Wade Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 I was looking at my refugium last night and decided it's not working like it should and needs to be re-wroked. I also watched the video Chip took while at Subsea's place and it occured to me that the water in the middle chamber of the sump is just too still. No wonder I could never get any macro to grow. I also don't have enough rock in there. I've got about 1.5 inhes of that Fiji mud and a thin layer of substrate and a handful of rubble. I reached in there to pull out a piece of rock and it was cover in detritus. I'm thinking I need to vacuum out that whole area, add some more rock and then put in a couple of spare power heads I have to created sum tumbling circulation like in Subsea's macro tank. That will keep detritus from settling in there and may allow me to grow some macro. I recently added a power head in the chamber that houses the skimmer to keep the detritus from setlling there as well. Does it sound like I'm on the right track? Should I deep-six the mud as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 Maybe if I vacuum all the crap out of the refugium and add about a one inch CC bed that I'll them be able to add a power head to keep things churned up without get the mud in the water as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Do you have a link to the video? I'd like to watch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 Unfortunately, no. I had just clicked the link in Chip's post. I see that the post is gone now. Sorry man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Chipp's thread got moved to Pat's forum in the sponser section, see Aquaculture Ranch. I would keep the mud if you already have it in place. I don't know what what algae you are using but calurpa will grow without any flow and I've had growth fluctuations with macro in my refugiums so it's possible there is a nutrient reason it's not growing well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Agreed with Timfish, I don't necessarily think changing up your sump is the answer. My flow in my middle chamber is slower than slow and I haven't vacuumed out detritus for a year now. Everything is happy as a clam... well, other than from me bombing it with Kents Tech M to remove bryopsis from my system. Perhaps lighting or nutrient level is what is keeping your macro from growing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 I was talking to a friend who's got a tank and he brought up something that I just didn;t think about. It certainly points out just how ignorant I am about certain aspects of this hobby, but I'm ok with that because I'm learning from mistakes. When I upgrade my sump about a yeer ago (maybe less) and set it up with a refugium in the center I didn't really understand all the working parts that need to go in there. So I got the miracle mud and threw in some rubble and a ball of cheeto and figured that's all there is to it. I didn't understand that the refugium acts as a detritus trap and you have to put critters in there to eat it. So my buddy asks the sinple question, "you got anything in there to eat it?" Lights shines in yonder window. Need to add critters to eat detritus. It may be just that simple. Stop by the LFS and grab some crabs and snails to throw in there. I may be old, but I'm slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 The right critters need to be gotten. Worms are what you need in the mud. In my case after 11 years, bristle worms have dominated. Crabs are very destructive. I do not consider them beneficial. Florida Drawfth Cerith Snails and bristle worms will multiply in mud bed as well as sandbeds. With respect to coarse substrate, bristle worms will not habitant it's depth but remain on the surface under the rock. IMO, they are the perfect detrivore. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Not a big crab fan myself... bristleworms, pods, chitons, asterina stars, mini brittle stars, and snails dominate my sump. Like Subsea said, best part is they all reproduce in the tank environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 Sweet. I plan to go critter shopping after work. Maybe I'll pick up a little macro if they have it as well. Tim mentioned calurpa so maybe they'll some of that as well. Good times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 Just found out niether of my two LFS has bristleworms for sale. One said thay have seen them in their live rock tanks, but they don't have any for sale. I guess I could get them from Reef Cleaners or Subsea may have some at Aquaculture Ranch. Hate to spend overnight shipping on tank cleaners though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 If they sell live sand, it should have briste worms in it. It is difficult not to have bristle worms in a marine enviroment. Almost any reefer should have these in their tank. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 Maybe I can just buy some live sand to add to the refugium then. The owner said she would let me pick through and find some as well so I should be all set there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chippwalters Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 If you call Aquadome, they can make you up a bag of critters including bristle worms for $10. They need an hour or so head start. Tell them you're with ARC. Course you have to drive there to pick'em up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 I would love nothing more than to pay a visit to Aquadome, but I live in TN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chippwalters Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 I would love nothing more than to pay a visit to Aquadome, but I live in TN.Maybe your LFS can do the same?Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Buy a bristle worm trap and ask to place it in their rock tank overnight with a bit if food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 I didn't know they even made such things. Cool. I did buy a brittle and serpant star last night and a few Florida ceriths to throw in there. I also bought a ball of caulerpa. I'm not sure what kind it is. It has long narrow leaves. I'm going to research the bristle worm trap:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 http://marineplantbook.com/marinebookprolifera.htm I find most of the bristle worms in my systems with coarse substrate to stay at the surface under live rock. Because I don't stack rock, it is easy to lift up rock and pick up some bristle worms. They are very prolific and will multiply in proportion to the food introduced. In my opion, this is the best detrivore for sand bed maintenance. If they break as you handle them, no worries, you just assisted in asexual reproduction. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Thanks Patrick. That's the caulerpa I've got. I think I'm just going to take my long tweezers to the LFS with the bristleworms and root around the rock and catch some. Good times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esacjack Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 have you checked into IPSF? they have bristle worms, spaghetti worms, etc etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 29, 2013 Author Share Posted August 29, 2013 Yeah i took a look at what they had the other day. i was reluctant to pay overnight shipping for a few tank cleaners though. I was able to get most of what I needed locally and I'm pretty sure I can get some bristleworms at one of my LFS if I hunt in her live rock tank for them myself. Should be fun:) I've got a six-line wrasse so I'm concerned that whatever I do get he'll just eat. I know he'll keep the population under control, but I need a population to start with. I'll get a few and start them in my fuge first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esacjack Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 I have a tank with a wrasse... there are zero pods and zero bristle worms in it, thanks to him... sigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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