Sleeping with the Fishes [a pe(s)t project]

[Mariaface]

That's right, noodle dance!

 

 

 

Wow, I'm such a child.

 

 

Oh, hey! Page 16 says Hi.

[holy carp]

Sump pics!

 

The sump is snug:

standard 10 gallon tank with 2 baffles and a split homemade acrylic lid

(lid is intended to hold the sock and tubing and reduce evaporation inside the cabinet)

Filter sock in rear behind skimmer

Tunze 9004 skimmer

4x8x8 MarinePure block

Neotherm 75W heater

Reef Octopus VarioS 2 return pump

2 OXO containers for 2-part

2 BRS 1.1ml/min dosing pumps

and a light

 

The front part of the acrylic lid warped from the moisture and being pushed up by the skimmer. The sponge on the skimmer just dampens any remaining vibration and lifts the lid enough that it won't pinch the skimmer's air intake tubing.

 

 

[EDIT: Oh, hello there, Page 16!]

[Mariaface]

You have a MarinePure Block.

 

 

I have like a fifth of the plate in the rear chambers of the Fusion 20! What is this!

 

I need a sump. Next tank is going to have a huge sump.

[metrokat]

I know we talked about possibly using the sump as a frag rack, especially since you have that light fixture in place. What about getting a bigger footprint tank for that cabinet so that the elegance can go in it too?

[HarryPotter]

I don't quite understand those blocks. People say bioballs and filter sponges are nitrate factories.. So they put those blocks with even smaller pores instead? I get that bacteria can colonize it but still it feel like going backwards a bit. Can anyone explain? Sorry if I'm missing something obvious ?

[holy carp]

You mean up top? It might be possible, but I'm so happy with the current balance of proportion to the furniture. The intention from the start was to look like a fish tank sitting on top of a normal piece of furniture, as opposed to a whole tank system that includes the cabinet. Same reason why I wanted to minimize and conceal all the plumbing.

 

If you meant a bigger sump, I think a 15 gallon *might* fit in the space (it might be 1/4" too long), but I'd lose the space for dosing containers, and I wouldn't put that elegance down in the dungeon.

 

I still intend to use a coral compulsion led down there to try out the frags. Still have to do the math to figure out what reflector spread I need to select.

 

 

Harry - I think these blocks accommodate low-oxygen zones deep within where the denitrifying bacteria can live. Typical bioballs only host nitrifying bacteria as they are all on the surface and there is generally oxygen in all the surrounding water. So they will break down ammonia-nitrite-nitrate and stop there. The MarinePure can actually complete it with bacteria that take ammonia-nitrite-nitrate-nitrogen gas. I can only attest that with Red Sea kits, I have never had detectable nitrates since the cycle completed.

[Mariaface]

I don't quite understand those blocks. People say bioballs and filter sponges are nitrate factories.. So they put those blocks with even smaller pores instead? I get that bacteria can colonize it but still it feel like going backwards a bit

 

 

I think the point of the marine pure is that the pores are evenly distributed in a larger size, and allow for much more water flow through the structure. They'd still be a hassle if you allowed detritus to build up inside/on them, but because of the pore structure they're easier to flush out. It's an open structure, so a partially blocked side (detritus, coralline growth) doesn't disable the rest of the block from working. Plus, you're still meant to keep them behind mechanical filtration.

 

The regular ceramic or plastic either don't have enough surface area (plastic), or have uneven, small pores (what you actually think of when you hear 'ceramic', like a mug you made in pottery class). Water can flow over the surface, and maybe even in a little, but it's so dense that it becomes difficult to get water into the center (if that biomedia has one) for denitrification, and the smaller pores become clogged very easily.

 

If you look at and touch (or try to saw through) this stuff, you see that it holds and easily drains a ton of water, plus the pores you can see are larger and even, through to the center. The block has a large enough center that it can become anaerobic on the way in and still have decent water movement through it, making it pretty darn good at denitrification. To get the same effect with the plate or the spheres, you'd need a slower flow around/through the ceramic.

 

I'm sure that bioballs and filter sponges, in a detritus-free environment, can actually be effective (I've used seachem matrix, for example, in the past, and I think one of the Bens is using Eheim's Substrat pretty successfully). It's just that marine pure is a simple 'rinse it and drop it in' method, with much more concentrated surface area. You don't need a media bag, it doesn't clog very easily, and it's easier to flush than the small pieces of small-pore-ceramic cylinders I've used in freshwater. Probably not as easy to flush as plastic bioballs, but much more surface area for the hassle.

 

 

I dunno. It's like adding live rock, basically, without organisms inside/on it to build up detritus or otherwise clog it.

