FijiMud

[Aadler]

Ive been searching through old threads for a good discussion on Mud in a refugium but have failed to find one.

Does anyone have links to a good back-and-forth on the benefits of mud. I am considering adding it to my system, which includes a dsb, I would put a 20L over the 40g breeder dsb for the mud/mangrove. I think ive settled on the Fijimud, but there just doesnt seem to be much good discussion on the topic here, has just that few people tried it?

I have seen two tanks side by side, virtually identical inhabitants, both set up at the same time, one used a skimmer, the other used a mud refugium. I have to say the growth and color in the mud system was better. Im sure there is any number of variables that could effect this, but both tanks are cared for by the same person...

I guess I am looking into this as I am just not getting the color out of my SPS that i feel i should be. Some are doing really well (plating/encrusting monti's), while some acros are mostly brownish, while others that I recieved brown are now coloring up ever so slowly. This tank is a fairly new setup... 6 months now, and I only have small frags of everything, the one larger frag of peach bnest i have has grown VERY well in a month, but the smaller acro frags i have have not been very impressive.

Anyway, I would delete all that because it is off topic, and I dont need anyone poking into my para's looking for what is wrong, but so no one asks, if you want to offer some advice,
Ca 430
KH 10+
Mg 1350
ph 8.3-4
salinity 1.026
Zeros on all else... trate, trite, ammonia, phosphates. Oh ya lighting is 2x24w t5 actinics and 1x250mh 14k phoenix, pfo ballatst.

Tank is a 40g, total water volume 140g+.

Anyway, FijiMud, the other concern is if a skimmer would hurt the mud in anyway.

Thanks,

mike

[bimmerzs]

Ok...I have used the MiracleMud product in the fuge of my last tank. While it boast's about it's benefit's and it's ability to add xyz minerals etc., I have come to the realization that it is not superior to having a DSB. Why you ask.....well if you have to replace 50% of it as recommended, then that must mean that said minerals are being depleted. Hmmm....I don't think it's a superior product, it seems to be "mud" that's has been enhanced with "minerals" and if not replaced as recommended, will eventually be no better than regular live sand that is used. As far as the two tanks you spoke of, you can setup two tanks exactly the same and they would not turn out exactly the same as each is an individual ecosystem, you would never be able to replicate that exactly. Just my $.02

Cheers,

[NocturnalReef]

you said your not getting the color out of your tank you want? color has a lot to do with lighting.. what color kalvin rating are you using?

Another is that maybe your sps isn't in a rea that best fits it... like a slower flow area..lower light or too much light depending on your lighting.

I had a large problem with keeping my colors when i first started but i found out that the more you neglect chemicals and water changes the more thye tend to turn on you... sometimes they come back to their original colors though. Sometimes not as bright but they do come back

The skimmer does skim out trace elements, but i used to use fiji mud and gold, the gold sucked at keeping my calcium levels high but i did find that my corals would open more when i added mud. One thing i did was just mix it up and add it as reccomended instead of wasting the money on making a whole bed of mud. on other thing is that junk loves to clog skimmers, my pumps were always a mess after using mud

[ellio]

I have to assume you have researched the EcoSystem website and are just looking for objective opinions. One thing the website advises is not to have a dsb in your main tank when using the mud system.

[tcmfish]

Experiment Use of Soil in refugiums (Mud Filters)

Did you look in the forum you posted in? There is a thread right above yours on the topic of mud.

[T Man]

I've never used mangroves/mud with an SPS dominated, but I've been using it for softies LPS and clams - I'm hooked on watching them grow myself.....
Mangroves can grow as fast as you desire, I've used MH before and they grew two feet in two months I've long since toned it down to 30 watts @ 6hrs and still get growth The filtering, buffering, trace elements thing are negligible at most for my reef.
I've also had the same mud for six years and it's still kickin' out the copepods and company TinMan