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Old 09/15/2007, 06:02 PM
T Man T Man is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Emerald City
Posts: 780
Quote:
Originally posted by capn_hylinur
T-man---are you running an external refugium also?
I did on the 125 but not yet on the 210. I have found that the mangroves really do help keep my nitrates at bay. Even though the 210 has ten year plus old LR in it, I'm still in the transition period as far as nutrient export- this being the reason for such a monster canister of carbon.
Now, if you notice in this picture of the filtration system of the 125, I've got a sump and a refugium which IMO was sufficient for the heavy bioload (mostly LPS corals) that was in the tank at the time. At the time, I was gearing up for the plankton reactors and carbon but did'nt follow through until the begining of this year when the 210 came into fruition. I did however dose phytoplankton but not the live baby brine as I am now. I use the phyto to feed the zooplanktons (BB and rotifers) and then dose them both back into the display feeding all my corals and clams with a definate positive result- which brings me back to the unconsumed nutrient export that the sump, skimmer and carbon appear to be keeping at bay.
As you know, this hobby is one giant learning expiriment and subject to change at the drop of a hat..........well, I'm gearing up for a bare bottom SPS dominated that will push me further into an unforgiving water quality demand. The last thing that I want to accomplish with the 210 as it stands now is the addition of a dozen or so scallops, I'm thinking that with my current dosing system, i will be able to keep scallops for extended periods of time as I have the much debated gonoipora.

And the old 125 gallon.................