Quote:
Originally Posted by PatrikS
would it suffice with a refugie that is as big as show tank to be able to keep the nitrates and phosphates very very low without skimmer/phospatresins?? (if one wanted those levels to be very low thats is). Or is it even enough with a much smaller refugie than the show tank, and still not use any skimmer/phosphateresins?
|
Depends of the fish and bioload.
More => larger refuge is required.
Here's the deal: always construct a larger filter/refuge/or skimmer than you need.
Why? Because you can always add back things like NO3, PO4, Fe, traces etc and top off the tank's needs.
It's harder having an underpowered Refuge that never keeps the NO3/PO4 down.
There is a push pull effect with NO3 and PO4 if you watch your dosing.
Limit the NO3 sometime and you'll watch the rate of PO4 uptake decline.
Limit the PO4 sometime and you will see the NO3 uptake rate decline.
This is obvious and what anyone would normally predict, the treatment is limiting one nutrients, thus preventing trhe uptake of any other nutrients.
The entire system gets downregulated.
That's fine if you want less uptake and slower growth, but less light and PO4 pulse dosing will address that, but most think less PO4/NO3 is better, more uptake is better etc, but then do not take care of their filtering plants/macros.
How can you expect them to operate at 100% when their needs are not addressed?
I'd go with a huge refuge personally.
If you use a small refuge on a larger tank, you will not likely need to dose.
If the biomass of the macro increases 3x, the tank will still have excess available for that change in biomass.
If you add a large refuge to a mid size tankm, then the biomass goes up 3x, then you run a limiting tank and need to dose either NO3 or PO4 or both.
It depends on the system and it also depends on the assumptions of the aquarist.
Some believe in myths and faith, some test to see if these assumptions are correct or not.
I think you know which group I fall into.
And that's why I have greater flexibilty in methods, managment and general knowledge, you learn a lot more this way. If you sit and listen and don't do the homework, you will not learn as much.
It does not matter if the tank is marine or FW system, cold or warm, CO2 or not.
I can apply the methods and knowledge to any system with macroalgae and plants.
They are effective exportors, pretty, worth pursuing, andf interesting in their own right.
Being ensalved for reef filter is not their domain.
Give them their own tank and add the correct fish and critters.
Regards,
Tom Barr