Macro tank

[JWClark]

I'd like to set up a macro tank to culture macro for a future tang as well as just for fun. Can't seem to find much info for setting up a Macro only trank.

I had a 20g that I moved some rock into when I was in between systems. I threw some macro in this and added some marineland aquatic plant LEDs. The macro did well for 2 months then just collapsed. It still has little pieces of red Gracillaria and a few small pieces of Ulva left. The tank had no filtration whatsoever, just a tunze wavemaker and a small pump for circulation. I would periodically change water w/ the old display water but that was about it. The current display has a DSB so nitrates are low.

Not sure what happened: inadequate flow, lack of nutrients, insufficient gas exchange at the water/air interface, inadequate lighting, or a combination of these.

Anyway, I'm thinking of starting from scratch and am looking for advice for a proper set up. I'm considering a nuvo fusion or a red sea reefer nano/170 to give me some space to house filtration.

Is a skimmer beneficial for gas exchange? Don't want to suck out needed organics.
Also, what about lights? I'm thinking a cheap 150w MH.
Should there be some kind of biological filtration?
Add a few fish for nitrates? Sea horses?
Do you dose iron supplements?

Want to keep Ulva and Gracillaria mainly and was thinking of only having a few inches of sand in it--maybe one rock.

Advice much appreciated.

 

[phobos2deimos]

I'd like to set up a macro tank to culture macro for a future tang as well as just for fun. Can't seem to find much info for setting up a Macro only trank.

I had a 20g that I moved some rock into when I was in between systems. I threw some macro in this and added some marineland aquatic plant LEDs. The macro did well for 2 months then just collapsed. It still has little pieces of red Gracillaria and a few small pieces of Ulva left. The tank had no filtration whatsoever, just a tunze wavemaker and a small pump for circulation. I would periodically change water w/ the old display water but that was about it. The current display has a DSB so nitrates are low.

Not sure what happened: inadequate flow, lack of nutrients, insufficient gas exchange at the water/air interface, inadequate lighting, or a combination of these.

Anyway, I'm thinking of starting from scratch and am looking for advice for a proper set up. I'm considering a nuvo fusion or a red sea reefer nano/170 to give me some space to house filtration.

Is a skimmer beneficial for gas exchange? Don't want to suck out needed organics.
Also, what about lights? I'm thinking a cheap 150w MH.
Should there be some kind of biological filtration?
Add a few fish for nitrates? Sea horses?
Do you dose iron supplements?

Want to keep Ulva and Gracillaria mainly and was thinking of only having a few inches of sand in it--maybe one rock.

Advice much appreciated.

Just off the cuff I suspect most macro failures are due to insufficient or unbalanced nutrients. I have a lot of info in my build thread that may answer many of your questions, and has pretty peectures.

 

[JWClark]

Is your build thead your macro lagoon thread? Do you have more specifics written down somewhere? Specifically, your nutrient dosing scheme and ratios? Also, filtration and lighting? I saw you had 500gph of flow for the 70gal. Is this total, including the sump? Any skimmer, biological media etc?

Sorry if the info is in there, I just scanned real quick. Pictures are beautiful. Too bad you broke it down.

 

[enchelycore808]

When my macro tank was up, I had to fertilize every week cuz the they would start turning white or melting.

 

[JWClark]

How? Miralcle gro? I've read the N ratios are wrong and have seen that Seachem flourish is the closest to the ratio that marine macro uses. However, I don't know if this refers to flourish alone or flourish w/ flourish N, flourish P etc. Just can't seem to find the details, if they are written anywhere.

 

[Devaji108]

hello and welcome to the world of marine planted macro tanks!
I am in the process of setting up a 20L and have been doing a far amount of research.
getting close now the my main DT is up and running!

let me tell you my plan may or may not help out. ha

Lighting:
gonna use the aquamaxx nemo LED http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx...Strips_Lights-AquaMaxx-UJ94548-FILTLS-vi.html
the whits are a nice 8K from what i hear that's the sweet spot then you have the red blues and green (full spectrum) to dial in as you see fit.

filtration
a HOB filter to give surface movement with LR rubble and carbon.

flow
1X jebao RW4 wave maker

will add nice aqua cultured LR from the gulf.
around 4 small fish
if N & P are low I can dose skim mate from the DT
will also dose trace elements and prob. iron but that is a ways out, cross the bridge when I get there.

I AIO tanks are nice but I think there over kill for a macro tank IMHO.
pick up a 20L/29H/40br @ petco $ per gallon and save the $$ for lighting, LR,LS etc. but that just my option.

also aqua max has some really nice rimless out. this would be nice:
http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx...9_Gallons-AquaMaxx-UJ69455-FIAQNCNTTN-vi.html

anyway just my 2 cents... let me know what you decide to do. and keep us posted we all love build threads

 

[enchelycore808]

How? Miralcle gro? I've read the N ratios are wrong and have seen that Seachem flourish is the closest to the ratio that marine macro uses. However, I don't know if this refers to flourish alone or flourish w/ flourish N, flourish P etc. Just can't seem to find the details, if they are written anywhere.

Back then I wasn't sure what to use so I used the seachem flourish comprehensive and the Kent iron manganese supplement.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

No skimmer-removes stuff plants need, 150 MH light sounds great-possibly overkill, no biofiltration-let the plants do it, yes on fish-they and their food will feed the plants, wait on iron until grasilaria color fades, a little sand and rock is good-macros don't need deep sand. Keep rocks to a minimum, so you have room for plant growth. If you don't keep many fish, some dosing my be needed. Potassium Nitrate is popular-buy stump remover at the hardware store. CO2 is also helpful. Should never need to dose potassium-there's plenty in fish food.

Good luck!