Hiding the plumbing

[smidoid]

Well, I [finally] got most of my gear in the sump now. The only thing that you can see in the tank that shouldn't be there are the pumbing drains and the return feeds.


Ideas, suggestions? Anyone?

[Poseidon]

How about some Tonga branch? Once your plumbing gets covered in Coralline Algae it will blend in better.

[smidoid]

Tonga branch? I thought that's what they wore at frat parties...

So will the coraline just migrate to smooth plastic Mike, or does it need to be abraded to give it somewhere to stick?

[Poseidon]

It will grow on the PVC in no time. Heck I have coralline growing inside vinyl tubing!

[smidoid]

I'll look out for it! Right now I've got some diatoms growning (ugly, but necessary I guess at this stage).

The Coraline is the purple stain stuff, right?

[charlie]

So will the coraline just migrate to smooth plastic Mike, or does it need to be abraded to give it somewhere to stick

?

Coralline will grow anywhere you don't want it to!!!!

[smidoid]

Ummm... I thought that Coralline was desirable algae - if there is such a thing!

[Poseidon]

Coralline can be a PITA for sure. It less UNDESIREABLE then hair, or bubble, but it can still be a pain. It seems to grow everywhere in my tank, EXCEPT on the rocks!

[smidoid]

Just disposed of a fisherman's eyeball last night (that's bubble algae, I suspect). Had visions of it popping and spreading spores ALL over the tank! I'm allowing the hair to sprout a little to until it consumes whatever nutrients are in the water (Rowaphos fludizer goes in today or tomorrow). Then the snails can have it.

I suspect that the Rowaphos will act like a fludised biofilter when its exhausted; any thoughts?

[Poseidon]

I would keep the Rowaphos fresh, fluidized beds are great for freshwater, but we don't want the extra NO3 coming from them in a Reef tank.

[smidoid]

Good point... but anything that breaks down the ammonia is doing some good. Not that one can experiment with water chemistry when there's fish in the tank!

Any ideas how the corals and other inverts cope with nitrate/ite?

[Poseidon]

They don't like it! Let the rock, and if you have one, DSB process the NH3, as they can also process the NO2, and then the NO3. IF you have one area of your tank PRODUCING NO3, you will always have an elevated level. I gave up testing for NO3 years ago, as it always comes out 0. I however employ a DSB, a good amount of rock, and a BIG OL SKIMMER! I would not let your Rowaphos remain in the reactor for more then 30 days before changing it out for fresh. No need to make this hobby any harder then it already is.

[smidoid]

. No need to make this hobby any harder then it already is.

He he! Yeah, I hear that.

I would have done things a lot differently (worse) if my wife hadn't gone mad about the heater (yes, just the heater) being visible in the tank! That triggered a LOT of reading and eventually a sump which developed into a four baffle, three-section fuge.

I got a DSB on the advice of one Dr Ron Shimek (you might have heard of him [!])

The return system is still giving me problems with microbubbles - I needed another baffle really, but there's just not the room to make an adequate DSB and have any more baffles.

The skimmer is a seaclone (OK, OK, I know) but it was cheap at about 1/3 list and it was new - so it will do for now (esp. when I fit a needle). I'd like to eventually go skimmerless and leave the DOC filtering to natural processes and water changes. The plan behind that comes from the fact that skimming removes plankton as well as DOCs; we'll see...

As for the fluidiser - it's back the drawing board! Too much head pressure (and I suspect, a slight leak) meant that the thing went off like damp sqib - even at full tilt. Need to pay more attention to the pressure differentials, methinks.

I think I'll take your advice on the Rowaphos until I can run tests out of the tank.