School Project for Reef Biological Filtration

[Timfish]

I've run systems with just powerheads and air bubbles so not much is needed. It's sponges and corals that do most of the filtration.

 

[Reef-Explorer]

I've run systems with just powerheads and air bubbles so not much is needed. It's sponges and corals that do most of the filtration.

Thank you for your advice. I am still in the ongoing process of researching what a AIO is

 

[Reef-Explorer]

Hello again,

I would love to have a few people to be candidates for an interview for my report. If so then please let me know and i will send questions in messages.

Thanks a lot

 

[SantaMonica]

Also...


Marine Biology Videos

If you want to get into how the natural freshwater and saltwater bodies operate on a biological level, these college biology videos will show you.

The videos from this biology professor are from 2008 when videos were limited to less than 10 minutes each, and have been slightly re-ordered here to make more sense if you have no previous knowledge:

- Food Chains vs. Food Webs

- Food Webs

- Microbial Food Web

- Nutrients and Primary Production

- Ocean Productivity
- YouTube - Photosynthesis part 1
- YouTube - Chlorophyll
- YouTube - Zooplankton and Primary Production
- YouTube - Bacteria
- YouTube - Trophic Pyramids

 

[Reef-Explorer]

Is the following plan feasible to achieve:

A small tank with plenum, sand and small piece of rock with a small slow growing hardy coral, some seagrass or macro algae, some CUC , 1 or 2 smallish fish and a normal light. A power head for plenum a water heater and lights.

No other sophisticated equipment...just to achieve the bare minimum for a reef ecosystem that can help me demonstrate the refugium/jaubert.

Is this possible at all? What are the thoughts and what else do I need? Can the tank be sustainable if I keep the setup extremely simple?

I need to maintain it for at least 6 months. And may have to transport to school and back home on the day of display.

Possible tank size 2ft x 1ft x 1ft

 

[griss]

Can you elaborate on, “a powerhead for plenum?” A plenum is supposed to be a stagnant area little to no water movement. I had a plenum system years ago in a 200 gallon tank so, I have a bit of experience with them.

Other than that question, your plan sounds easily doable to me.

 

[Reefing102]

It’s absolutely sustainable. For saltwater, the vast majority of biological filtration occurs in the rock so you may need more than one small rock but it’s definitely doable.

One thing is seagrass is very hard to obtain/maintain. You may want to consider a macroalgae instead of seagrass.

 

[Reef-Explorer]

so the Plenum is i think reverse undergravel filter and for that i would need a small power head, right?

and yes i can do macro algae too.

 

[griss]

so the Plenum is i think reverse undergravel filter and for that i would need a small power head, right?

and yes i can do macro algae too.

Nope. A plenum is a still water space under the sand.

When I set my plenum up, I used 1.5” pvc pipe with eggcrate light diffuser on top (covering the entire footprint of the tank) and then window screen on top. I spread Caribsea Special Grade Reef Sand over the top for a total sale depth of 2-3”. No pumps, powerheads or anything else to move the water in the plenum. It becomes an anoxic space where denitrification takes place. So, you don’t want to disturb a plenum.

If you’re running reverse under gravel filter, that’s just what it is…a reverse under gravel filter.

 

[wvned]

Denitrification makes bubbles that will leave the sand bed and rise. New water enters to replace the volume and that causes a tiny turnover in the water in the plenum system all the time.

 

[wvned]

I would like to point out you are talking about moving a somewhat fragile thing that will weigh 120-150 pounds. Every time you move it, it will stir it and raise stuff up into the water that will settle out but that will take several hours.

 

[Grin Reefer]

Reef-Explorer, FYI, Black Friday sale, Micro Reef Ready Tank (0.3 Gallon) Standard (BLACK) - PNW Customs

 

[wvned]

USB powered