The "How to go Barebottom thread."

[matt the fiddler]

somes times i stick my filer sock on, and blast my rocks and by bare bottom with my tunze a few times in a half hour.. just to get all that i can't see.. works almost better than siphoning.. i got set backwards a bit last month by my skimmer clogging when i was on break.. algae blooms lol

 

[APFish]

I thought that we were discussing that. I just didn't want to be the only idiot not using a mechanical filter. I think that I am going to do one at a time that way I can cook my rock. It is going to be a little crowded but I think that it is for the better.
As always I appreciate people in the know giving their advice for those that are just seeking anwsers.

Rob

 

[APFish]

one other thing, is adding ozone essential? I have read threads about it and some are just suggesting using it part of the time? What is the opinion there.

Rob

 

[causeofhim]

Re: The "How to go Barebottom thread."

Two other nice to have (but not needed drastically) pieces of equipment are an ozone generator and/or UV sterilizer (both should be rated for your system.
I have both and like it that way.
Either is fine, but if you get an ozone generator I highly recommend you purchase an ORP monitor with probe, or better yet an ORP controller with probe (though I do not feel the controller is totally necessary).

[/B]

 

[easttn]

one other thing, is adding ozone essential? I have read threads about it and some are just suggesting using it part of the time? What is the opinion there.

Rob

Not essential imo, but I do own one. It is on a controller but basically on 24/7 and set to 450 I believe.

 

[samsfishnchips]

ozone 100% needed not, but I do love the results

ok, here is my raisers, and using a mag7 to keep the bottom clean, though about using something with gentle flow like a tunze or seio, but down there force is better

oh, and sorry about the tang in the way, this one loves to get in the way

definitely this needs to be done to keep the bottom clean, only thing I must add is, I added pieces of acrylic on the top of the tubes so no wasted accumulates inside the tubes,

a must for any seriously about BB,

sam

 

[disbjohn]

Sam can you take a full tank shot?

 

[samsfishnchips]

Sam can you take a full tank shot?

here is a pic, at 3 days, sorry for the crapy pic, haven't taken much, cause wanted to let things mature, and stock it up more, a few more brains, and corals to cover the bottom, the far right will have a configuration so I can take it out, and clean the pump when it needs it, tank needs more work :rollface:

rack is about 4.5" and all rocks at front are lift with tubes, but a bit lower would be good too, just need to keep rocks off the bottom, by the way this is a 90g, learning and learning to get really for my near future dream tank 200g+

sam

 

[disbjohn]

wow really nice. which model tunze are those?

I got a 72BF RR that I'm in the process of setting up and planning on going BB. I picked up the black starboard bottom for 23 bucks here locally but I do think they can ship it. Got it from nationwideplastics.net

I am going to pick up 2 stream 6000s with the multicontroller.

 

[samsfishnchips]

wow really nice. which model tunze are those?

I got a 72BF RR that I'm in the process of setting up and planning on going BB. I picked up the black starboard bottom for 23 bucks here locally but I do think they can ship it. Got it from nationwideplastics.net

I am going to pick up 2 stream 6000s with the multicontroller.

thx. I'm running two 2 6000's streams with the multicontroller, they rock,

thats one downfall with many when doing BB, you need proper equipment, I realize that, and started with hooking up the system with equipment, why expend money on corals first instead of hardware, I think is best to have proper equipment to keep them alive

don't skimp on equiment, and by going with tunze looks like you are not

sam

 

[matt the fiddler]

i have been thinking about putting a mag 7 behind the main rock island... the front is kept clean with a tunze.. that would just help out.. I have thought about diffusing it slightly.. or have it on for 2 hours twice a day, etc. [or 6 hours twice a day] i am trying to cut down on my tanks power... [thus the move to tunzes form my educted panworld]

 

[SeanT]

Just an update of my own tank.
I siphon my tank weekly/bi-weekly usually.
Even though there isn't much detritus...maybe a teaspoon full if I find a sweet spot.

Today it is overcast and drizzling a bit so it is a good day to do some maintenance.

I siphoned, not much at all came out.
"What the heck...I need to powerhead the rocks anyway." I thought to myself.
So I get out the good ol' MJ 1200, plug it in and let it rip.
Holy cow wa there a lot of dust and silt coming out of certain areas.
My tank got pretty cloudy.

Alot went over the overflow to the filter sock, some landed on the starboard and I am sure some went right back on the rock.

In a few minutes I am going to powerhead them again...and maybe one more time.

I do have a problem with bubble algae in a few areas, and Iwill say that 99% of the rock that got powerheaded and released a lot of detritus does have a bubble algae problem.

I wonder if putting all this detritus into suspension is bad or good for SPS.

Hmmm...if I did this at night all my corals would be feasting.

Just some observations and a little reinfrocement on the keeping your rocks clean.

Sean

 

[matt the fiddler]

Sean, I have done it a lot wiht no bad side effects .. I think it isn't going to be huge lethal pockets [as in an nuke dsb] but if you get it out fast... i think you are fine [but you need a filter sock]

oh yea.. my brains open up and try to feed when it do it too

 

[SeanT]

Man,
I Shiphoned, powerheaded, let it settle, siphoned, powerheaded, let it settle and siphoned again.
Feels good.
Nice and clean.

Sean

 

[fishdoc11]

I do have a problem with bubble algae in a few areas, and Iwill say that 99% of the rock that got powerheaded and released a lot of detritus does have a bubble algae problem.

I've got the same problem
FWIW I add a sock, blow the rocks off and siphon once every two weeks. I do have a SSB though. It makes me feel better that someone with your turnover rate still gets buildup on your rocks

Chris

 

[Travis]

I have the same problem. It is getting better as I have reaquascaped and added more flow several times so there are just a couple small places where the detritus is building up in the rocks. What I do is throw a filter sock on the return then blast the rocks. Then wait 2 hours and blast the rocks again as a lot of it settles right back on the rocks. Then wait 2 more hours and do it one last time. Then wait a couple hours for the water to clear up and then siphon the bottom. I do this every Saturday.

I think even if we had so much flow in our tanks that it literally blew corals off the rocks we would still get places where detritus builds up in the rocks. That is whay part of the BB maintenance routine should include frequent blasting of the rocks.

 

[ezhoops]

Can You smell what the rock is cooking?.......Yeah, well I'll be cooking mine starting this Friday, I've set aside the entire day to remove my DSB and start cooking rocks.

Wish me luck,
any last minute advice?

 

[SeanT]

Have friends help.
Especially with the DSB removal.

 

[ezhoops]

No such luck, how long do you think this will take?

 

[fishdoc11]

A good shop vac comes in handy Time is highly variable. I would allow all day(at least half a day) and have at least twice the water you expect to use mixed up. Also take out as much water as you can to reuse before you stir things up.