Hey beaslbob!

[Anonymous]

>...Well, I just got rid of my hair algae woes.

Glad that it finally worked out for you, Rob_Reef_Keeper.

 

[Anonymous]

>...Well, I just got rid of my hair algae woes.

Glad that it finally worked out for you, Rob_Reef_Keeper.

Yeah, same here, Rob. Good Job!
~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

Guy has fish that are 10-15 years old. Although he is converting his 900g lagoon tank to include corals, it was basically a 900g refugium full of plant life. So Guy can not determine if it was the plant life, filtrations, DSB, water conditioning or whatever that allowed those fish to live so long.

I would have to guess that it's "all of the above". I've been in the hobby long enough to know that there is no one single ideal technique that covers all bases. Using algae for filtration is very natural but nature uses many many ways. Sand beds, algae, skimmer, water changes, clean-up crews, etc. To rely on one system can certainly work but I like the odds of success with multiple filtration systems better.

 

[Anonymous]

Bob believes that replacing his animals every few months indicates his system is working. The rest of us would be appalled if we had killed that many anumals in just two years.

Is this true, beaslbob?

~wings~

No! Guy misrepresents my systems. I had several losses before I added macros to my system. I lost several corals after moving my system and dumping 1/2 my water on the living room carpet.

The truth is I have maintained spawing damsels for over four years in a simple FO system, have had a FW operational for 6 continuous years with descendants from the original two fish, and have not lost a single coral or fish in my current 55g since nitrates went to 0.0 4-6 months ago. And hardies are growing also.

Guy has fish that are 10-15 years old. Although he is converting his 900g lagoon tank to include corals, it was basically a 900g refugium full of plant life. So Guy can not determine if it was the plant life, filtrations, DSB, water conditioning or whatever that allowed those fish to live so long.

But in my systems, it was the addition of plant life and soley the addition of plant life that allowed the fish and corals to live for years and years. I can say that because I added plant life and only added plant life. Not changed 20 things to correct the problems.

I think the proof is in the pudding. I need pictures. Lots of them too. I want to see plumbing, want to see the tank, and close-ups as well. While I understand your concept, I want to see whether or not your idea is "Living room" acceptable, like most people's tanks are (without your methods) on this site. While science projects are fun, most spouses would not want to see the experiment when the inlaws come over.

I await your stunning photos. 8)

~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

Freshwater is a walk in the park, we all know that.

And most FW even planted have much more equipment and maintenance required than mine.

...

How to you circulate without the use of a pump?

in Fw the plants do it.

Didn't you say earlier that "I would rather harvest some plant life each month then empty skimmer cups, clean pumps..." Do you still have pumps?

sure. But a powerhead or a totally enclosed filter is much safer than external sumps/refugiums and the like.
Oh you mean you are supposed to clean those powerheads? Hmmmm. Mine has been running 2+years now. So I guess I should clean it huh? :lol:

...
Some people's skimmers reside in their sump... don't fully understand where the flooding would occur. Show us what you mean.


Thanks,
~wings~

All you need is an overflow failure with an external system. Just as several have reported on these boards.

Sure I still pump through my oyster shells. My next upgrade is to change that into a closed loop where I pump the water through the oyster shells. Combined with an in tank refugium you still have a macro free display area and there would be no way for flooding. Well except for tank/plumbing leaks which are possible anyway. Not so with an external sump/refug. Especially if you have a syphon HOB overflow. Even a plugged up pre filter can cause flooding.

 

[Anonymous]

in Fw the plants do it.

How do plants circulate water?
_________________
Fidelity bond Forum

 

[Anonymous]

in Fw the plants do it.

How do plants circulate water?

They are vascular. Very slow but still circulates the water anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm. Mine has been running 2+years now. So I guess I should clean it huh? :lol:

Just soak it in vinegar for an hour or so & rinse it off. It'll be good as new.

No! Guy misrepresents my systems. I had several losses before I added macros to my system.

Bob, I belive you are the one misrepresenting your system, not me.

 

[Anonymous]

beaslbob,
Do you have the old link to your system's photos for the time being?
~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

I think the proof is in the pudding. I need pictures. Lots of them too. I want to see plumbing, want to see the tank, and close-ups as well. While I understand your concept, I want to see whether or not your idea is "Living room" acceptable, like most people's tanks are (without your methods) on this site. While science projects are fun, most spouses would not want to see the experiment when the inlaws come over.

