Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
really, all the places i've read about refugiums say atleast 10x the over all system size :S maybe that was with a DSB in it
Ashley's New Adventure _ 46 Bowfront SW reef
- Thread starter lilladybug05
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mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
even still, what are they basing that recommendation on? it's just something someone said and then everyone else followed suit, without any real data. i ran a 150 with a mag 7 as a return for about a year and it was fine.
Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
was yours a sump refugium?
i guess in a way if the water sits in the refugium longer the chaeto and DSB can suck out the nitrates in larger amounts then a higher flow would.
they claimed that a DSB works better with passing water
i guess in a way if the water sits in the refugium longer the chaeto and DSB can suck out the nitrates in larger amounts then a higher flow would.
they claimed that a DSB works better with passing water
OP
OP
lilladybug05
Aquarium Advice Regular
MY skimmer goes 500 gph and is rated up to 125 gallons , I guess it doesn't matter to me if it goes fast or slow so long as my tank is benefiting and its not overflowing lol I can't fit anything larger than the 24 by 9 by 15 that's all the room I have.
I will have a skimmer, a fuge and return thats it (bubble trap in there some where too)
I will have a skimmer, a fuge and return thats it (bubble trap in there some where too)
OP
OP
lilladybug05
Aquarium Advice Regular
and these mag pumps are those the danner mag drive pumps ?
Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
yep the danner ones
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
algae only needs contact with water to work. fast or slow flow, it will work exactly the same. if you needed to run water through the refugium that fast in order for it to be efficient, you would actually see the plants absorbing nutrients, and they would be growing visibly, before your eyes.
the same goes for the DSB functionality. again, they have no data to back this up.
and yes, i always implement a refugium when i can afford to. actually, i used a mag 5 for a while as well, looking back at the build thread.
RenegadeReefers.org • Information
Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
i recall that thread and rememebered a mag5 mentioned but i could have remembered wrong so i didn't say anything 
either way its really one of the nicer reefs i've seen. the aqua scape is wicked
either way its really one of the nicer reefs i've seen. the aqua scape is wicked
OP
OP
lilladybug05
Aquarium Advice Regular
HI again hahah well a lot has changed in the 2 days
My Marko rock came and I rinsed that and put that in , and then I decided I didnt mind the pumps I hated so much and they are pretty well hidden by the rock . So I changed my mind again and decided to go with the HOB refugium instead of the sump ( my husband kept thinking it would flood)
About 65 lbs of rock total in there now.
The garf grunge came today and EWWWWWWWWWW it stunk and made my tank a mess!!!
So immediately my one snail friend thats been hanging with us since we picked the tank up, decided he would crawl all the way to the top of the tank after I added the grunge .. WHY ?? Is it bad for him or is he happy and trying to slurp up the gunk?
There were at least 2 more snails and 2 micro stars in the free bag of bugs that comes with the grunge.
Since it stank so bad I thought I would just tank an ammonia test real quick and I was up to 1.0 already (within 1 hour) I was at 0 - .25 yesterday.
Should I still add the fresh shrimp to cycle or will this be enough ?
I would upload pics with the rock but apparently the sd slot on my computer decided not to work so until I get a usb for my camera I guess I cant.
hahah well a lot has changed in the 2 days My Marko rock came and I rinsed that and put that in , and then I decided I didnt mind the pumps I hated so much and they are pretty well hidden by the rock . So I changed my mind again and decided to go with the HOB refugium instead of the sump ( my husband kept thinking it would flood)
About 65 lbs of rock total in there now.
The garf grunge came today and EWWWWWWWWWW it stunk and made my tank a mess!!!
So immediately my one snail friend thats been hanging with us since we picked the tank up, decided he would crawl all the way to the top of the tank after I added the grunge .. WHY ?? Is it bad for him or is he happy and trying to slurp up the gunk?
There were at least 2 more snails and 2 micro stars in the free bag of bugs that comes with the grunge.
Since it stank so bad I thought I would just tank an ammonia test real quick and I was up to 1.0 already (within 1 hour) I was at 0 - .25 yesterday.
Should I still add the fresh shrimp to cycle or will this be enough ?
I would upload pics with the rock but apparently the sd slot on my computer decided not to work so until I get a usb for my camera I guess I cant.
Last edited:
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
my guess would be the garf grunge caused a spike. did it mention this possibility in the instructions?
i think the snail was trying to escape the toxic ammonia.
i think the snail was trying to escape the toxic ammonia.
OP
OP
lilladybug05
Aquarium Advice Regular
No it didn't what is says is to put the bag in the tank and cut it and pour it in, in big letters it says Do Not Mix the Grunge In With Your Already Existing Sand Bed. and then in another paragragh it again says not to mix in with the sand for the sand will become toxic .
