I am cycling now a 55gal reef. I would like to know how you can tell if your sand bed is doing its job,and not have a filter?What are the signs it is working? A CONCERNED LEARNER!!!!!!!!!

Oceanreef,

A deep sand bed is an ecosystem unto itself. I will begin to function on certain bacterial levels in a few weeks.

But to reach it full potential, takes some number of months.

After you initial nitrogen cycle takes place, seed the bed with sand bed fauna kit form Island Aquatics and/or Indo Pacific Sea Farms. Then you begin feeding the bed with products like Brine Shrimp Direct’s “Golden Pearls”

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

Dear Scott,

> I will begin to function on certain
> bacterial levels in a few weeks.

Hmmm, that's the only level at which I've managed to function so far today [img]/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm actually writing to see if you have a link to the "Golden Pearls" about which you've spoken so highly.

Are these a compleat substitute for other foods? Do you hold back on other feeding, when you feed this?

Oh, and what does it mean when gas bubbles start appearing deep in the sand bed? A few inches I mean. This appears to be happening in one corner of the tank.

Thanks!


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Cheers,
Rob

Rob,
http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/bri...brineshrimpa29

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-------------------------------
Matthew Madill

Holy Artemia, Batman !!!

Thanks, Matt!



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Cheers,
Rob
New York City

Well I am really glad everyone got a good conversation out of my post! HA HA HA. really I want to say thanks alot for all the info. All the info really does help, Im a new learner, and every little thing helps. Thanks again....

mgk65,

I don’t know if you saw this: http://www.reefland.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/006220.html about the golden pearl size. These seem to be keeping my micro critter population very high.

My LPS corals that like “meaty” foods, which would include buttons, plates, brains, and elegance, I target feed chopped up shrimp from the grocery store and silver sides from the LFS.

My Wellsophyllia radiata: http://www.spasse.homestead.com/files/Brain_2.JPG is a pig and I don’t think I have found his upper limit for eating.

Oceanreef,

Sorry if this thread went astray.

You know that you DSB is working when you nitrates are being kept low, and detritus doesn’t accumulate on top of the sand bed, i.e. the critters in it are consuming it. You should also see lots of worm tunnels, etc in the sand bed, down to a depth of about 2 to 3”. Bubble pockets are also a good sign.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

Rob,

The golden pearls were recommended to be by Dr. Ron.

They work well because they:

1 Are very nutritious.
2 Spread very uniformly throughout the water column.
3 Can be ordered in different particle sizes.

I still “target” feed my LPS corrals with shrimp pieces, cut up silver sides, etc.

One of the positive aspects of developing a healthy sand bed and refugium fauna population is that their reproduction contributes to the “home grown” plankton content of your system. So many times this makes direct feeding of a particular critter unnecessary. In other words you are feeding the little critters that are feeding the big critters with there reproductive larva.

The bubbles that you see in the sand bed are a good thing, most likely nitrogen gas bubbles that are being generated by bacteria that is processing (removing) your nitrate. [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Regards,

Scott


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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

Scott, anyone:

What size of golden pearls do you recommend for a relatively new tank with a DSB, IPSF activated sand, LR. I also have two pepi shrimp, 75 snails, and ~10 microhermits.

What other types of food should I start getting for corals?

What about frozen foods and where are they available?

thanks!
mgk

p.s. scott, I asked and you offered to send some caluerpa to me, I was able to find some at a not-so-local(40miles)fish store. It was a nice drive with my girlfriend with a TGI Fridays close by. Thanks,mgk

This may sound crazy..but how do you feed the deep sand bed..do you drop some of the pearls in the H2O or inject some in the sand?

tech1,

You just add the “Golden Pearls” to the tank as you would, say a flake food.

First it disperses then sinks and lands on the sand bed. (Evenly).

The critters on the top of the bed start the “handoff” process.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/