Nitrates, DSB, algae
- Thread starter natan
- Start date
reeffreak
Reef pro
Covering only 10-20%,probably little to none at all....grain size will determine that too.
Green/hair algae will remove nutrient just like any other macroalgae.It's still a nuisance algae that is really difficult to remove and can/will choke out corals.
Green/hair algae will remove nutrient just like any other macroalgae.It's still a nuisance algae that is really difficult to remove and can/will choke out corals.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
All algae feed off of nitrates, some are easier to manage than others. That's why people tend to use caulerpa and chaeto in their fuges -- they are excellent at removing nutrients and easy to trip back when needed.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
A small DSB is better than no DSB IMO.
4" is the absolute minumum depth. 5-6 is really a minimum for my preference. 7-8" would be primo.
Cheatomorpha is the best algae. It's easy to manage and it won't go sexual and release spores into your water. Just grow it out and trim it back once per month. Toss it in the trash.
4" is the absolute minumum depth. 5-6 is really a minimum for my preference. 7-8" would be primo.
Cheatomorpha is the best algae. It's easy to manage and it won't go sexual and release spores into your water. Just grow it out and trim it back once per month. Toss it in the trash.
There are researchers that have been using mud beds in sumps that are no bigger tan 10% to 20% of the display tank bottom area. However, mud beds are better denitrifiers at shallower depths, but they are really no better than a deep sand bed given the same surface area if the deep sand bed is around 6 inches deep or more. A three to four inch deep sand bed will make some difference but would not supply the total needs for the tank. Water changes would still be necessary. Deep sand beds are always an asset as far as there biological filtration. They are more efficient than live rock, both at nitrification and at denitrification, once established.
McCrary
Always Learning
My DSB is probably only 12" x 12" and about 6" deep, I have no idea how effective it actually is, but I am assuming its better than nothing.
:bounce: It will do both more nitrification and denitrification than the equivalent volume of live rock. Meaning it will turn more organics to ammonia then nitrates and then nitrates and especially it will do a better job of turning nitrites to nitrous oxide (gas), than would a piece of live rock 9.5 inches wide by 9.5 inches long by 9.5 inches tall (which is the equivalent volume of your deep sand bed). Plus your deepsand bed will supply some trace elements and calcium to your tanks water, which live rock will not do. :^:
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McCrary
Always Learning
YAY for DSB's, lol.