I obviously did not mix it in. My ammonia is down to .5 this morning. and the tank is just about clear again.
I'm assuming this is not enough of an ammonia spike to cycle my tank, should I still add fresh shrimp I haven't done that yet ?
I obviously did not mix it in. My ammonia is down to .5 this morning. and the tank is just about clear again.
I'm assuming this is not enough of an ammonia spike to cycle my tank, should I still add fresh shrimp I haven't done that yet ?
Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
you could wait a few days to see if you get another ammonia spike, if not add a shrimp.
have you done tests for nitrites and nitrates yet?
have you done tests for nitrites and nitrates yet?
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
that sounds a bit ridiculous. don't mix it with your sand or it will become toxic, but it won't if you just pour it in? i'd like to hear the reasoning and chemistry behind that!
Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
i can understand why they say don't mix it in the sand. like a dsb it can decompose and it could turn to hydrogen sulfide but at the same time soemone once said they it solidifys once it hits water
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
if that was the case, as soon as you drop it in the tank, before you even manage to get it to the sand bed, it would solidify.
so, "BACTERIA AND OTHER ORGANISMS FROM THE FINEST MARINE AQUARIUMS THAT WE HAVE KEPT DURING THE LAST TWENTY YEARS." as quoted from the garf website, will solidify when they hit water?
how?
why?
so, "BACTERIA AND OTHER ORGANISMS FROM THE FINEST MARINE AQUARIUMS THAT WE HAVE KEPT DURING THE LAST TWENTY YEARS." as quoted from the garf website, will solidify when they hit water?
how?
why?
Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
lol i have no idea how hydrogen solfide solidifies
i was not saying that the grunge itself would but i'm saying if mixed into the sand bed it could trap organics under the sand bed which could cause the toxic gas pockets to form. i probably didn't explain myself properly and i apologize for it
i was not saying that the grunge itself would but i'm saying if mixed into the sand bed it could trap organics under the sand bed which could cause the toxic gas pockets to form. i probably didn't explain myself properly and i apologize for it
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
i dunno. i'm trying to learn this too. what i believe happened is that the "grunge" scooped out of their tanks and sent to the OP had a lot of die-off in it from the trip inside the bottle/bag and caused a spike.
Gti_Leo
Aquarium Advice Addict
isn't that what its supposed to do? or is it supposed to seed bacteria growth?
OP
OP
lilladybug05
Aquarium Advice Regular
well the spike from the grunge never went higher than 1.0 it dropped to 0 the next day without creating nitrites at all.
So on top of that I did put the shrimp in on Saturday evening. I checked ammonia levels yesterday it was still 0
Today I did a full set of parameters
Temp is 78.9
SG 1.023
Ph 8.0
kh was at 10 drops (api)
ammonia .25-.50
nitrites .25
nitrates 80+
phosphate 2.0 +
calcium is still really high like 500 ( im not sure Im doing that test right still)
How high should or do I let the ammonia rise too ? Do I take the shrimp out at some point?
Right now they look like the skin membrane around them is swollen and ready to explode hahha or almost a fuzzy appearance around them.
So on top of that I did put the shrimp in on Saturday evening. I checked ammonia levels yesterday it was still 0
Today I did a full set of parameters
Temp is 78.9
SG 1.023
Ph 8.0
kh was at 10 drops (api)
ammonia .25-.50
nitrites .25
nitrates 80+
phosphate 2.0 +
calcium is still really high like 500 ( im not sure Im doing that test right still)
How high should or do I let the ammonia rise too ? Do I take the shrimp out at some point?
Right now they look like the skin membrane around them is swollen and ready to explode hahha or almost a fuzzy appearance around them.
OP
OP
lilladybug05
Aquarium Advice Regular
Ohhh and I do have lots of cool little feathery looking tiny tubes all over my rocks and glass since I put the grunge in. My husband and I are noticing more and more each day.
Also since we have decided to stick with the canister filter and the HOB refugium we replaced all the media in the canister filter with live rock. In an attempt to reduce nitrate makers.
Now Carbon ... ??? should I put a filter bag of it somewhere or no ?
and what do I do with those phosphates ? Will they go away with water changes or do I need to add something ? I also have a tentitive fish/invert list Ill get that up in a few days to start to review that with everyone.
Also since we have decided to stick with the canister filter and the HOB refugium we replaced all the media in the canister filter with live rock. In an attempt to reduce nitrate makers.
Now Carbon ... ??? should I put a filter bag of it somewhere or no ?
and what do I do with those phosphates ? Will they go away with water changes or do I need to add something ? I also have a tentitive fish/invert list Ill get that up in a few days to start to review that with everyone.
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