How Long Before Results?

The Saltwater Kid · 11/02/2006, 08:50 PM

I did the DIY refugium to my AC70. I put in about 2" live sand base with a layer of live rock next and topped it off with a good bunch of chaeto. I did this Wednesday night, how long before I see the results...basically when will my cyano outbreak clear up?

Tang Salad · 11/02/2006, 09:22 PM

It will take up to a couple months before you get the full effects of the DSB. The chaeto will start taking out nutrients as soon as it's stable and starts growing.

Just curious, you don't have the entire surface of the DSB covered in LR, do you? You want to have it mostly clear, so detritus doesn't settle. You can stack the LR into a rubble pile instead.

sir_dudeguy · 11/02/2006, 09:48 PM

imo you want rock rubble covering most of the sand. I've found the rock rubble to be far more beneficial in growing lots of pods than the 2 inches of live sand would do in a AC filter....just my experience w/diy hob fuges tho

The pods will like the rubble more than they'll like actual full rocks (more holes) and that little of sand wont realy be doin much ime. The chaeto really does help tho.

Tang Salad · 11/02/2006, 10:35 PM

The rock rubble is a good idea, but I don't think you want to cover most of the sandbed. Instead, stack a high pile of rubble in one corner, and leave most of the DSB surface clear.

The Saltwater Kid · 11/03/2006, 06:16 AM

Tang Salad this is an AC70 fuge we're talkin' about here, there's not a whole lot of room to begin with so if I want a decnt amount of live rock rubble it will have to cover the surface of the sand bed. If enough people say i should take out some rubble rock then I will but for now there isn't a lot to take out.

sir_dudeguy · 11/03/2006, 08:35 AM

like i said...in a small hob filter, 2 inches of sand in there really isnt gonna give you much additional filtration like it would if it were say...a 10 gallon tank. I've done the hob fuges before, and i'd rather go for max pod population rather than that (very) little bit extra filtration. Thats why i'd put as much rock rubble in there as possible (while still being able to have plenty of chaeto too that is)

The Saltwater Kid · 11/03/2006, 08:52 AM

The one goal I'm really trying to accomplish here is to get rid of the cyano that's starting to run wild. My water params are good for phosphates/nitrates, the only things wrong were my PH was a little low (about 7.6) so I used some Reef Builder to bring that back up to proper level and my calcium was low so I used some Kent Marine Liquid Calcium to bring that level back up to where it should be. I just did a water change too. I've tried the reduced lighting schedule from 12 hours to 10, I've tried reduced feeding from half a formula one cube to 1/4 of a cube per day. I don't know what else to do...I'm really hoping this refugium mod will do the trick.

dcombs44 · 11/03/2006, 10:39 AM

Just to chime in here....a 2" sand bed was never considered a dsb as far as I know. I use miracle mud in my 29 gallon sump. the fuge is about 10"x12". I have live rock rubble in a separate chamber, but I do have a couple of pieces of rock in the fuge section as well along with some chaeto and calupera.

The Saltwater Kid · 11/03/2006, 11:15 AM

bump

The Saltwater Kid · 11/03/2006, 11:17 AM

This is definitely a mini-fuge. We're talkin' approximately 3" W x 4" L x 8" H (or deep). These aren't actual measurements, just guesstimates.

The Saltwater Kid · 11/03/2006, 02:17 PM

bump

sir_dudeguy · 11/03/2006, 02:23 PM

lol ya dcombs has a good point...i didnt even think about that, but 2 inches isnt even a dsb lol.

Anyways...is this tank new(ish)? if so it could just be a cyano phase. All my tanks have gone thru cyano phases regardless of nitrates and phosphates and lighting. But try testing at night...you might get a higher reading..

as for your low pH...do you have a lid on the tank? (like a glass one or plastic one?) those dont allow for proper airflow and wont allow gas to escape and new air in. Also, you need good surface agitation. (IE, a powerhead pointing towards the surface...not to where the water is leaping out lol, but just to where you get a good turbulence across the water surface). But even if you've got that second part, it might not do any good if you dont have the first part (proper airflow) cuz gasses still wont be able to get in and out.

