anyone use mud?

fishetcinc · #1 05/05/2004, 10:22 PM

Does anyone here use those refugium muds instead of LS on their refugium?

I am drawing up plans for a refugium for my store's 1000gal for macroalgea, phyto/pod growout and mangroves. I have had great success with mud refugiums before but I have never tried it in such a large system and with the huge diversity of corals that the tank will eventually hold.

I am specially looking for feedback on any ill-effects on specific corals or critters that could be attributed to the use of mud or issues when using such large quantities.

Thanks

MAS · #2 05/06/2004, 09:16 AM

We have alot of mud in our rock curing systems. Lots of diversified life lives in it too for breaking down waste detritus etc. Putting some in the refugium or main display tank will only help diversify the tanks fauna for a balanced ecosystem.

bergzy · #3 05/09/2004, 10:59 AM

what kind of mud do you use?

where would i get some?

if someone says 'miracle mud' once more, i am going to scream!!! really loud this time!

BigDaddy · #4 05/09/2004, 11:02 AM

Premium Aquatics sells some grunge off of the bottom of their live rock tanks that has lots of good live in it.

www.premiumaquatics.com

Imaexpat2 · #5 05/09/2004, 11:21 AM

Fishetcinc,

Dont know if this qualifies for an example of the size which you are questioning, but I have a 140 gallon refugium set up with with my 135 display tank. (got a 300 gallon in the works that will be plumbed to a larger tank in the near future)

My refugium has 18 mangroves, a 5 gallon bucket full of Chaeto Macro-Algae (or there abouts) 100 lbs or so of rock rubble, and about 3 inches of mud. Some of the mud came from Premium Aquatics (couldnt afford to go straight GARF Grunge Lite or I most certainly would have...great stuff in my opinion!) and GARF Grunge Lite.

I have yet to have any problems with my corals on this set up. They are going rather well. the Fauna in the refugium is absolutely increadible and diverse, far more so than I would ever have seen in a display tank. I have no algae (pest types) problems the whole time I have had this set up. Water quality is ecellent and this system is not using any type of skimmer. This has been my experienes so far.

In fact I like it so much, I am considering the same basic set up with a 300 gallon rubbermaid poly tank. I am do to retire in a couple of months and I will be building a much bigger display tank ( looking like 96 x 48 x 48). I have already purchased the refugium tank and I am getting the rest of the componets together now. I originally got this idea from a website in which a guy did the very same thing I am working on now. It looked too cool, so I had to have one! Unfortunately I can remember the website.

HTH.......

bergzy · #6 05/09/2004, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imaexpat2
Fishetcinc,

My refugium has 18 mangroves, a 5 gallon bucket full of Chaeto Macro-Algae (or there abouts) 100 lbs or so of rock rubble, and about 3 inches of mud. Some of the mud came from Premium Aquatics (couldnt afford to go straight GARF Grunge Lite or I most certainly would have...great stuff in my opinion!) and GARF Grunge Lite.

I have yet to have any problems with my corals on this set up. They are going rather well. the Fauna in the refugium is absolutely increadible and diverse, far more so than I would ever have seen in a display tank. I have no algae (pest types) problems the whole time I have had this set up. Water quality is ecellent and this system is not using any type of skimmer. This has been my experienes so far.

HTH.......

bergzy · #7 05/09/2004, 03:07 PM

oops...

forgot to add my comments...

what kind of corals do you have. i have seen nothing but excellent results when a fuge is used..

do you do water changes and if you do, what is the frequency on it?

i am planning to have a large fuge (my little 5g fuge has been doing an excellent job) with chaeto only growing. but, i am also planning on heavy skimming 24/7 (i part time skim on my 125 right now).

the only difference i am wanting is to do maybe one or two water changes a year and it will be only 15 to 20% each time.

i am going to see if heavy skimming with a lot of macro growing will decrease (but not eliminate) water changes. essential elements? i theorize that dissolving ARM in my calcium reactor will take care most of it.

whatever the case, it will be interesting!

Imaexpat2 · #8 05/09/2004, 11:13 PM

Let me see if I am following you on this....

Water changes....I do drop about 5 gallons a month out of the tank and replace with a mix at about 1.010 specific gravity once every three to 4 weeks. I have a lot of evaporation so I add about 5 gallons of R/O water a week. This usually keeps my water at about 1.022-1.023.

Corals...I have an Red Montipora Cap., Pink Tipped montipora, Pink Birds Nest, couple of Brown Montipora, one brown Montipora with bright green Polyps, Purple Acropora, Blue Tipped Acropora. several Hydnoporas, 2 Bali Green Staghorns, Blue ridge Coral, Purple Montipora Cap., several Encrusting Montiporas, Pavona, Yellow Piorites, a Elegance Coral, a few different Brains, and about 20 or so others that escape my memory for accurate names right now. I got several clams and a few softies.

I agree, the fuge has made a big difference in my tank. It looks almost as cool as the tank too, just not quiet as colorful. It has made maintaining my tank a lot less work. I havent had any problems with unwanted algae types. I will admit that I have a very light fish load in my tank as I am more interested in the corals than the fish. I also feed very sparingly. I have tried several different types of algaes but I have found Chaeto to be the best thus far. Couldnt get Tang Heaven to grow to save my life. Dont know what the secrete is there, but it hasnt been happening for me. Probably dont really need the mangroves as the algae more than likely does the job adequately, but they look pretty cool and I do kinda like the bio-diversity concept. The pods. mysis, and other critters in the fuge seem to be multipling like crazy. All of the rock rubble I have in there was home made using concrete and oyster shell from an egg carton as the mold. It makes great frag plugs and got coated in Coralline algae really fast!

As far as Additives, I add as per GARF's Bullet Proof Reef recipe for the most part using SeaChem products. I do drip about 1 leter of Kalkwasser almost daily. I do add Magnesium as the Mangroves deplete this from the system pretty fast.

Other than that, thats about all of the particulars I can think of at the monment.

o2manyfish · #9 05/11/2004, 01:27 PM

I have been using some of the FIJI mud for almost a year now.

I have a large plastic shoe box that sits in my sump. Once a week I reach in and stir up the mud.

The silt travels throughout the system, and the corals seem to love it.

I would say I am using up about a pound of mud a month.

Dave B