obrien.david.j Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Talk about crazy differences. I have three tanks, all connected as one system via common sump. 250g Main display tank - heavy flow, sps dominated 50g East frag tank - heavy flow, sps dominated + other stuff 50g West frag tank - setup as slow water movement tank, for things that want a gentler env Today's discussion is about the West frag tank. It's turned into a cesspool of red yuck. The east and west frag tanks get the same inflow and outflow of water, from the sump, but have dramatically different recirculating within the tanks. Reaching out to @Eatfrenchfries to see if our resident expert has any ideas why yuck would live here, and not in the other two tanks. Is within tank water movement THIS much of a difference? Main Display East Frag Tank West Frag Tank 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuncrestReef Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Very interesting. Is the kole tang still in the west tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eatfrenchfries Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 The flow within each individual tank matters. Inflow and outflow is how fast you filter. Recirculation is what you can actually filter out. Linking these three photic reefs via a central cryptic network (sump) will share chemistry but not processes. The physical environment being different will make it so only the best organism suited will colonize that portion. Akin to why people run an algae scrubber or even refugium. Mainly this is for management purposes. *if you equalized the flow within the tanks then the uglies would look for another ideal spot to grow in. Reef Succession: I think if anything this makes your system more complete as an entire reef. Incorporating zones into a reef tank is not something most people think about. Typical focus is on crests, flats, and fore reefs which are very much "display". Incorporating the algal zone (refugium) is a popular remedy to complete tank function. Adding sediment banks used to be common but are hard to manage. Replicating cryptic zones is starting to trend again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 3 hours ago, SuncrestReef said: Very interesting. Is the kole tang still in the west tank? Unfortunately, the Kole is no longer with us. (I accidently hurt him about six months ago, while doing maint on the tank.) There are a pair of Bangaii in the tank. 3 hours ago, Eatfrenchfries said: The flow within each individual tank matters. Inflow and outflow is how fast you filter. Recirculation is what you can actually filter out. Linking these three photic reefs via a central cryptic network (sump) will share chemistry but not processes. The physical environment being different will make it so only the best organism suited will colonize that portion. Okay, message heard. I realized, there's one more key difference between the two tanks. Light programming is different. I'd attempted to make the West tank more macro algae growth friendly. Chaeto and the (dragons breadth?) red macro in the basket. West tank is Red and White dominated, east tank is blue dominated. Thoughts on this direction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eatfrenchfries Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 White, Red, Green. and blue are helpful for growing algae. White and blue may be a bit more useful in your case. Your dragon breath may grow better in the East. I have noticed PAR is less crucial than spectrum Blasting some flow through the tank would lean in favor of the macroalgae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 1 hour ago, Eatfrenchfries said: White, Red, Green. and blue are helpful for growing algae. White and blue may be a bit more useful in your case. Your dragon breath may grow better in the East. I have noticed PAR is less crucial than spectrum Blasting some flow through the tank would lean in favor of the macroalgae. Okay, Blue has been increased. Before adding flow, I'm going to syphon the red junk out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krux Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 With that form factor I would personally try a horizontal mounted gyre type pump. light spectrum was going to be my first suggestion but it looks like you are already playing with that. I agree that spectrum is probably the main culprit unless the uglies are proper predominantly in the lowest flow areas currently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 6 minutes ago, Krux said: With that form factor I would personally try a horizontal mounted gyre type pump. light spectrum was going to be my first suggestion but it looks like you are already playing with that. I agree that spectrum is probably the main culprit unless the uglies are proper predominantly in the lowest flow areas currently. In general, this whole tank is a low flow area. So I'll have to turn some flow back on. I like your idea of a gyre. I'll put one on... After I syphon some crap out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krux Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 2 hours ago, obrien.david.j said: In general, this whole tank is a low flow area. So I'll have to turn some flow back on. I like your idea of a gyre. I'll put one on... After I syphon some crap out. A Fluval canister is your friend here for extended siphoning. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thatoneguy Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 3 hours ago, Krux said: A Fluval canister is your friend here for extended siphoning. Now that is something I had never considered, that makes so much sense when said out loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 12 hours ago, Krux said: A Fluval canister is your friend here for extended siphoning. 