Macro, how much does it really do?

milhouse74 · #1 07/31/2006, 07:27 AM

Ok, I am building a 40 Breeder, and I am looking at a Sump/Refugium that is 24 X 15 x 18. I am looking to have enough room on one side for a skimmer a Euro Reef CS-80 and in the middle some macro, then my return.

How much will macro in the middle section really do given the amount there can be compared to total water volume? Is it really realistic to expect that the macro is making a difference in nutrient export? Is it really helping enough to make it worth it? It hardly seems like there would be enough macro there for it to be doing anyting that would be measurable.

Is this just another area where as reefers we are using faith and theory however if you actually calculate out what it would take you would need enough macro to fill your display to make a difference?

rdmpe · #2 07/31/2006, 07:38 AM

It's very hard to quantify and different for every system. IMO, for my system, it helps for nutrient reduction and pod production. I never have detectable PH4 or NO3 and no microalgae probs, but since I have always had the fuge w/macro, can't say what would be happening if I didn't have it. Also provides good veggie source for my tangs.

milhouse74 · #3 07/31/2006, 07:44 AM

I can see it helping with Pod production, etc. I just wonder from a nutrient export what it is really doing.

gallivanmk · #4 07/31/2006, 07:49 AM

If you have thriving macro, then you have nutrients that would be getting used by something else (e.g., nuisance algae) if it wasn't getting used up by the macro. I think it is definitely worth it to have something controllable use up those nutrients instead of increasing your risk of a break-out such as hair algae, etc. (not that you can't have both, but it is safer). The macro algae should outcompete the nuisance algae for those nutrients.

milhouse74 · #5 07/31/2006, 07:58 AM

I would like to see a study though of what it really takes volume wise though. I mean we all know the theory, but I wonder how much you REALLY need to be doing something effective?

gallivanmk · #6 07/31/2006, 08:03 AM

I think there is a lot more to it than just macro to water volume ratios. It depends much more on the amount of fish, the amount of feeding, the amount of live rock, etc., etc. I have less macro in my 240 than I did in my 29 gallon, but my 29 gallon was overstocked with less liverock and no protein skimmer while my 240 has a huge protein skimmer, and much, much more live rock. HTH. I think you just have to go with how much excess nutrients your particular tank is putting out.

Alarmguy66 · #7 07/31/2006, 08:10 AM

I cant tell you I've done an official study, but my experience in my tank is this.

I prune my macros only when the sump starts getting overwhelmed. Immediately after doing so, hair algae and other nuisance algaes begin to grow in my sump. Within a couple weeks, all the nuisance algaes go away and my macros growth starts to slow.

Draw your own conclusions. Just my personal experience.