Keeping Nitrates Low Without Underfeeding

[Ping]

Sorry to hijack this thread,
OrionN, I would argue against the validity and results from both of those studies. I reread them and the only thing they got right is that we do not need a plenum.

[OrionN]

Ping,
You can reach your own conclusion. I just want to point out the I disagree with Bill statement that 2-3 inches sand bed does no good. This was why I look up this study because I read it, and remember it from years ago. I think that 2-3 inches sand bed does plenty of nitrogen filtration. This study and my experiences confirm this, along with seen plenty of Nitrogen bubbles in the sand bed. I know that my moderate stocking tank with a 2-3 inches sand bed always have essentially close to not detectable Nitrates using hobby test kits.

[Paul28]

This is a very good Page on DSB, http://www.reef-eden.net/DSBs.htm the sand bed in my tank is around 4 years old and is 4 to 5 inches great layers of life in it

[Paul28]

o yeh my clean up crew is maybe 4 nas snails and 2 turb snails and 2 herms, the life on my rocks and sand bed do all the cleaning

[Paul28]

you know whats a neat little trick get a silverside fish stick a toothpick in its head and in the lover body so nothing can pull it off the toothpicks put it in your sand bed right at lights out wait maybe 15 min then get a flash light Wow tons of baby brittlestars and bristleworms will be all over it were you cant even see the fish by the morning its gone and maybe 1 toothpick will be pulled under a rock half way its real neat

[Bill S]

Minh,

Thanks for the links. I finally got around to reading.

I guess I'm guilty of doing what I hate: repeating mantras heard over and over again in the industry, that may or may not be well founded.

As most know, I'm a molecular biologist by education - I should know better.

I do know that, based upon my experience with sand fine beds, that once you get under the first about 3/4", they quickly become anaerobic.

[corydrysdale]

This may be in the wrong place, but when i wanted to start a refugium, many people pointed me in the direction of Miracle mud. It was in my fuge with chaeto and calerpa for over a year. Everything grew well with tons of micro organisms. Nitrates were still in the 40's on my 125 gallon tank. Even though i followed most suggestions to a "T" not sure i got the best deal i could have gotten. Currently im going bare bottom fuge with just chaeto growing. Stocking copepods and amphipods there. That miracle mud was a bugger to clean out of my sump!!

[H2Ochem]

The great sand bed debate. I love this one. Run as many experiments as you want and apply the biological and chemistry theory as you see fit. In the end "what works for one may not for another." There are just too many factors involved in a closed system to say what "one" method is the best. Light cycle, temp, Ph, alk, etc, etc ....all are factors that apply to bacterial lag, expotential, and stationary phases.

Nitrate at 25ppm means your biological filtration is working.Could it be better, sure. If your system shows no adverse effects at that level...your good.