...Holy long post, Batman. Oops.

[metrokat]

 

 

If you meant a bigger sump, I think a 15 gallon *might* fit in the space (it might be 1/4" too long), but I'd lose the space for dosing containers, and I wouldn't put that elegance down in the dungeon.

 

^^ this

[HarryPotter]

 

 

I think the point of the marine pure is that the pores are evenly distributed in a larger size, and allow for much more water flow through the structure. They'd still be a hassle if you allowed detritus to build up inside/on them, but because of the pore structure they're easier to flush out. It's an open structure, so a partially blocked side (detritus, coralline growth) doesn't disable the rest of the block from working. Plus, you're still meant to keep them behind mechanical filtration.

 

The regular ceramic or plastic either don't have enough surface area (plastic), or have uneven, small pores (what you actually think of when you hear 'ceramic', like a mug you made in pottery class). Water can flow over the surface, and maybe even in a little, but it's so dense that it becomes difficult to get water into the center (if that biomedia has one) for denitrification, and the smaller pores become clogged very easily.

 

If you look at and touch (or try to saw through) this stuff, you see that it holds and easily drains a ton of water, plus the pores you can see are larger and even, through to the center. The block has a large enough center that it can become anaerobic on the way in and still have decent water movement through it, making it pretty darn good at denitrification. To get the same effect with the plate or the spheres, you'd need a slower flow around/through the ceramic.

 

I'm sure that bioballs and filter sponges, in a detritus-free environment, can actually be effective (I've used seachem matrix, for example, in the past, and I think one of the Bens is using Eheim's Substrat pretty successfully). It's just that marine pure is a simple 'rinse it and drop it in' method, with much more concentrated surface area. You don't need a media bag, it doesn't clog very easily, and it's easier to flush than the small pieces of small-pore-ceramic cylinders I've used in freshwater. Probably not as easy to flush as plastic bioballs, but much more surface area for the hassle.

 

 

I dunno. It's like adding live rock, basically, without organisms inside/on it to build up detritus or otherwise clog it.

 

...Holy long post, Batman. Oops.

That makes sense, tremendous interconnected pores that can host tons of bacteria yet allow water to flow through even if certain outside pores are blocked. I don't have a need for it at the moment but it's pretty cool

[teenyreef]

That's right, noodle dance!

 

 

 

Wow, I'm such a child.

 

 

Oh, hey! Page 16 says Hi.

LOL, I haven't seen that since my 21 year old was a kid

And the marine pure stuff is really interesting. I don't have a sump so I've thought about ways to add this stuff to the tank. Maybe build a little platform for my acan island, or put some in the bottom of my empty second chamber in the back. Hmmmm...it would keep me from being tempted to add more live rock.

[Mariaface]

LOL, I haven't seen that since my 21 year old was a kid

And the marine pure stuff is really interesting. I don't have a sump so I've thought about ways to add this stuff to the tank. Maybe build a little platform for my acan island, or put some in the bottom of my empty second chamber in the back. Hmmmm...it would keep me from being tempted to add more live rock.

 

Oh, yeah?! Well I haven't seen it in like TEN YEARS--okay, I have to stop. I didn't dictate TV when I was a kid, my little brother did. That jerk.

 

 

Acan island platform! That sounds cute. There are little cubes, and spheres. Maybe you could saw a sphere so it has a flat bottom, and make a zoa/paly colony or something? Let something encrust onto it? Sell it for big bucks?

[teenyreef]

 

Oh, yeah?! Well I haven't seen it in like TEN YEARS--okay, I have to stop. I didn't dictate TV when I was a kid, my little brother did. That jerk.

I have to admit that as a parent I loved that show

Acan island platform! That sounds cute. There are little cubes, and spheres. Maybe you could saw a sphere so it has a flat bottom, and make a zoa/paly colony or something? Let something encrust onto it? Sell it for big bucks?

That's a great idea! I'm in the process of establishing little zoa islands in my 40g tank using pieces of rubble rock. But this is really tempting me...

 

Sorry to hijack your thread, holy carp

[holy carp]

Ha. No problem. The sawn MarinePure spheres could be cool. I wonder how corals would or wouldn't like growing over that textured surface. It's definitely a different texture than aragonite, but corals can be opportunists. Except for my little plate coral. It wouldn't eat today.

[Mariaface]

Ha. No problem. The sawn MarinePure spheres could be cool. I wonder how corals would or wouldn't like growing over that textured surface. It's definitely a different texture than aragonite, but corals can be opportunists. Except for my little plate coral. It wouldn't eat today.