9 hours ago, Thatoneguy said: Now that is something I had never considered, that makes so much sense when said out loud. The tank is full of red-slimy-crap. Canister filter generically makes sense, except... I don't think I want to take red slime, turn it into a milkshake, and hope canister filter cartridges catches it. It's only a 50g tank. I'll just scrape, and syphon up to all 50g - and then just refill it. I'll consider it part of an overall system water change. Thanks for the suggestions 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krux Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Manual removal works, but you can put filter floss in the canister - it won't pass through that. Sounds like it is small enough to manage with normal siphoning though. When doing normal projects I usually siphon into the sump through a filter sock but for bigger things the canister I have found pretty simple as I don't need to watch for socks overflowing. Remember to take before and after photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eatfrenchfries Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 A filter that can be charged with Diatomaceous Earth will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krux Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 If you need it David, I have so much DE it isn't even funny - happy to give some up in the interest of science. I bought it for an in tank filter for dino control, and it came in a 40# box - I used like 12 oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 47 minutes ago, Krux said: If you need it David, I have so much DE it isn't even funny - happy to give some up in the interest of science. I bought it for an in tank filter for dino control, and it came in a 40# box - I used like 12 oz. Thanks for the offer. I'm good for now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 (edited) On 3/4/2024 at 11:07 AM, obrien.david.j said: Talk about crazy differences. I have three tanks, all connected as one system via common sump. 250g Main display tank - heavy flow, sps dominated 50g East frag tank - heavy flow, sps dominated + other stuff 50g West frag tank - setup as slow water movement tank, for things that want a gentler env Today's discussion is about the West frag tank. It's turned into a cesspool of red yuck. The east and west frag tanks get the same inflow and outflow of water, from the sump, but have dramatically different recirculating within the tanks. Reaching out to @Eatfrenchfries to see if our resident expert has any ideas why yuck would live here, and not in the other two tanks. Is within tank water movement THIS much of a difference? Main Display East Frag Tank West Frag Tank Wow I’m surprised about that. Your tanks are looking SOOO GOOD. how long did it take for Frag tank to get that yuck. I guess when nothing else is there yuck takes over. Yuck isn’t hurting that Goñi. … Edited March 6 by Brittany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 8 hours ago, Brittany said: Wow I’m surprised about that. Your tanks are looking SOOO GOOD. how long did it take for Frag tank to get that yuck. I guess when nothing else is there yuck takes over. Yuck isn’t hurting that Goñi. … Took a couple of months to get in that state. I've been running it lowest flow for over a year, not clear what changed. But as @Eatfrenchfries pointed out, it's the biome - and I assume that means something just started to Grow. Goni is there specifically because I'd heard they like slightly swampy, back water lagoon settings too. So, I tried it. @SuncrestReef - this is your original Goni. It's been doing great! One detail, when I feed the tank, I specifically pour one cube of frozen brine shrimp into the tank right over the goni. as food settles... you can tell where it lands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted April 13 Author Share Posted April 13 Today was the day... I'd changed the light spectrum, and the slime in this tank got "better" but just never cleaned up. So... Removable Frag tank plumbing system pays off again. Two cardinals, one crab, seven shrimp, a large Goni (thanks @SuncrestReef) and a single orange mushroom (thanks @reefrun) rescued and returned to their main home. They were happy enough in temporary holding basket, in the east frag tank. BTW, east frag tank is almost growing out of the water! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefrun Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 I told you those jawbreakers shrooms are hardy! Looks like a pain, but hopefully it will all be worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandVib3s Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 On 3/4/2024 at 11:07 AM, obrien.david.j said: Talk about crazy differences. I have three tanks, all connected as one system via common sump. 250g Main display tank - heavy flow, sps dominated 50g East frag tank - heavy flow, sps dominated + other stuff 50g West frag tank - setup as slow water movement tank, for things that want a gentler env Today's discussion is about the West frag tank. It's turned into a cesspool of red yuck. The east and west frag tanks get the same inflow and outflow of water, from the sump, but have dramatically different recirculating within the tanks. Reaching out to @Eatfrenchfries to see if our resident expert has any ideas why yuck would live here, and not in the other two tanks. Is within tank water movement THIS much of a difference? Main Display East Frag Tank West Frag Tank my gawd! your tank look amazing lol even with the gunk what the heck!? lol one day ill be there hahahahah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted April 15 Author Share Posted April 15 20 hours ago, reefrun said: I told you those jawbreakers shrooms are hardy! Looks like a pain, but hopefully it will all be worth it! Jawbreaker and green goni - both are hardy! I set the tank to low/slow flow, specifically for them. 16 hours ago, islandVib3s said: my gawd! your tank look amazing lol even with the gunk what the heck!? lol one day ill be there hahahahah Don't be confused by East Frag tank looking nice (full violent flows, fed heavier every day) and West Frag swampy tank. And I'll admit, west tank needs to get broken down. some time this summer. It's just TOO crowded. If anyone wants to make an offer for effectively the whole west tank frag rack that's fully grown out, let me know. Built on an 'building an obsession' 11x16" frag rack, on 4" tall legs ($65) to let water flow cleanly under and above. plus a bunch of cool monties, one species of zoas, torts, and a number of other SPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krux Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 (edited) 3 hours ago, obrien.david.j said: If anyone wants to make an offer for effectively the whole west tank frag rack that's fully grown out, let me know. Built on an 'building an obsession' 11x16" frag rack, on 4" tall legs ($65) to let water flow cleanly under and above. plus a bunch of cool monties, one species of zoas, torts, and a number of other SPS. That will make plenty of room for this RSR 350 in my basement that I need to move to your house and plumb in to the system... Edited April 15 by Krux 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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