The biggest HOB fuge EVER

[kgoldy]

Shoot me a PM if you need any pointers.

[Dakarta]

Thanks. I most likely will. I've been reading the thread on your sump as well. Trying to figure out how to make things work for my system.

[redfishsc]

Nice work! I love the creativity.

 

You should edit your first post to include a good full-tank-shot of the fuge as the first pic, so folks will know what you actually made.....

[dfcn07]

That's awesome!!! How many gallons is that HOB fuge?

[kgoldy]

It's roughly 16 gallons total volume.

[nate21887]

Sweet fuge...how bad did the creep end up being around the water fall return?

[kgoldy]

It's not too terrible. I hardly ever wipe it down. Maybe once a month.

 

Only downside to the waterfall is the bubbles that get sucked into the MP40 and chopped up. Looks fine in person, but the bubbles ruin pics.

[Spencer7]

cool ####

[Pandion]

This is so cool!!! I am blow away by how awesome this build is! Awesome job man! It looks so pro. If I had this setup i'd have a tough time choosing what tank i'd want to look at when!

[kgoldy]

Kind of never update this thread anymore... But here's some semi-recent pics for your viewing pleasure. I guess I'll try to remember to take some macro shots soon to show what it looks like up close.

 

 

 

[Lawnman]

Do red mangroves have to be grown in sand? Can you grow them in rock work? I have always thought they would look neat growing out of the top of a overflow.

[kgoldy]

Do red mangroves have to be grown in sand? Can you grow them in rock work? I have always thought they would look neat growing out of the top of a overflow.

 

 

I've got three growing in my main tank with the roots growing into just LR.

 

 

Sorry for the 5 month delay... Haha.

Edited July 12, 2012 by kgoldy

[Rymah]

thats awesome man.. from that pic ^^^ your display looks pretty awesome to! im gonna have to check out your build thread!!

[Top Shelf Aquatics]

thats awesome!!!!!

[EricSIny]

Looks Awesome.

 

So the lighting from this HOB doesn't spill into the DT?

 

I'm not all that familiar with mangroves, I was unaware that the leaves themselves don't need light, just the roots. Is my understanding correct?

 

Do you mist the leaves? If so, how often and do you use rodi or SW for the misting?

 

Thanks, keep up the good work.

[GHill762]

Looks Awesome.

 

So the lighting from this HOB doesn't spill into the DT?

 

I'm not all that familiar with mangroves, I was unaware that the leaves themselves don't need light, just the roots. Is my understanding correct?

 

Do you mist the leaves? If so, how often and do you use rodi or SW for the misting?

 

Thanks, keep up the good work.

I don't know about misting or light.. but from what I understand, mangroves can grow in FW or SW, so I would think misting with RODI would be fine..

[uglybuckling]

Red mangroves (which is what Reefcleaners sells) exclude about 97% of salt at the roots--it never makes it into the plant. They do this by putting a lot of suberin (a rubbery chemical) into the joints between their cells, effectively siliconing the fresh water in and the salt water out. They do not excrete salt through the leaves like white mangroves do.

 

This wonderful adaptation of being able to sit in salt water and still let only fresh water in through the roots leads to a second problem, though--they don't let in very much fresh water either. This is the reason red mangroves need leaf misting with fresh water--they have trouble limiting water loss, and the misted water simulates the effect of a rain storm / limits transpiration and thereby indirectly gives them a break from the constant struggle of trying to uptake fresh water from a salt water source in order to replenish water lost to transpiration.

 

As for lighting, the leaves are green because they're full of chlorophyll A and B, just like other plants. Ideally they need light on the leaves. However, while still in the propagule stage, they get lots of their sugars from the pod and don't really need to worry too much about sugar synthesis (they still uptake lots of nitrogen and such from the water, though). I would imagine due to size constraints it would be impractical to keep a full-grown mangrove with aerialized roots in a fuge behind your tank, and as such I think once they stop having propagules and start getting woody, it'll likely be time to swap them out for some smaller ones.

[kgoldy]

(edit- 22Aug2012: I rarely check this thread... If you have any questions about this part of my system and would like a timely answer, please go to my 90 gallon thread or shoot me a PM. I'll be sure to post any Q&A's back on this thread upon answering. Sorry to those who've gone weeks without answers!)

 

thats awesome man.. from that pic ^^^ your display looks pretty awesome to! im gonna have to check out your build thread!!

 

 

Thanks, please do!

 

thats awesome!!!!!

 

 

Vendor compliments = sweeeet.

 

Looks Awesome.

 

So the lighting from this HOB doesn't spill into the DT?

 

I'm not all that familiar with mangroves, I was unaware that the leaves themselves don't need light, just the roots. Is my understanding correct?

 

Do you mist the leaves? If so, how often and do you use rodi or SW for the misting?

 

Thanks, keep up the good work.

 

 

Lighting spills a little bit- it gives me a soft, natural looking moon-like glow.

 

The leaves get a fair amount of light reflecting from the LEDs over the fuge and the main tank. The leaves just curl so they're up-side-down to make the best of it. I've been sort of planning a light delivery system that will send tightly focused beams from higher above the tank, but haven't found the time or money to do so yet.