I await your stunning photos. 8)

~wings~

My 55g is in the living room. And the 10g leiden is in the family room. My inlaws, their kids, and all visitors are awestruck by both tanks. The only problem is the noise of the current overflow for the external sump/refug. Hence the upgrade to a more closed loop type system.

The only thing that gets anywhere near the initial "WOW" response is when I answer questions on maintenance. For instance, one recent visitor commented on the FW that they did not like the cleaning the tanks. they were suprised to hear I had not cleaned the tank in over a year. Nor conduced water changes, no replaced filter media, or air stones etc etc etc. And the tank is perfectly acceptable for any living room. that tank is perfectly acceptable for any livingroom.

Another example in FW is my Cal's tank thread in the FW forum here. It is also an example of what happens when you do not start systems is plant life from the very start. See: http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=60020

 

[Anonymous]

beaslbob,
Do you have the old link to your system's photos for the time being?
~wings~

Picture are really really dark here. I have some with my old trusty OM-2 (film) camera that are better exposed. But this should be a point of reference. http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=57481

 

[Anonymous]

beaslbob,
Do you have the old link to your system's photos for the time being?

How about a SW link?
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[Anonymous]

beaslbob,
You have egg crate in your living room display?

~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

beaslbob,
Do you have the old link to your system's photos for the time being?

How about a SW link?

Oh, by the way, beaslbob, SALT WATER REEF photos only for this discussion. I really don't care about FW tanks for this discussion, because I've been there and done that ever since I was a little kid, starting with goldfish.

So, let's see your reef tank! The best photos possible! You post, we look! 8)

~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

beaslbob,
You have egg crate in your living room display?

~wings~

Yep. Wish it was black but it is there. Fish and coral in front. Chaeto, prolifera, grape, red grape behind. With a powerhead behind also. Chaeto helps hide the tube from the powerhead and the return lines from the sump. With the back light off all you can basically see is the front with a "wall" (the egg crate) behind the rocks. and a couple of macros poking through. Which the tang likes to pick on all day.

 

[Anonymous]

I know you don't want to hear this... but if you threw out that crushed coral and the lava rocks and started topping off with limewater the Coralline would probably completely envelop that eggcrate in a couple of months. It would look a lot more natural that way.

Just a thought.

 

[Anonymous]

I know you don't want to hear this... but if you threw out that crushed coral and the lava rocks and started topping off with limewater the Coralline would probably completely envelop that eggcrate in a couple of months. It would look a lot more natural that way.

Just a thought.

That's the real question, I haven't really seen any evidence of a "healthy" reef tank in regard to Coralline. Beaslbob, care to comment on this?

~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

in Fw the plants do it.

How do plants circulate water?

They are vascular. Very slow but still circulates the water anyway.

Bob, have you ever heard of something called diffusion? (no pun intended)

Vascular system in advance plant is indeed a transportation system for nutrient, it is far cry to imply that it circulates water.

With salt systems using algaes as plant life some circulation seems to be beneficial.

With the type of chemical gradient that a marine algae has around it, there is little circulation that needed beside oxygen/CO2 for metabolism during time of high demand for photosynthesis. I am not saying that you should not keep good circulation in a plant life tank, but just that you are over emphasize it in your statement, and does not mask some of the lack in logics in your explaination.

 

[Anonymous]

I meant Oyster Shells oops...

I've actually never seen a correlation between Coralline and a healthy reef so I don't think it's fair to judge Bobs tank in that respect. Just an opinion. With his lighting though, Coralline should be a big pest in his tank so something is supressing it.

Bob, correct me if I'm wrong, Overdriven NO bulbs, right? That is the ideal coralline lighting in my experience.

 

[Anonymous]

I meant Oyster Shells oops...

I've actually never seen a correlation between Coralline and a healthy reef so I don't think it's fair to judge Bobs tank in that respect. Just an opinion. With his lighting though, Coralline should be a big pest in his tank so something is supressing it.

Bob, correct me if I'm wrong, Overdriven NO bulbs, right? That is the ideal coralline lighting in my experience.

interesting... I've always thought they ran together, mainly because coralline will not grow with out proper lighting, and chemicals (calcium), present, or not present (phosphate). If indeed you are correct, I stand corrected.

~wings~