Thoughts on removing rubble and replacing with chaeto

[+lewk]

I have a 135 fish only with plenty of rubble in the sump. I don't check nitrates regularly and did the other day. It's prob between the 50-100 range and I'd like to drop that a little bit. I change 30 gallons out every 2-3 months. Everybody in the tank is doing good, just would like that number lower. No algae issues or anything. I keep a lot of rubble in the sump and am thinking about swapping some of that out with some chaeto to see if that will drop the nitrate numbers a bit. Anybody do something similar and what did you notice? I've got prob 200 pounds of rock in the display. Might even put the rubble in plastic baskets down there so I can take it out every once in a while to clean. Hoping someone was in a similar situation and wondering what you did.

Tank is over 6 years old. I was a frequent shopper at the "old school" shop that has since left town and am wondering what all the "new schoolers" are doing. Looking for something low maintenance.

[Juiceman]

LEWK!!! I thought you'd shut down.

Its my experience that rubble traps detrius underneath all of it, same with Live Rock. Maybe The basket idea would be good to be able to remove it and siphon out the bottom

Or maybe an eggcrate basket with PVC feet so it's raised off the bottom would help.. I'd thought about doing that in the future..

[+lewk]

Still here man! If anything, I might have to downsize at some point.

[Timfish]

Leave the rubble. It's the ideal place for cryptic sponges to grow which are essential for recycling the DOC released by corals and algae into DIC (bicarbonates) corals can use (search de Geoij and cryptic sponges). Cheato isn't as bad as the hair algae but research shows foliacious algae release DOC that promote heterotrophic bacteria including species that are pathogenic to corals while the DOC released by corals promote autotrophic bacteria we need for helathy reef systems (search Andreas Haas and Forest Rohwer).

If you are running GFO and your phosphates are below .1 mg/l I would stop using it (avg on reefs is .13mg/l). Corals need phosphate to utilize nitrates and if you've dropped it too low and are not feeding your corals they will not use the nitrates.

[Reburn]

Tim,

He has a fowlr. No coral.

[Isaac]

I have a rubble "bowl" w/ chaeto in the middle and mangroves on the sides in my fuge... seems to be doing ok. whatever does get caught probably decomposes to a point that it feeds the right things

[Timfish]

Tim,

He has a fowlr. No coral.

[Timfish]

What are your phosphates at? How long have you been doing water changes just every 2 or 3 months?

[+lewk]

Phosphates look to be around .1. I've been on this water change schedule for a couple of years now. Feed the tank 2 cubes every other day as well.

[Timfish]

Your phosphates are inline with what's found on reefs so I don't see a need to try to drop it. Personally I would add corals that are compatible with your fish and lighting. Recent research has shed some light on the secret warfare being conducted between foliaceous algae and corals via the Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) compounds they relaease. Corals promote autotrophic or oxygen enriching microbial populations while foliaceous algae promote heterotrophic or oxygen depleting microbial populations. Cheato is not nearly as bad as nuisance algae at releasing these DOC compounds but the question seems to me is what is best long term. While we as hobbiests tend to separate a refugium with algae from an algae turf scrubber with algae if you can get a hold of a copy of Delbeek and Sprungs "Reef Aquarium" vol III they have a pretty good discusion on the pros and cons of ATS and go into some detail of the removal of an ATS in a public aquarium in Australia and the subsequent improvement in water quality.