 

I mist with RODI once a week, when I'm good about it. I find that more frequent misting promotes growth very, very much. Without it, my propagules shrivel and die. I've lost a few due to my laziness.

[kgoldy]

Red mangroves (which is what Reefcleaners sells) exclude about 97% of salt at the roots--it never makes it into the plant. They do this by putting a lot of suberin (a rubbery chemical) into the joints between their cells, effectively siliconing the fresh water in and the salt water out. They do not excrete salt through the leaves like white mangroves do.

 

This wonderful adaptation of being able to sit in salt water and still let only fresh water in through the roots leads to a second problem, though--they don't let in very much fresh water either. This is the reason red mangroves need leaf misting with fresh water--they have trouble limiting water loss, and the misted water simulates the effect of a rain storm / limits transpiration and thereby indirectly gives them a break from the constant struggle of trying to uptake fresh water from a salt water source in order to replenish water lost to transpiration.

 

As for lighting, the leaves are green because they're full of chlorophyll A and B, just like other plants. Ideally they need light on the leaves. However, while still in the propagule stage, they get lots of their sugars from the pod and don't really need to worry too much about sugar synthesis (they still uptake lots of nitrogen and such from the water, though). I would imagine due to size constraints it would be impractical to keep a full-grown mangrove with aerialized roots in a fuge behind your tank, and as such I think once they stop having propagules and start getting woody, it'll likely be time to swap them out for some smaller ones.

 

 

^I like this dude. Thanks for the info. Do you have a background in biology, or are you just better at preforming research than the rest of us?

 

If I ever get the chance to make another tank, it'll be wide and shallow with an "island" for mangroves to grow on. A fresh water fed auto-mister would absolutely be included to help top off the tank and treat the mangroves nice. A nice, high, broad spectrum, homemade LED array to light things up like a serious metal halide would... ahhh... I can dream, right?

[uglybuckling]

^I like this dude. Thanks for the info. Do you have a background in biology, or are you just better at preforming research than the rest of us?

 

I'm the two-letter kind of doctor, not the three-letter kind...sort of the wrong type to know much about marine biology. However, I grew up in Miami, and had mangroves literally in the yard. That tends to help. =)

 

Also this is me:

I got started on this hobby fairly early thanks to my marine biologist-heavy family.

 

This thread has really opened my eyes to a different way of building and maintaining a tank. I cannot get over how cool this ecosystem is. Probably going to build something similar into a 75 display / 40 long "HOB" fuge & DSB / 20 long sump.

Edited August 25, 2012 by uglybuckling

[ALexpsycho]

Less technology more Biology.I like it

[dling]

What a great job you did. Have you noticed any improvements in the corals since you've added it ?

Edited August 29, 2012 by dling

[Mr. Microscope]

This is brilliant!

 

Do you get a lot of pod overflow into the display?

[kgoldy]

I'm always neglecting to check this thread!

 

I'm the two-letter kind of doctor, not the three-letter kind...sort of the wrong type to know much about marine biology. However, I grew up in Miami, and had mangroves literally in the yard. That tends to help. =)

 

Also this is me:

I got started on this hobby fairly early thanks to my marine biologist-heavy family.

 

This thread has really opened my eyes to a different way of building and maintaining a tank. I cannot get over how cool this ecosystem is. Probably going to build something similar into a 75 display / 40 long "HOB" fuge & DSB / 20 long sump.

 

Thanks, hope you're still following through on the plan!

 

What a great job you did. Have you noticed any improvements in the corals since you've added it ?

 

Since I added this my system has been rock steady no matter how much livestock I add. Coral all look great, although I'll admit my SPS grows super slow without the water changes.

 

This is brilliant!

 

Do you get a lot of pod overflow into the display?

 

Yessir. Two big fat mandarins to prove it!

[uglybuckling]

Thanks, hope you're still following through on the plan!

 

Yep!

 

The 75g and the 20g "ugly fuge" with heater and the world's ugliest light, are all set up and have been running for 5 weeks; the 20g started with a golf-ball sized piece of chaeto from a local reefer and now has a mass of chaeto in it that completely fills the tank, and...well, there are parts of the glass that look cloudy from a few feet away because of all the pods. How often do you have to take chaeto out of yours? Or do you just let it get all thick and wiry?

 

The "HOB" fuge got its aquascape tonight; mine's a display fuge, and it sits across the room on a 48 inch tall stand that weighs over 100 pounds *rolls eyes* It still "overflows" into the main tank, it just doesn't have the cool waterfall that yours does. It wound up being a 33g long rather than a 40g long.

 

 

Not planning on doing your DSB, but I do have mangrove and chaeto areas in addition to spaces for the display macro. The substrate for the display fuge will involve a lot of mud, due to your luck using it--I'm going to rely on heavy feedings to replenish micronutrients and trace elements, as you do, but I figure the mud can't hurt in that department either. I have to go back through and figure out which brands worked for you and which ones were full of horribleness. I do remember your garf grunge had like...what was it, a comb in it? A marble? Something nuts.

 

So anyway, yes, the plan is coming along! Soon I too will have a kgoldy-style "nasty" system. There was talk of having a club for these. I think Jedi is doing one too.

 

Also, expect an order for all manner of critters from your fuges and whatnot soon. =)

Edited October 10, 2012 by uglybuckling