The "How to go Barebottom thread."

[wastememphis]

There is a soft coral on each of the rocks, how can I acclimate them to the new tank (rocks are kinda big to put in a bucket and do a drip acclimation. Then should I swish them in the new tank? Sorry for all the questions, I'm going to propagate them off the rocks but I'd rather do that in the new tank since I'm having a hard time keeping up with water changes on both tanks (trying to reduce nitrates in the old tank, I have a funny pic of a poor snail with hair algae growing on it, he'll be happy soon!).

I think i'm set on acclimating the snails (match temp, salinity, drip method)

I just thought that if any algae was going to come out from my rocks the lights would make it happen, and i could see if the cooking almost done, or done!

 

[sknoch78]

So I guess this is a question for Sean T or Bomber. How long have your tanks been up and running? The reason I ask is not to start controversy, I am looking for info on longevity. I am 99.9% sure this is the route I want to go. I am just looking for some history.

Thanks in advance,
Shawn

 

[SeanT]

There is a soft coral on each of the rocks, how can I acclimate them to the new tank (rocks are kinda big to put in a bucket and do a drip acclimation. Then should I swish them in the new tank?

You want to swish them in a tub.
Keep the crud out of your tank.
As for acclimation, depending on the type of soft coral it may be easy.
Zo's, polyps, shrooms etc., so long as the temp and salinities match they are fine and will survive no problem.


hth,
Sean

 

[SeanT]

So I guess this is a question for Sean T or Bomber. How long have your tanks been up and running?

Hi Shawn,

My tank has been running for about 4 years.
However, in this incarnation (barebottom that is) the tank has been running for over a year.

hth,
Sean

 

[wastememphis]

2-3 green finger leathers, toadstool leather, mushrooms.

thanks sean.

 

[Weatherman]

So I guess this is a question for Sean T or Bomber. How long have your tanks been up and running? The reason I ask is not to start controversy, I am looking for info on longevity. I am 99.9% sure this is the route I want to go. I am just looking for some history.

Thanks in advance,
Shawn

Bomber removed the sand from his tank a little over two years ago (but he had run bare-bottom tanks before he got sucked into the DSB craze):

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=223301

 

[verde_ad]

A cool side affect of skimming wet is that I believe I don't need to do a water change nearly as often. Well in the formal sense. Right now I am skimming between 5 and 7 gal. a week and replacing that with fresh saltwater. Basically my skimmer is forcing me to do regular water changes on a daily basis. I have been running my BB for about a month now and everything looks great. I am really happy. I haven't cleaned my glass since I added livestock (3 weeks).

 

[causeofhim]

I asked this on the rock cooking thread without much help. So, wanted to post here. Thanks


I have been cooking my rocks for a few weeks now. When I do the swishing of the rocks between Brute swaps, could I just use fresh RO water? I have been using saltwater but seems like a waste of salt. I go through a lot of water in this process and seems like saltwater would not be needed.

Many people do a freshwater dip with some delicate corals w/o a problem. I wouldn't think a freshwater swishing would be a problem with liverock I am cooking.

 

[verde_ad]

I do my rock swishing in my water change water. I syphon water from my display into 5 gal buckets, then I use that water to swish. I don't know how much water you use or how much you change from your display, but this is a good way to keep up with your water changes and recycle the old water.

 

[topmav1]

Do you have to skim wet when you run a BB???

 

[topmav1]

Do you have to skim wet when you run a BB???

 

[SeanT]

It is advisable to wet skim so as to remove organics before they break down.

 

[topmav1]

I have gone through this before on another thread regarding what exactly wet skimming is and how to do it. I even called Red Sea b/c I have a berlin skimmer and they couldnt advise. I anyone has pics and directions on how to skim wet, PLEASE post it. I am BB now and I continue to skim normally. I want to try the wet skim.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

I have gone through this before on another thread regarding what exactly wet skimming is and how to do it. I even called Red Sea b/c I have a berlin skimmer and they couldnt advise. I anyone has pics and directions on how to skim wet, PLEASE post it. I am BB now and I continue to skim normally. I want to try the wet skim.

Although some skimmers are better at it than others, all you really need to do is raise the water within the skimmer. This will give you more total volume, and you'll know your skimming wet.

 

[topmav1]

Right but at the moment i am using a quiet one 3000 and it is pumping whetever it can into the skimmer, no restricitons. Do I need to upgrade my pump to get more water into the skimmer??

 

[brentp]

If you restrict the water coming out of the skimmer you will raise the level in the skimmer.

 

[causeofhim]

Put a gate valve or a riser tube on your output of your skimmer.

 

[topmav1]

Sorry if I sound dumb, but how do you restrict the water coming out of the skimmer? Do you mean the exit holes that the clean water comes out of after it goes through the skimmer?
This is what I use now...except my air tube is gone...

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a177/topmav1/Skimmer.jpg

 

[topmav1]

sorry....

 

[brentp]

Do you mean the exit holes that the clean water comes out of after it goes through the skimmer?

Exactly. You need to figure out how to control the clean water coming out of the skimmer.