Ben's OMG IT'S A WATERFALL build

[Whys]

I've noticed that liverock sitting directly under a waterfall of moderate flow, such as under the drain to the sump, becomes highly encrusted with dark red coraline and purple hard sponges. At least, I think they're sponges. It appears quite different from the bare rock and pineapple sponges one typically finds in the low flow areas behind or under a rock. To my own untrained eye, it appears vastly more biologically productive. And while I have noticed similar benefit to any liverock placed in moderate flow with even minimal lighting, I'm also left with the impression that the splashing water and bubbles from a waterfall induce additional benefit. I can't say exactly, but I suppose it's possible the physical pressure on the rock's surface allows the flow to penetrate deeper into the pores. In which case, I suspect the primary benefit wouldn't be the transport of nutrients in, so much as the transport of detritus out. But these are just some of my musings.

 

When time finally allows, I'll be building a large refugium in my fishroom to serve as a natural filter for all of my tanks. That probably won't be for another year or so, but once I do, I intend to implement a staircase of water falls down to a shallow runway of DSB.

 

I might have gotten the idea from this thread. Not sure.

[Cameron6796]

Ikr it would be so awesome to do something like that.