Details of filtration of Daniela Stettler's tank?

[dendro982]

Does anybody knows details of the Daniela Steller's tank, the famous sun coral keeper?
I'm looking for more, than pdf file of her presentation provides
And "vodka" is not an answer .

One more, in Terry Siegel article was mentioned the tank of House of Finns, filtered by micronite filter. Do you know, what is it (and links to any details bout it)?

Thanks.

 

[Kreeger1]

Not sure what you mean by vodka not the answer?

 

[Plankt0s]

maybe he is talking about how in older tanks the used a semi-permiable bag the leaches out everclear to feed nitrate eating bacteria?

 

[dendro982]

The only information I have about it, is going from:

1. Presentation, pdf file
p.19 shows the schematic drawing of filtration unit, containing 3 chambers.

1. Water from the tank enters the first chamber (is it mechanically filtered, or just empty chamber for detritus settling (seriously doubt this), or just passes through the empty chamber - who knows.
2. In the second chamber the water passes through biomedia.
3. And thorough the 3rd chamber (empty again?) returns to the tank.
I wouldn't call this "vodka"

2.
Her own article, translation by Google says:

Filters and pumps:
Interior biological filter 54 3 1000 l / h
A quick filter 1500 4500 l / h

The basin has been running for 8 years and without properly skimmer.

Again, why vodka is not an answer

The tank is filled by sun corals, fed every nigh by defrozen Artemia.
I have ~1/30 of the mass of her suns, fed only twice a week by similar food, and know, what amount of the smallest floating particles, that tubastreas won't catch, and amount of dissolved organic compounds it produces. Tank was skimmerless for years, and all of this was removed somehow - the tank is crystal clear.

3.
French article, describing her tank (translation again by Google), mentions:

Filtration: biological filter integrated under the guidance of Peter Wilkens, capacity 36 litres, retrenchment of coarse coral sand and glass surfaces. Using Rowaphos against phosphates.
Substrate: coral sand late 3 cm thick, cleaned each week.

Somehow I don't think, that 36 l of a vodka were used

No, I'm not nasty , just making a point, why one word answer, a) impossible for the tank, known to be skimmerless for years, b) having nothing to do with the filtration unit, she describes, is not an answer for the question, I asked

Looking for more information, as anybody of us.
Fairly good chance on the specialized forum.
And I appreciate the good intentions, seriously and deeply.

 

[Kreeger1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11996227#post11996227 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dendro982
The only information I have about it, is going from:

1. Presentation, pdf file
p.19 shows the schematic drawing of filtration unit, containing 3 chambers.

1. Water from the tank enters the first chamber (is it mechanically filtered, or just empty chamber for detritus settling (seriously doubt this), or just passes through the empty chamber - who knows.
2. In the second chamber the water passes through biomedia.
3. And thorough the 3rd chamber (empty again?) returns to the tank.
I wouldn't call this "vodka"

I think I would almost just call that here basic sump design, nothing special going on there.

 

[Kreeger1]

I think your truely missing the point of vodka and your stuck on filtration by all your posts asking about rc skimmers.
Vodka is to create bacteria to feed the dendro's
Not as a way to lower nitrates in these tank....all though vodka does lower nitrates we don't use that as "filter" we use it as a food source for bacteria.
So vodka has been the answer in a few nonphoto tanks, but its not the answer your looking for I don't think.
Erik
I'm not sure why your so focus on peoples filtration? That can be handle many many different ways. IMO the real concern is food and flow, how much? what kinds? how often? ect.
Filtration isn't what is holding people back from keeping these animals.
Erik

 

[dendro982]

Thanks Eric, appreciate concern
It's not about what holds peoples back from keeping these animals, but what holds back me.
While for others discussing the best FM recipes is the most helpful in their NPSC keeping, I am working at different level and have more pressing problems.

Discussing of flow is usually limited to naming it at large, not showing it. Only once I got indications, what is necessary for a sclero, and this made possible its keeping in my tanks at all.

All 3 - food, flow and filtration can be handled in different ways.
I'm glad, that filtration is not a problem for many of you, but it is for me, alas.

Feeding scleros for a gaining mass is the next biggest question, and I would like the substitutes of FM be included in discussions.
Including amount and result, not just "I feed (recipe)" or "I'm trying (recipe)". Hope, it's not a raining on parade.

I would like to think, that this forum is not only for dendro keepers with many years of experience, vast resources and very big tanks.

Did you notice, how we drifted away from the question asked?
Every time this happens

 

[Kreeger1]

I think your problem can be handled in the way you know it should, get a good skimmer
I know you've asked about them,If your still having nitrates and phosopate issues, your skimmer isn't keeping up.
Pretty easy fix IMO

Keeping water parmeters in line Is a major thing for these corals, but its also the easiest part of keeping them. Good equipment is all that takes imo
Erik

 

[Kolognekoral]

I have read the two German articles about her tank and there is not realy a secret involved. She diligently feeds the corals and uses a classic biological filtration. Her bioload is mainly these corals and they do regularly produce planula which she has noted only settle in good current. Without current, they will simply not take hold and grow.

