Has Anyone Tried a "Rubble Bottom?"

[BOBG]

Chinese Setup

Chinese Setup

I have photos of my newly Chinese purchased and setup 500 Liter tank. This tank is 2 weeks old and still cycling. Notice the diatom bloom?

 

[Tunguska]

Wow, I like that look for the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific rubble bottom. Imagine all the little places you could glue frags...

 

[Sm0kin]

I like the idea of a ugf with reverse flow. Now should I just Smash some of my live rock with a hammer outside or inside the house? Is it safe to make rubble this way? I like the look of the tank with the rubble that slopes up to the rock. Will having too much rubble and rock defeat the purpose of the reverse flow? What do you think would be a good flow for the ugf?

 

[Konadog]

Went thru my bins that have been cooking my rock and came up with a bucket of rubble that I'm going to use on the bottom of my tank.

 

[algaeguy]

Niiice...!

Scott

 

[Konadog]

Scott, you can't see most of it, but there is a lot of Tonga branch in the bottom of the bucket. It may look like a lot of rock, but I'm sure it will only cover 1/3 of the bottom once I start.

 

[algaeguy]

It may not initially cover it all, but it sure will look cool!

You have some neat shapes and there will be lots of foraging areas for fishes under those pieces. Should be eay to keep clean...and to mount some corals on, huh?

Can't wait to see it in the tank!

Scott

 

[Konadog]

Tank progress:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=759531

 

[Don424]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6988383#post6988383 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sm0kin
I like the idea of a ugf with reverse flow. Now should I just Smash some of my live rock with a hammer outside or inside the house? Is it safe to make rubble this way? I like the look of the tank with the rubble that slopes up to the rock. Will having too much rubble and rock defeat the purpose of the reverse flow? What do you think would be a good flow for the ugf?

I'm doing the reverse flow and it's working great. You can just smash what you have and make the rubble.........that's safe. My rubble is small in size and I have some crushed shell and coral mixed on one side of the tank. . I'm using the Penguin Reverse flow pump(2 of them) & I think they're rated at 175g/hr. Too much rock sitting on your plates could defeat the purpose and actually be detrimental but if you put the rubble on the plates first then the rock rock on top of the rubble you should be fine. Good luck.

 

[Cody Ray]

I have been really wanting to try something like this for a while, but could never afford to go larger than 20gallons.

 

[Chicago]

any new pics.. any thoughts on mixing some crush pucs shell from seafloor with rubble.

i siphoned out most of my fine sand except areas around the pillars of rock. need to awoid a fall ...

i think this will work best as the heavy flow caused the fine sand to lift off the bottom and cloud the tank a little. very noticeable with MH not with VHo

 

[Konadog]

Not quite done yet, but this is my YWG favorite place:

 

[J-Ross]

Great thread guys! I finally read through all of it yesterday, and boy my head is spinning with ideas.. Both for the tank I am starting now, and future ones What I am starting now, is a "tri-zonal" 29 gallon. The system suggests a bare bottom, in the exposed/filter feeder zones, and sand bed in the cryptic zone. Of course it also suggests that nothing be housed that will disturb the sand and possibly clog up the pores in the sponges. But I am also not liking the BB look, or being so severely limited in inhabitants... After having read, and digested this thread.. I am thinking that a rubble bottom over a thin layer of a coarser sand may be a solution.

I decided to try the "tri-zonal" idea because of the one tank, no external plumbing, naturally filtered way it is supposed to be. Would the rubble bottom, and it's critters rob those inhabitants of their food, defeating the purpose? Or might it help create a more diverse system? Possibly help with the supposed green water "problem" the tri-zonals have?

Of course no system should be designed without thought of the inhabitants, and with that in mind, let me give you an idea of what I plan (would like), though as well all know how plans go at times...

-Slower growing more exotic (to me at least ) SPS, LPS, and maybe some zoos, a few gorgonians, a flame scallop or two, sponges & sea squirts, sun polyps, a clam..
-Cleaner shrimp, 'pom-pom' crab, yellow filter feeding cucumber..

-perhaps a pistol shrimp/goby pair(would he dig in something like Tidal Marine Silver Shores Aragonite, if I made it deep enough in an area? Say under the front of the reef?)

For fish I had originally thought about trying to get some peaceful fish that were easier to breed, to see if any young were to get anywhere in the system on their own. (Gobies, Clowns, Cardinals) I could then try raising them later when I have time/space. The firefish is also an interesting idea. Or just going with a peacful mix, possibly with a wrasse suitable for this size tank, that is, if the retailers are correct with their listings.

I know this is not totally complete, but any masters of husbandry I welcome to chime in, especially on fish/detrivores for the rubble zone/bottom. If you feel it isn't appropriate for this thread, I ask you post to the thread of my tank here: My tri-zonal 29, plus fuge project I don't want to hijack this thread

--Jason

 

[barryhc]

I've got to tell you Jason, that is just the type of system I'm preparing to build, albeit I'm looking at 200 gal.. The animal choices are just right, and as far as the fauna working out the way you want, that is going to be your continuing experiment. Please keep us informed, it sounds great !

> Barry :thumbsup:

 

[Whaledriver]

Well I am going to give this a try
Heres my setup so far.
30 gallon tank
undergravel filter plate
2 x Marineland reverse flow pumps at 175GPH each
heater
Red Sea Prism skimmer with the overflow intake(Trade for an old skimmer)
Regular aquarium hood with single flourescent light
Possably a hang on the back Penguin filter for extra flow and airiation of the water
3-5 inches of 1 inch rubble
One large rock that is very open to give something to look at and for the fish to hide and swim around

occupants
Manis shrimp
Sun Polyps

 

[Don424]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7348572#post7348572 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Whaledriver
Well I am going to give this a try
Heres my setup so far.
30 gallon tank
undergravel filter plate
2 x Marineland reverse flow pumps at 175GPH each
heater
Red Sea Prism skimmer with the overflow intake(Trade for an old skimmer)
Regular aquarium hood with single flourescent light
Possably a hang on the back Penguin filter for extra flow and airiation of the water
3-5 inches of 1 inch rubble
One large rock that is very open to give something to look at and for the fish to hide and swim around

occupants
Manis shrimp
Sun Polyps

Whaledriver...............very similar setup to mine......no mantis though. Sounds great. I used a couple of larger pieces of base rock to bring out some height in the display. Is you rock live? Keep us all abreast of the progress or any issues that might crop up. Sounds like you got a winner.:thumbsup:

 

[Whaledriver]

Thanks for the feed back!
Yes the rock is going to be live rubble and on nice piece for height and look.
I got the Mantis about 4 years ago and dont have the heart to kill him or teade him off. I think he will hunt just like a Manderin and keep things under control. He will also clean up after the sun polyp feedings. The sun polyps are in another tank and end up geting to much light on them and the coraline is starting to cover them up.

 

[Whaledriver]

Don424
How do you like the flow from the ugf pumps? Is it to much or just right. For me it will be about 10-11 times an hour turnover.

 

[Don424]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7354036#post7354036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Whaledriver
Don424
How do you like the flow from the ugf pumps? Is it to much or just right. For me it will be about 10-11 times an hour turnover.

I like the pumps a lot. For me(75G) with 2 pumps it's 4.6 per hour so it's just right.

 

[Chicago]

i pulled out all my dsb in the tank.. i ma going with larger grains.. not guite rubble. the crushed coarse geo marine ... 4 to 6mm .. mixed in some crushed shell and schuran media..

for me i just wanted to stop the dust storms