Phyto Fuge ?

[Allmost]

Hello,
what do you guys think of an inline Fuge for Azoox systems, with light and high circulation, and low drip through it ? Idea is to grow and reproduce cyano, diatom and phyto in there, which in turn feed the tank and ....

any one tried it ?

we have enough fertilizer and nutrition in the system to make it able to do this.

 

[bues0022]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2218567&page=5

 

[Allmost]

well that's a nice thread on algae scrubbers and phyto culturing, but not what I was asking.

thanks.

 

[wonderz]

would you be filtering the inlet to the phyto fudge for rotifers and such?

 

[Allmost]

well I am thinking a simple set up.

right now water flows from my DT to sump, first part is skimmer and LR, second is a DSB and third return pump.

now I want to add another stage to sump, which will have nothing in it but a power head, with lights over it, hoping phyto, diatom and cyano would grow in it.

since I dose carbon, the no3 is very low about 5 PPM and po4 about 0.05 with lanthanum, but the phyto can also use the bacteria in the system.

gonna give it a shot see what happens.

only problem would be how to control it ... dont want the whole system to turn into a phyto reactor lol

 

[wonderz]

you can fork it where you connect to the phyto fuge. so that you can add a valve for the phyto fuge to control how much is going back into the system. i think the flow would have to be really slow, like drip as you mentioned in your first post, otherwise the whole system gonna turn into phyto reactor like you said above.

 

[bues0022]

One of the last posts in that thread goes over what you are saying, if I was reading correctly. Low flow sump filled with phyto.

 

[MARINECRITTERS]

One of the last posts in that thread goes over what you are saying, if I was reading correctly. Low flow sump filled with phyto.

you read that correct

 

[Allmost]

you read that correct

any info about it ?

or its been discussed and no interest in bringing it up ?

lol

why so secretive ?


I guess you mean this post ?
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=21298381&postcount=93

if so, how did it turn out for you ?

care to share your experience with others ?

 

[Allmost]

One of the last posts in that thread goes over what you are saying, if I was reading correctly. Low flow sump filled with phyto.

then show me which one ? lol

 

[MARINECRITTERS]

It is simple, I have a sump which is dosed with one full litre of phyto each day through i dosing pump, on the sump I have an external pump that is semi closed loop, the water flows to the pump into a T fitting and then back in the sump. One of the T fittings has some airline plumed into it, this works by having high flow through the sump but a very slow flow of new water being imported and old phyto water being exported. So far I have had no blooms, my feather duster comes out more, I have noticed an explosion in the copepod and micro shrimp population and my nitrates and phosphates dropped down too.

 

[Allmost]

beautiful, thanks.

I shall try it too.

any recent pics ?

 

[bues0022]

I wasn't attempting to be secretive, but was trying to put up a post from my phone. If you read through that link that I provided earlier, you will see updated pictures, and a description of what MARINECRITTERS is doing. It seems to be inline with what you are doing, hence my directing you there rather than re-type what he's done.

 

[Mischke]

Hello,
what do you guys think of an inline Fuge for Azoox systems, with light and high circulation, and low drip through it ? Idea is to grow and reproduce cyano, diatom and phyto in there, which in turn feed the tank and ....

any one tried it ?

we have enough fertilizer and nutrition in the system to make it able to do this.

couple of newb questions. is cynao just micro algae? Also how would you culture cyano and diatoms? Just use bright red lights on a bucket of sea water mixed from tap water?

 

[MARINECRITTERS]

couple of newb questions. is cynao just micro algae? Also how would you culture cyano and diatoms? Just use bright red lights on a bucket of sea water mixed from tap water?

Yes, diatoms are a species of micro algae, cyano is more of a bacteria then an algae but still classifies as a micro animal. To culture it, do not use tap water, use fresh saltwater using an rodi unit ( fresh so there are no other animals competing for nutrients ). When culturing animals you can only culture one species. You must use light and a nutrient source, florida aqua farms makes a great fertilizer.

 

[Allmost]

I have a calcium reactor which I am not using, going to turn that into a Phyto reactor.

question for you guys though. do you think a bunch of low watt LEDs [Ikea style] around the main chamber of Calcium reactor [Vertex RX6 duo] would be enough light ?

since the reactor is 3 stages, I am thinking in future I may, maybe able to culture rotifers in the last 2 chambers as well ? thoughts ?

 

[bues0022]

I think your proportions of phyto to rofiters might be off. IIRC, you need 2-3 times phyto to sustain rotifers. I could be off though, it's been a while since I did this last. I think it's just easier to feed rotifers with frozen phyto, but that's just been my experience before.

 

[Allmost]

so what do u think of the Phyto reactor concept ?

 

[bues0022]

There are a lot of people that like it, but I'm not one of them. I try to reduce my workload, not increase it. I see a phyto reactor as another thing that could crash for me. BUT, that is due to how I know myself and how I take care of things. Give it a try to see if it's something you want to deal with.

 

[MARINECRITTERS]

I would love to see some pictures of this DIY phyto reactor, I have seen a few inline phyto reactors, most of which are poorly made. I imagine you are not growing the photo in the reactor, that is kinda of a culture waiting to crash from all the other bacterias and what not in tank water. I would just culture the phyto somewhere else, add the it to the reactor daily and let the rotifers multiply and disperse in the tank.