 

 

Oh, no! I loaded the tank up with nutrients the day before yesterday, and when I saw it last night trying to extend back over its skeleton. Fed it some pellets, added some Red Sea Energy to the tank, and it looked better. D: It's also sitting in lower flow.

[pappadumplingz]

I don't quite understand those blocks. People say bioballs and filter sponges are nitrate factories.. So they put those blocks with even smaller pores instead? I get that bacteria can colonize it but still it feel like going backwards a bit. Can anyone explain? Sorry if I'm missing something obvious

The reason I've been told that marine pure isn't a nitrate factory is that it has places for anaerobic, nitrate consuming bacteria as well as the aerobic, ammonia and nitrite consuming bacteria to grow.

 

I'd image since the pore work of the media is so intricate and dense that in the centre of the media, there is a low enough oxygen content for the anaerobic bacteria to colonise the inside, whereas in the filter sponges and bio balls, there is no space for the bacteria to grow as all the media is exposed to dissolved oxygen. Anaerobic bacteria die when they are exposed to oxygen, so there probably isn't any place for them to grow on a bio ball or filter sponge.

[Slowtwitch]

What about using pieces of this as "rubble" for your zoa islands?

https://www.amazon.com/CerMedia-MarinePure-Random-Goldfish-1-Gallon/dp/B00IJQSOAK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1469708539&sr=8-6&keywords=marine+pure

 

That's a great idea! I'm in the process of establishing little zoa islands in my 40g tank using pieces of rubble rock. But this is really tempting me...

 

Sorry to hijack your thread, holy carp

[pappadumplingz]

You could probably also use an aqua mag for a floating zoa garden, but it won't have any nitrate reduction capabilities: http://www.aqua-mags.com

[Mariaface]

 

 

Your purple haze frag/chip is starting to grow out! Like, visibly!

[holy carp]

 

 

Your purple haze frag/chip is starting to grow out! Like, visibly!

Yay! I'm going to need a replacement for this plate coral...

 

That plate coral is no bueno. It still eats, but the dead section is now about 1/4 of the pie.

 

How's that rainbow monti doing? Coloring up? Mine still has pretty weak colors, but they're starting to get back to reds and greens under the blue lights. Still pretty brownish under white.

 

Otherwise, my digitate hydroids are in full bloom. Even in the sump now. I still don't know what changed, but I hope they run their course, because I hate looking at them.

[Mariaface]

My plate swelled up again! Turns out its neighboring plate had been swelling up during the day and practically smothering it, so I moved it a few inches away. It's just about healed up today, definitely covering its skeleton. Maybe some chemical warfare is messing with yours? D:

 

The polyps are doing this amazing maroon/lime/green thing, but the flesh is still brown or very dark maroon? I placed it in the middle of the tank towards the bottom, and I think the lights completely stressed it into recession, so it's back on the frag tree and healing up awesomely.

 

Oh, no. ;~; Hopefully they die out soon. My weird runner-hydroids hitchhiked in on a couple of small things, but their growth has stalled. Likely because I mostly refrained from broadcast feeding particulates on a daily basis, but that's a Me Problem for sure.

[Mariaface]

For some reason it didn't occur to me that the title of the post is saying 'Not Equal'. I aways imagine it to be '!=' or '=/='.

 

(Mostly the first, because programming and digital electronics, but ANYWAY)

[holy carp]

So I found something new on my glass this morning - it kind of looks like a digitate hydroid swallowed an amphipod... (I'm sure that's not possible, but it's unlike anything I've noticed in the tank before)

The lower end of it seemed to be moving left and right, and the top bit was attached to the glass.

 

It's right next to the shotglass with the little hornet zoa polyp, which I check on regularly, so I doubt it was there yesterday, and definitely wasn't there 2 or 3 days ago, so I'm not sure if it travels or grows fast. I'll probably have a better idea when I get home from work.

 

Is this familiar to anyone? I may have to post this curiosity in the identification forum...

 

[EDIT:  This was later determined to be a retracted digitate hydroid on the glass]

Edited August 27, 2018 by holy carp
Update ID

[Mariaface]

...Wow. Teeny tiny cucumber?

[holy carp]

It does look cucumber-like, but I didn't think they attached to things. I didn't have time to poke or prod it before leaving for work, so I'm hoping it's still there later. Here was another shot where it was reaching out a little further. Unfortunately not as well focused. I think I have to pick up one of those macro lenses for my cell phone.

[metrokat]

My cucumber was slithering along the side glass wall for a good bit before it decided to take cover under the rock nem.

About a 1/2 inch or so above the sand