[mrok12]

First let me start by saying: Holy cow. Thanks to spasse for sharing the info about your 180 gallon reef with the eco system method, impressive i must say. Tommorow my wife and I, ( she loves reefs too) are driving an hour away to see this system in action. The store we are going to has this on an 150 gallon sps grow out tank. I like the concept of this system alot. I have a question for spasse. How are your nitrate and phosphate levels. Why did you wait 7 months to begin to add corals? Is it still advisable to use live substates in the main tank with a deep sand bed when using the ecosystem. I did read the articles on DSB, got alot of useful info from it too. Thanks for all the great advice and help

MROK12

[SPasse]

mrok12,

My particular choice of components was based on my previous use of algae filtration, evolving (at the time) DSB theory and conversations that I had with Dr. Ron & Dr. Rob Toonen.

One on my conversations with Dr. Ron involved the nature of fauna communities (worms pods etc.) in a mud bed vs. a DSB substrate.

His recommendation was that these two communities would be somewhat different but rather complimentary.

The DSB processes detritus and takes care of the nitrates. These are at levels in my system that are below the resolution of commonly available test kits. (<0.2 PPM)

Phosphates and Sulfates, two elements that are not dealt with by a DSB, are exported by the macro algae. I have not tested for sulfates, but phosphates are also at levels that are below the resolution of my Salifert test kits.

So I feel that my present combination a DSB, mud bed, and algae filtration deals with the elements that are most related to nuisance algae outbreaks.

If you talk to Leng Sy, the inventor of the EcoSystem, he tends to discourage the use of “sand” in the main tank. However I believe this is because his bad experiences with this combination are based on “large particle sand beds” not the deep, fine particle sand beds as advocated by Dr. Ron and Dr. Toonen.

One thing that I will mention is that a DSB, a mud bed, and macro algae all compete with each other for certain available elements such as nitrates. This can be a limiting factor in the growth of your macro algae. Vigorous macro algae growth is necessary for elements such as sulfates and phosphates to be “properly” exported. So the bottom line is that these systems must be properly fed in order to support the fauna, macro algae, and bacterial processes that take place in them.

You are actually more likely to crash these systems by underfeeding them as opposed to over feeding them. (assuming that they have been properly set up and seed with diverse fauna kits from companies like Indo Pacific Sea Farms and Island Aquatics.

As far as additives, only CA and alkalinity buffers, small partial water changes, and feeding is required. Other “additives” are unnecessary and usually counterproductive.

Finally, waiting 7 months before adding corrals gives you time to “build up” the sand and mud bed fauna communities. The “cycle” is only the beginning of the system stabilization process. A reef tank in really only “established” after about a year. Yes, many people “bring systems up” in much less time. Bud doing this is much more of a “balancing act” than letting time work for you. With reef tanks, no on ever regretted a patient approach, and very many people come to regret the opposite. It is not uncommon for SPS coral guys to wait 12 months before adding corals.

Regards,

Scott Passe