Macro algae and mud sumps with an ultra-low nutrient system

[waddington43]

I have been reading the threads on Zeovit and the like with great interest. A question that comes to mind though. What is the relevance of a sump with macro algae in a system like this? It seems that the bacteia are stripping out what you hope is stripped out by the macro algae, so may be the macro algae are redundant? Does the same apply for mud (MiracleMud or the like) aswell?

[jez]

Hi
Your perceptions are right macro algae and mud systems are not really compatible. As I remember for Korallen Zucht and Fauna Marin they are not recommended. What you tend to find is that as the nutrient is lowered the algae will crash and burn. Its pointless leaving it in if this is going to happen at some stage.

The same applies to the mud which has the job of supply ing some denitrification but is more about leaching trace elements into the algae bed and water. So again this interferes with the controlled approach of LNS where you are dosing specifically what the corals require rather than just having a patch of mud leaching.

Hope that helps Jez

[waddington43]

Very helpful. Thanks Jez.

Dick Waddington

[trythechi]

Just to add some thoughts on how to manage the transition from alage to bacterial based control......

When I started Prodibio, the cheteo filled the refugium area (45x45cm - so a lot of nutirents bound up)- over time the underside of the cheteo mass became grey, and had to be taken out leaving healthy green material. The more the bacs took hold, the more the cheteo died. Basically the bacs seemed to outcompete the alages.

So it may well be a good idea to keep an eye out on die back so that dying material doesnt return to becoming a nutrient source. I'm not sure if its advisable to take out macro alage in one go, as this could be too abrupt a change.

All the little zooplancton that live in alage have less of a place to hide and eat, so it maybe worth thinking about other substrates. Openes up a whole new world of different forms of refugiums. Currently I'm focusing on developing a sponge based one, but there are plenty of other flavors.

Another Q is what to do with the Miracle or Mineral Muds. I swing bwtween wondering if its removal would improve coloration and taking them out , and just leaving it in..... 11 months in I'm still undecided:)

Cheers

SImon

[waddington43]

In thinking about the transition to uLNS, I wonder if I could slowly replace the Miracle Mud/Mineral Mud mix with live rock rubble. The rubble is 5-10cm across. The sump is split into three sections with bars, so I could do it in stages. This would give a place for migration of the zooplankton and other wlidlife. What do you think?

[trythechi]

In thinking about the transition to uLNS, I wonder if I could slowly replace the Miracle Mud/Mineral Mud mix with live rock rubble. The rubble is 5-10cm across. The sump is split into three sections with bars, so I could do it in stages. This would give a place for migration of the zooplankton and other wlidlife. What do you think?

Cant see a problem with that - would put the batting order as follows:

Establish the bac system of choice;
Run down the macros at thier own pace of decline;
Phase in the rubble.