say. Please. I will pay!

 

[lancer99]

Sherri,
I think it's great that you're keeping the plumbing simple = fewer things that can go wrong

I don't think that David Saxby's system (what is it, 2600 gallons?) should be used to compare against any "normal" sized system.

Certainly C. sertularioides is no miracle cure. I keep C. sertularioides fa. farlowii and it's no different from any other C. sp. in terms of nutrient export.

IMO you are on the right line....the more bio-diversity you can get, the better.

-R

 

[Mental1]

The only reason I mentioned his tank is because in the right up he says that the combination of the fine sand and that particular caluerpa he claims gives you the same overall critter additions that the mud does. I was just curious what others thought. So it is not just the nutrient export but the other supposed wonderful advantages of the mud.

But now I am thinking of another option which is to do the design above and keep it really simple using a dsb and chaeto. Then, add in another tank upstairs and do something like redmangrove's tank. I am not sure how the plumbing would work to add in another tank but I know lots of folks have done that. Then I could get a whole other level of critter growth added to the system without having to be overly concerned with too much flow going through the fuge part of the sump. Chaeto likes flow!