Last, take a glass of tankwater and put it outside w/an airstone/bubbler in it. Let it sit for a hour or so and then test pH again. If it is higher, it means you've got an indoor co2 problem and you need to open some windows or something.

zoozilla · 11/03/2006, 03:56 PM

More water movement will help alleveate the cyano.

11/02/2006, 08:50 PM	#1
The Saltwater Kid Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Barre, VT Posts: 2,586	How Long Before Results? I did the DIY refugium to my AC70. I put in about 2" live sand base with a layer of live rock next and topped it off with a good bunch of chaeto. I did this Wednesday night, how long before I see the results...basically when will my cyano outbreak clear up? __________________ Oceanic Biocube 14g Nano Tank w/middle chamber refugium mod 2 Ecoxotic Power Pro LED Modules (1 - 12K/Royal Blue combo, 1 - Royal Blue) MaxiJet 900 return, VorTech MP10 circulation Livestock: Higher End Z's & P's, few mushrooms, Aussie Duncan, Maxi Mini Carpet Anemone

11/02/2006, 09:22 PM	#2
Tang Salad Algae skeptic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 78702 Posts: 3,098	It will take up to a couple months before you get the full effects of the DSB. The chaeto will start taking out nutrients as soon as it's stable and starts growing. Just curious, you don't have the entire surface of the DSB covered in LR, do you? You want to have it mostly clear, so detritus doesn't settle. You can stack the LR into a rubble pile instead. __________________ Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS

11/02/2006, 09:48 PM	#3
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	imo you want rock rubble covering most of the sand. I've found the rock rubble to be far more beneficial in growing lots of pods than the 2 inches of live sand would do in a AC filter....just my experience w/diy hob fuges tho The pods will like the rubble more than they'll like actual full rocks (more holes) and that little of sand wont realy be doin much ime. The chaeto really does help tho. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

11/02/2006, 10:35 PM	#4
Tang Salad Algae skeptic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 78702 Posts: 3,098	The rock rubble is a good idea, but I don't think you want to cover most of the sandbed. Instead, stack a high pile of rubble in one corner, and leave most of the DSB surface clear. __________________ Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS

11/03/2006, 06:16 AM	#5
The Saltwater Kid Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Barre, VT Posts: 2,586	Tang Salad this is an AC70 fuge we're talkin' about here, there's not a whole lot of room to begin with so if I want a decnt amount of live rock rubble it will have to cover the surface of the sand bed. If enough people say i should take out some rubble rock then I will but for now there isn't a lot to take out. __________________ Oceanic Biocube 14g Nano Tank w/middle chamber refugium mod 2 Ecoxotic Power Pro LED Modules (1 - 12K/Royal Blue combo, 1 - Royal Blue) MaxiJet 900 return, VorTech MP10 circulation Livestock: Higher End Z's & P's, few mushrooms, Aussie Duncan, Maxi Mini Carpet Anemone

11/03/2006, 08:35 AM	#6
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	like i said...in a small hob filter, 2 inches of sand in there really isnt gonna give you much additional filtration like it would if it were say...a 10 gallon tank. I've done the hob fuges before, and i'd rather go for max pod population rather than that (very) little bit extra filtration. Thats why i'd put as much rock rubble in there as possible (while still being able to have plenty of chaeto too that is) __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

