Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Dear Bob
I would like to thank you personally for all the help and advice you have given me over the past few months. I have been a keen aquarist for the past few years now, but have just never had much "luck" in keeping marine specimens the way I have seen others keep them. I had always put this down to the fact that it was money that enabled these fellow aquarists to maintain and keep these beautiful reef tanks. You showed me that with low capital, basic equipment, a solid understanding in reef husbandry and PATIENCE, I could achieve what few ever get to do because they become frustrated and despondent and leave the hobby bitter because money could not achieve them the results they wanted.
My tank started with a simple email to you, asking if it was possible to fulfill three goals.
1) To keep and maintain a reef tank long term.
2) To do so without spending the family fortune.
3) To use basic equipment I had already in my garage from previous marine setups.
Your reply to me was very simple and did not make sense to me. You said that if I was prepared to listen, have patience in setting up the system and in maintaining it correctly, I could achieve what I wanted. What I could not understand was the lack of equipment you mentioned I would need. Apart from the tank, which is a 120 litre corner tank, I needed a small canister and a good lighting system. My Protein Skimmer that I used to setup with was in your own words a "dinosaur model"…which it was. A "Sander" air lift model, that together with a power head, and some tubing was converted to a "powered" model.
The tank was set up at the beginning of August 2004, using the directions you laid out for me in several e-mails. (Close to 125 now) Basically I used the design of a Plenum system, incorporated inside the main tank. I use NSW collected from our local Two Ocean's Aquarium in Cape Town where I live. Water was tested and found to be more than adequate for a Reef, so I could spare some expense there. I used crushed coral sand of around 2 to 5 mm grain size. Placed it directly on top of the Plenum that was constructed using Egg Crate (better known as Florescent Light diffuser panels in South Africa) and some shade cloth material to stop the sand from getting into the bottom space. I used the old airlift tubes I had to for the "stands" of the Plenum. One could also use them to perch live rock on, so that it is not in contact with the sand! Good use for air lift tubes! The sand bed was laid to a depth of 10 cm /4 inch. I used 10 kg of live rock to start the system, and here I made the first of a few mistakes.
What I was sold was NOT cured, and it kind of stank the house out for a few days until the bacteria levels got the Ammonia under control. It shows that ignorance can lead to bad mistakes early on, and that these can have serious repercussions at a later date. Anyway, with the Skimmer pulling 25 to 30 ml of gunk every day and all lighting suspended, the tank was matured over a 3 week period using the uncured live rock and a good bacteria start up supplied in a bottle.
Filtration consisted of a small Eheim canister packed with activated carbon and a phosphate sponge. The Plenum is now working fantastically and my Nitrate and Phosphate levels are close to zero. Stock currently is a school of Green Chromis, two Common Clowns and two African Clowns (Clarki). Many small polyps and Zooanthids have been added, fragging as I placed into the tank. Only other additions will be some small frags in the next few weeks. Now to sit back and let nature take it's course.
I will keep you updated as the tank progresses. Oh, supplements are:
1) Mark Weiss Combo Vital© added at the rate of 1 small pinch (or one sixteenth of a teaspoon every day. Other Mark Weiss products used at the same dose rate are Fish Vital© and "FORM©" The Fish are looking fantastic and colours are outstanding. They eat the Fish Vital© out of my fingers. (Have been using the product for close on two weeks now.)
2) Kent Marine A & B Calcium, at 5ml per day of each. Added directly to the main tank in front of the power head outlet.
3) Kent Marine Coral Accel. Used at 2,5 ml per day.
Testing carried out after any new additions to the tank. All Main parameters carried out at one monthly intervals. Basic checks made every day in evening together with RO/DI freshwater makeup. NSW used for water changes at rate of two litres per day. (60 litres per month.) Tank volume is currently only about 90 litres of water. Test Kits are all Fastest excepting for Phosphate and Magnesium that are Salifert kits.
Any Queries can be directed to me on leppanm@intekom.co.za
Mike Leppan
Cape Town
South Africa
Hi Mike,
Has it been that many emails? No wonder my wife is saying she barely recognizes me any more!
Its unfortunate uncured live rock was sold to you as cured live rock when we began this low-tech system. That threw us a curve ball and resulted in emails about smell and many on unsightly algae beginning to show up in the system. Then came the email noting how your local shops were suggesting various herbivores and additives, along with system equipment upgrades. And then there were the comments from local aquarists on the value of the plenum method. In fact, some never heard of the method.
Yet you showed much patience and listened to my thoughts on the value or lack of in many of the suggestions you received from other folks. And it has all paid off! Beating unwanted algae problems has always been a difficult task and some aquarists have left the hobby simply because they could not afford high tech equipment or win the battle against the green monster. You are to be commended for the patience you exhibited!
As for some of the additives on the market that are said to do away with unsightly algae or cyanobacteria growths, I have always hesitated to use anything in the aquarium unless I understood its ingredients and what impact it would have on system processes and aquarium inhabitants. I've researched many of these products and am currently involved in testing some new products. One is a 100% US Government certified organic product that is designed to prevent only the unwanted species from being able to uptake any nourishment, thereby causing them to slowly starve to death. The other is also an organic product and due to possible propriety reasons unable to say at this time as to exactly how it functions. However both have been tested in aquaria, including those in public aquariums with complex systems containing a variety of fish and corals. Results appear to be promising, with no harm to desired algae, fishes, microbial processes or invertebrates.
If other aquarists with algae problems would like to partake in these testing programs please contact me. And I should note I have no financial interest in these products, as I'm only one of many freely testing the products.
In closing, I feel gratified every time the result is as good as the one you're experiencing! This is what it's all about in my opinion, aquarium brothers helping other aquarium brothers.
Cheers,
Bob
