refugium substrate?
- Thread starter crex111
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Oolite sand all the way. I decided to ditch the dsb in the fuge, since it was really just becoming a detritus trap IMHO. I have a 1-2" layer of sugar sized/oolitic sand, and its full-o-bugs. Also, wouldnt hurt to throw a few nassarius snails and tiger tail cucumbers in there.... anything that will consume detritus. GL
im a little curious about this issue also.
im setting up a 20 gallon fuge and i have about a 5 gallon bucket of crushed coral i was gona use for a DSB. is that to course for a DSB? can i just fill it in with some sugar sand?
i like the idea of the DSB in a seperate tank so i can clean it out every once and a great while. or after it starts leaching crap back in my water, if that ever happens.
im setting up a 20 gallon fuge and i have about a 5 gallon bucket of crushed coral i was gona use for a DSB. is that to course for a DSB? can i just fill it in with some sugar sand?
i like the idea of the DSB in a seperate tank so i can clean it out every once and a great while. or after it starts leaching crap back in my water, if that ever happens.
i don't have a sump yet, so not speaking from experience, but have done a lot or reading on the subject. everything i have seen about miracle mud, from their reports to just random reviews on the net says it is awesome. that is what i will be putting in my sump when its made.
but like i said no experience with it. just what i've read. when i put it in i'll do a review of it.
but like i said no experience with it. just what i've read. when i put it in i'll do a review of it.
.For a DSB I think finer sand is better you want enough to have a zone that lack O2 so that microb(forgot their name) can do their thing. Ive been thinking about adding mud also but worry about overturning the top layer of the sand to expose the mud. If that happens would the mud get into the main system.
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I beleive this is correct. The idea with a dsb is to create a (im sure I have this spelled wrong, no time to google) anerobic zone, which is the portion deep in the sand where there is no oxygen (or something along those lines). If you have a dsb, you only want to clean/vacuum the very top layer... you dont want to disturb that anerobic zone that is full of beneficial bacteria. The finer your substrate, the easier it is to acheive this goal (ie maybe you can do it with 4" rather than 6-8"). I have heard you can get the dsb effect with oolitic sand at a depth of 4-5". Besides, crushed coral will just become a detritus trap... it will make its way to the bottom/ under the sand... NO BUENO. GL!