11/03/2006, 08:52 AM	#7
The Saltwater Kid Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Barre, VT Posts: 2,586	The one goal I'm really trying to accomplish here is to get rid of the cyano that's starting to run wild. My water params are good for phosphates/nitrates, the only things wrong were my PH was a little low (about 7.6) so I used some Reef Builder to bring that back up to proper level and my calcium was low so I used some Kent Marine Liquid Calcium to bring that level back up to where it should be. I just did a water change too. I've tried the reduced lighting schedule from 12 hours to 10, I've tried reduced feeding from half a formula one cube to 1/4 of a cube per day. I don't know what else to do...I'm really hoping this refugium mod will do the trick. __________________ Oceanic Biocube 14g Nano Tank w/middle chamber refugium mod 2 Ecoxotic Power Pro LED Modules (1 - 12K/Royal Blue combo, 1 - Royal Blue) MaxiJet 900 return, VorTech MP10 circulation Livestock: Higher End Z's & P's, few mushrooms, Aussie Duncan, Maxi Mini Carpet Anemone

11/03/2006, 10:39 AM	#8
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	Just to chime in here....a 2" sand bed was never considered a dsb as far as I know. I use miracle mud in my 29 gallon sump. the fuge is about 10"x12". I have live rock rubble in a separate chamber, but I do have a couple of pieces of rock in the fuge section as well along with some chaeto and calupera. __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

11/03/2006, 11:15 AM	#9
The Saltwater Kid Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Barre, VT Posts: 2,586	bump __________________ Oceanic Biocube 14g Nano Tank w/middle chamber refugium mod 2 Ecoxotic Power Pro LED Modules (1 - 12K/Royal Blue combo, 1 - Royal Blue) MaxiJet 900 return, VorTech MP10 circulation Livestock: Higher End Z's & P's, few mushrooms, Aussie Duncan, Maxi Mini Carpet Anemone

11/03/2006, 11:17 AM	#10
The Saltwater Kid Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Barre, VT Posts: 2,586	This is definitely a mini-fuge. We're talkin' approximately 3" W x 4" L x 8" H (or deep). These aren't actual measurements, just guesstimates. __________________ Oceanic Biocube 14g Nano Tank w/middle chamber refugium mod 2 Ecoxotic Power Pro LED Modules (1 - 12K/Royal Blue combo, 1 - Royal Blue) MaxiJet 900 return, VorTech MP10 circulation Livestock: Higher End Z's & P's, few mushrooms, Aussie Duncan, Maxi Mini Carpet Anemone

11/03/2006, 02:17 PM	#11
The Saltwater Kid Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Barre, VT Posts: 2,586	bump __________________ Oceanic Biocube 14g Nano Tank w/middle chamber refugium mod 2 Ecoxotic Power Pro LED Modules (1 - 12K/Royal Blue combo, 1 - Royal Blue) MaxiJet 900 return, VorTech MP10 circulation Livestock: Higher End Z's & P's, few mushrooms, Aussie Duncan, Maxi Mini Carpet Anemone

11/03/2006, 02:23 PM	#12
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	lol ya dcombs has a good point...i didnt even think about that, but 2 inches isnt even a dsb lol. Anyways...is this tank new(ish)? if so it could just be a cyano phase. All my tanks have gone thru cyano phases regardless of nitrates and phosphates and lighting. But try testing at night...you might get a higher reading.. as for your low pH...do you have a lid on the tank? (like a glass one or plastic one?) those dont allow for proper airflow and wont allow gas to escape and new air in. Also, you need good surface agitation. (IE, a powerhead pointing towards the surface...not to where the water is leaping out lol, but just to where you get a good turbulence across the water surface). But even if you've got that second part, it might not do any good if you dont have the first part (proper airflow) cuz gasses still wont be able to get in and out. Last, take a glass of tankwater and put it outside w/an airstone/bubbler in it. Let it sit for a hour or so and then test pH again. If it is higher, it means you've got an indoor co2 problem and you need to open some windows or something. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

11/03/2006, 03:56 PM	#13
zoozilla Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Lake Ridge, VA Posts: 95	More water movement will help alleveate the cyano. __________________ "Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable Spirit" Current Tank Info: ~180 Display + 40 NAGA Built Sump + 30 Fuge + 30 BTA & Misc Tank