Hi All,

I have been studying EcoSystem filtration for about 9 months and started a 180-gallon system based on this method about a month ago.

I became interested in this method after seeing a 500 gallon display tank at a LFS converted from a skimmer based system to an EcoSystem.

I was so impressed by the health of the corals and fish in this tank that I had to try it for myself. For example a gonipora was budding off babies, and a pair of cardinal fish was breeding, the babies were being grown out in refugium, with no additional feeding.

My own EcoSystem it already doing well, the Caulerpa has already almost filled the refugium.

I am already getting calcareous algae growth.

The algae is illuminated 24/7. Oxygen bubbles can be seen on the surface of the Caulerpa at all times, especially during the tank’s nighttime.

My system pH only varies 0.05 units day/night. My alkalinity is not particularly high.

My previous systems used mega-skimmers, but I have high hopes for my current approach.

I have a CAD drawing of my homemade EcoSystem filter. If anyone would like a copy, just E-mail me.

No sign of any yellow tint to the water.

I would point out that you need to acclimate new macro algae to your system, or it will often crash.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.

[This message has been edited by SPASSE (edited 07-17-2000).]

Hi Scott,
Welcome to the board! I am also interested in the Ecosystem type filtration and have been reading up on it. Can you please post or e-mail a pic or diagram of your filter? Are you using Leng's mud or your own concoction? For your 180, how big is the refugium? I guess you are not using a skimmer, correct? Thanks, Bob

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Hi Scott,

You say, "No sign of any yellow tint in the water."

OK, let's say that later on, maybe a few months from now, yellow tint does show up in the water, would it be OK for you to use GAC or would this interfere with the setup?

Ninong

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Irrational Exuberance!

Hi all,

1 I am using the leng Sy miracle mud. @ $70 bucks for a 10 lb bag. (I know, bend over,) I used 30lbs of the mud. I believe that there really are various time release elements that benefit the macro algae as well as the rest of the tank.

2 My filter is based on a 55-gallon glass tank.

3 I have not, and don’t plan on using a skimmer. I have some leftovers in the garage on standby.

4 Some EcoSystems develop a slight yellow tint after about a year in service. A periodic carbon cleanup should not be a problem.

5 Cyno on the substrate and small patches of hair algae are more or less to be expected until these systems have been is service for about 6 months or so.

I will publishing pictures of my system on my WEB page as soon as I can afford a digital camera. I kind of over spent myself on my current setup. [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.

Scott,

Thanks for the update. It will be interesting to follow your progress. Sometimes it's hard to believe all the claims made on the "inventor's" web site. But this is different.

Cheers,

Ninong

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Irrational Exuberance!

Scott,
I'm getting ready to setup a refugium using the miracle mud too, Leng Sy sent me some products and a video before I decide to buy the mud (add shipping charges overseas, I'm going broke!)
Basically all I need now is the mud, the rest is running under the same kind of setup for months now (my caulerpa never went sexual or 'crashed', not even once)

What I heard lately is that the mud mainly adds iron to the caulerpa to feed on, what do you think? maybe some other trace elements? Leng told me the mud is oceanic substrate with added trace elements, some people even say it's just dirt from California (they were no kidding, but nobody ever showed any proof either, so...)

I'm also using other types of caulerpa (not feather caulerpa as per the ecosystem instructions). I'm using caulerpa scalpelliformis or plumaris, can't 100% ID it yet, it looks like this:



but I also have the feather type (Caulerpa sertularioides)



and 2 types of grape caulerpa too (caulerpa racemosa, and caulerpa racemosa peltata var.).

So Scott, what's your opinion about the mud itself? is it worth it, does it really make a difference?

Joaco



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My webpage Updated 3rd July 2000

Joaco,

Although people that I respect a lot like Dr. Ron think it is just over priced dirt, I do think that Leng Sy spent a number of years adding iron and other nutrients to the dirt, regardless of it’s origin.

One thing that supports this theory is the observation that after about 18 months after the mud is put in service that coral growth rates slow down and the mud needs to be replaced at a rate of about 1/3 the total volume every 6 months.

So I was persuaded to buy the “miracle mud”.

As far as the Caulerpa species is concerned is doesn’t seem to mater much. My filter has what was given to me as Caulerpa Taxifolia but is probably Caulerpa Sertularioides or Caulerpa Mexicana, and a second variety which I believe to be Caulerpa Serrulatu.

Both varieties have grow to fill the filter.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.

Just to let you know the mud does have to be replaced in time,and the mud does take time to become seeded with the burrowing creatures needed for proper bioturbation in the silt substrate.Stick to your Refugium, don't waste your money your buying a refugium with a floating silt substrate.[img]/ubb/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Greg Montalbano,

You wrote:

“Stick to your Refugium, don't waste your money your buying a refugium with a floating silt substrate”

Well, even I was expecting the “miracle mud” to float, get blown around and be a pain, It wetted down and stayed put. The baffling that I put in the bottom of the filter proved to be unnecessary.

Also the mud has become visibly more live with worm tunnels, etc than the live sand bed in the main tank.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.

[This message has been edited by SPASSE (edited 07-19-2000).]

Then you were able to achieve the right flow rate through the mud area, alot of people have had problem's with getting the flow rate dialed in.I'm very curious on the life of the mud,Mike Paletta wrote that the mud has to be replaced in time due to the fact that element's are used up.Keep me posted with the result's of this set up.[img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] Greg.

Back to the original topic, I just used a 15 gallon tank on a bookshelf next to my tank for my refugium. Looks decent, works great. I have a 5" sandbed and everything seems to be doing fine. There is a pic of it on the first page of my website.
FWIW, Nathan

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Hi Nathan,

Yes, I agree, you have done a very nice job of setting up your refugium.

I tell you something funny. When I clicked on your site just now to check out your refugium, the very first thing that came to mind was "oh, wow, this is the guy with the log house in the middle of nowhere!" LOL

Yes, I visited your site a while back, but didn't match you from your posts with the site I visited some time back. Just couldn't forget your log house construction problems with the contractor, etc. Hope things are a little "less adventurous" these days. [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

N I N [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img] N G

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Irrational Exuberance!