Cody Ray
New member
Recently I have been reading much over the different filtration methods for captive reef systems. What has given me the most trouble is that many of these methods only focus on one or two different ways of improving our captive systems. Although this is a gross generalization, most systems utilize liverock, sand, refugiums (most used to grow algae) and skimmers to process or remove nutrients from the system (along with water changes, which also replace trace elements). Some systems utilize removal of nutrient-causing agents (detritus from vertibrates) over mineralization and fixation.
I'm curious, does the average reefer understand exatly what each one of these elements does for our captive systems? Do some of these methods dirrectly effect both positivly and negitivly other cycles in the system? Does using vodka or sugar positivly or negitivly affect our systems in the long run? Will the increase of bacteria help prevent the buildup of detritus in liverock? Will it decrease or increase how fast phosphate is fixated within the substrate? Could this lead to sand beds releasing phosphates back into the water? I'm sure many of us are thinking the same things.
I'm curious, does the average reefer understand exatly what each one of these elements does for our captive systems? Do some of these methods dirrectly effect both positivly and negitivly other cycles in the system? Does using vodka or sugar positivly or negitivly affect our systems in the long run? Will the increase of bacteria help prevent the buildup of detritus in liverock? Will it decrease or increase how fast phosphate is fixated within the substrate? Could this lead to sand beds releasing phosphates back into the water? I'm sure many of us are thinking the same things.
