Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Dear Mr Goemans
I have read your booklet Live Sand Secrets and would greatly appreciate your comments re the following:
I currently have a reef system (approx 180 gals) consisting of 3 tanks linked together sharing a common trickle filter/sump. Two tanks contain a little (0.5cm) substrate and the other approx 3 inches of CaribSea Special Grade Aragonite Reef Sand. I will shortly be adding another 4ft x 2ft x 2ft tank to the system and wish to setup your plenum system.
* Will this size tank be large enough to 'support' the rest of the system?
* Will the sand mentioned above be suitable?
* Approx what hole size should the separating screen/mesh have (I do not think this is mentioned in the booklet).
* Should the new tank run on its own for a few weeks/months or is it OK to connect it to my existing system straight away?
I found your booklet extremely interesting and feel it has helped my understanding of closed marine systems several fold.
Thank you in advance
Richard Downham
Hi Richard,
Thanks for your email. As for the new tank supporting the others, I think it may and I will be testing something similar in the near future. The sand will be okay, however I prefer the Seaflor Super Reef grade. Due to a recent computer hard disk crash I don't have the mesh size of common widow screen handy, however it's pretty standard throughout this country. And, as for connecting the new tank to the existing system, I suggest first waiting a few days and allowing things to settle. Then starting with gradual flow and over the coming weeks increase it until the GPH flow from the new plenum system is equal to half its volume. I would also suggest using the Marc Weiss Bacter-Vital to get the new system initated and up to speed microbially as soon as possible. Hope this helps and you may want to read my other two booklets, Protein Skimming and Activated Carbon Secrets; and, Marine Algae Control Secrets.
Bob