I have a lovely Tubastrea aurea(?) that is growing along steadily. It is fed artemia and cyclopeze, plus what ever it catches. I have seen it take pellets, bits of fish, small krill, etc. They are not overly picky, just the size must be correct. Artemia is probably optimal, but they do take the smaller cyclopeze with it apparently sticking to their tentacles, which are then drawn in.

 

[dendro982]

Kreeger1:
Sorry, but the topic of this thread is details of particular tanks filtration, not discussing what I should or shouldn't do.
My skimmer questions I asked in other threads in other time. BTW, I may be mistaken, but your skimmer is ASM G-4 and mine is ASM G-3. And my tank is 3.5 times smaller.
If this is bad, then we all should know, staring from what skimmer the keeping of heavily fed tanks is possible.
But again, it belongs to a separate thread about threshold filtration for a different types of tanks.

Jamie:
Information, that was available to me, is in my second post - can you add a more details to this?
Do you know, the total amount of food she gives every day? This will give the idea, how much the filtration should be capable to process daily.
Glad, that your sun coral is good and growing. Do you already have a problem with too much of new settled colonies?

 

[Kreeger1]

Yes I know the thread topic dendro982, Was just trying to help you. You seem to get off topic in most of the threads so I thought that would be fine to do here too? The details of her tank are outlined in the pdf file. Pretty straight forward, shes not hiding her magic secret to her success from us, its just a basic system. Not sure what your looking to find out about the tubestra tank? Everything I've read is its just your basic setup and she feeds every polyp. Nothing out of the ordinary there.


Not sure why your having issues with water quality and your asm g3? I know you've asked about it in a few threads. Is it sitting level? I'll continue to use my asm g4x until the time comes that I have issues with my water, at that time I will add another pump to the skimmer and go from there.
Erik

 

[Qckwzrd]

Back to topic! lol

 

[Kreeger1]

I think the topic was finished? Shes doing nothing out of the ordinary in here tank, just feeding each polyp

 

[dendro982]

Get off my hair!

 

[Kolognekoral]

Dendro,

I've compared the PDF presentation with the article I have from Koralle and they are essentially the same. Actually, the presentation is clearer. In the article she discusses that the corals planula need good current to settle and grow.

As to her filter, the siporax that she uses is simply a very effective bio-filter medium. I have used it and have found it very useful for nitrate control. The addition of vodka (carbon source) simply maximizes the effect. The principle, which you may well be familiar with, is to support the reproduction of the nitrosomas bacteria via a combination of a carbon source plus a well oxygenated substrate to populate. This is nothing new, in that sewage treatment plants have been using the technology for decades. The application to aquariums was, for some reason, hard to put across.The latest versions use zeolith, which binds the ammonia.

What I find impressive with Daniella's success is her diligence by the care and ability to observe and learn from it! Her tank is a fabulous example of what one can do in a relatively low-tech aquarium. I had tried running my reef for a year without a skimmer and just using the refugium for filtration. It does work, there is no doubt, but the PO4 level was very difficult to control. In retrospect I see that I made the small but meaningful mistake of not using a calcium reactor, rather dosing with the Balling method. The disadvantage is that adding reactive calcium, as in the Balling method, precipitaes PO4 from the water column. After a time, this comes back at you as it dissolves back. I triggered this when I went back to the reactor, which was playing with the pH on a daily basis. Interestingly, only a very few degrees, from 8.1 to 7.9 was enough to dissolve the calcium phosphate and create a problem.

For the record, I am back to a reactor, plus 5% WW changes and a small skimmer. Filtration is over zeolith with a mixed carbon dosing source. I add various supplements on a regular basis in small amounts and feed a wide variety of commercial and self-made foods. Really nothing special, but I do feed often when I'm at home around 5-6 times per day. Otherwise ther are 2-3 feeding per day. As I increase the number of filter feeders in the tank, I may try running the skimmer only part-time and monitor what happens. My skimmer is undersized in any case. Then again, when everything runs well and the animals thrive, I guess I shoul'n't fix whatz not broke! (terrible grammar, sorry).

I am currently looking for a T. diaphana and T. micrantha, which are not often available to buy. Although I am not sure, I think I may have some settled planula between the rocks. I'll know in a month or so.:rollface:

 

[Kreeger1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12014634#post12014634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dendro982
Get off my hair!

I was being serious, I thought the topic of this thread was already discussed and figured out?
What other information about her system are you looking for?

 

[slcw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12014888#post12014888 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kolognekoral


As to her filter, the siporax that she uses is simply a very effective bio-filter medium. I have used it and have found it very useful for nitrate control.

hmm i have 2 kg of siporax, question should be the medium placed in high flow area or low flow area?

(sump)

 

[Kolognekoral]

i have used Siporax in an Eheim canister with 420lph/100gph. It was a very effective nitrate filter. I am not sure it is the best solution, however, as I am now using a zeolith filter and am experiencing better conditions for NPC. There are many possible solutions.

One thing I do know, Tubastrea MUST be fed regularly, as in daily, for optimal growth. 2-3 times weekly will barely sustain them.

 

[slcw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12183767#post12183767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kolognekoral
i have used Siporax in an Eheim canister with 420lph/100gph. It was a very effective nitrate filter. I am not sure it is the best solution, however, as I am now using a zeolith filter and am experiencing better conditions for NPC. There are many possible solutions.

i see....ok