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Rainman
30-04-03, 12:09
Hi Everybody,

Just signed up today as I only stumbled across this site yesterday.

I had been running a nano-reef for a couple of years, and about six months ago moved everything into 4x2x2. Tank includes various acropora, montipora, hydnophora, euphylia, funghia, porites, sarcophytum, sinularia, pulsing xenia, various zooanthids, etc, and is also fairly heavily stocked fishwise.

Fish include - Green chromis, fiji damsel, pygmy angel, chalk gobie, orchid dottyback, regal tang, purple tang, midas blenny, copperband, and a juvenile (4") Naso tang.

My approach to reef tanks has been a little different to most folks idea of the norm. Filtration is with the aid of the usual copious amounts of liverock but I took the decision to not run a DSB. Instead I use a sulphur-bead nitrate filter which works brilliantly - nitrates zero. I only have a scattering of crushed coral as a fine covering across the bottom.

I've also been keeping and breeding african cichlids for a number of years and have a 6ft tank containing large haplochromine species (Fossorochromis rostratus & Crytocara moorii) as well as another 4ft Malawi mbuna tank, and a 2ft Tangayikan shell dweller tank. I'm also a moderator at the African Cichlid Resource Forums at http://www.african.uklinux.net - I look after the "Tank Setups & Maintenance" and the "Aquarium Equipment" section. I've been moderating there for over a year.

See you around.

Phil

Preds
30-04-03, 12:17
Welcome to the board Phil, I'm sure you'll find it useful.

druid5303
30-04-03, 12:26
Hi m8 welcome aboard. No nitrates ! my tank actually bloom better with a level of 5.....I think this is because the corals feed on this as well as other fodder. I know a few people are starting to agree with this one now. I puposely reduce skimming time to keep this level.
druid

Rainman
30-04-03, 13:31
Originally posted by druid5303@Apr 30 2003, 13:26
No nitrates ! my tank actually bloom better with a level of 5.....I think this is because the corals feed on this as well as other fodder.
I think I'm coming around to this chain of thought myself, particularly where softies are involved. In my old tank, and before I started using the nitrate filter, it started off as predominantly softies, the trouble was I had serious coral growth problems - like too much growth! I had a species of pulsing xenia which just grew with such vigour it was like a weed. Since using the filter, growth has slowed down a fair bit.

I've also been considering reducing the amount of skimming since I've lost a few lysmata to failed attempts at molting their old shell. I put this down to low iodine which appears to be an effect of skimming. I currently have a Turboflotter running 24/7.

Phil