Undergravel filters

[Trailermann]

Here are some questions that I hope you can help me with.

Of course, all regarding the RUGF.

How does dolomite compare with aragonite #1, and what are the attributes of the dolomite?

How and how often do you clean the spong filter before the water is returned underneath the gravel?

Very slow flow! What is being accomplished by this? How does one know if the flow is the right speed? Effective GPH of the circulating pump is not a good measurement by itself. GPH per square feet or square inch of substrate might be better.

How thick is the substrate? Do you pile it thicker to accommodate the shrimp/goby pair? Do you employ snails or other critters to turn the sand? If so, does the semi-annual sand vacuuming disturb or destroy them?

I am about to start up my old 75 gallon RUGF!

Thanks,Trailermann (Paul H in real life)

 

[Paul B]

Trailerman, I pasted this on my thread "almost 35 year old tank" or something like that.
It is here http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=23855552#post23855552

 

[Trailermann]

Good answer

Good answer

Thanks for the detailed comments. Very helpful.

 

[Buzz1329]

Do they dig or do they shovel....or push and pull?

I would be willing to bet a Harvey Wallbanger that others are running them but just don't post here. Pretty big hobby and I have watched several videos that show people running similar gravel types. Personally speaking of course I think some people just add whatever without considering the fish coral bio types (or don't add anything). I have considered it on a few occasions but then look back on the reef type I am trying to reproduce and that substrate isn't there. That is why I don't run one.

Although I am slowly adding some rubble and courser stuff so I can add a pistol shrimp hoping my yellow goby will become friends .

A Harvey Wallbanger? Gad, I haven't had one of those in more than 40 years.

BTW, I have a yellow goby/pistol shrimp pair in my tank for years using Tropic Eden aragonite reef flakes -- I use the medium grade FWIW. I'm just starting to enjoy the pair, having given up on trying to place frags to my substrate to given them a chance to adjust. That pair would drag them all over the tank every night -- sometimes into their burrow where they would disappear forever. So once I gave up on frags in the substrate, the goby/shrimp pair are actually kind of interesting.

Mike