Dump the egg crate or acrylic/magnet combo and combine filter and frag rack

Tangwich

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#1
Lots of us hate the look of frag racks but hate the hair algae that sometimes grows on it, even more. Some say they also leach phosphates. And almost just as bad, when overgrown frags spread onto the plastic egg crate or acrylic rack, it's a pia to get those corals off. And the latest negative are those reports of cheap rusting magnets crashing tanks.

So I figured a way to ditch the crate/acrylic frag rack and instead use something where beneficial bacteria can thrive due to the tons of surface area and how porous the blocks are. And when corals spread, its super easy to just cut the surrounding area and boom, instant base for corals to be transferred to plugs or just let them continue to spread on the foundation.

So here's what I came up with. Pics on next post.
 

Tangwich

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#5
And boom shakalaka, instant frag holder and extra filter all wrapped in one genius Jesse idea. Lol

 

Tangwich

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#6
BTW if you are wondering what the toothpicks are for...no they aren't for looking cool while fragging, like cody said..lmao...it's for those frags that sometimes become detached from their base or plug, like shrooms. This is how you keep them there until they attach their foot/base.



 
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Tangwich

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#11
how you keep the frag disc from sliding off or being bumped off.
oh sorry, didn't show that part. i used a regular screw drive to make the hole in the block and then you place the plug IN the plate like you would in eggcrate or acrylic frag rack. all those frags you see on the bio block are regular frag plugs with base and holder underneath
 

watchguy123

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#12
Well it is ugly but no uglier than a frag rack. What happens when coralline algae grows on the biofilter media, doesn't it fill all the pores. I thought that stuff was meant for the sump without lighting. And that stuff is so darn brittle, were you concerned about the screwdriver cracking it or was it just so soft that it was easy to do.

I like your thinking though. Always good to try something a little different. I tried putting mesh in my protein skimmer with an underwater led, seemed like a great combination of technology--protein skimmer and algae turf scrubber. Well, you don't want coraline algae to grow in your skimmer, pain to clean out.
 

Tangwich

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#13
Well it is ugly but no uglier than a frag rack. What happens when coralline algae grows on the biofilter media, doesn't it fill all the pores. I thought that stuff was meant for the sump without lighting. And that stuff is so darn brittle, were you concerned about the screwdriver cracking it or was it just so soft that it was easy to do.

I like your thinking though. Always good to try something a little different. I tried putting mesh in my protein skimmer with an underwater led, seemed like a great combination of technology--protein skimmer and algae turf scrubber. Well, you don't want coraline algae to grow in your skimmer, pain to clean out.
Good questions Mark. You are right, its not really meant for the display tank as it’s not visually appealing. I am thinking more for like frag tanks or a fuge. I only have it up on top of that rock in the picture because I am going to be moving stuff around in the show fuge tonight and make room for it. As for your other concerns, I have had 2 blocks under light for over a year and algae/coralline doesn’t/hasn’t covered it. Also, it’s not that brittle where I was scared of breaking it. It’s easy to cut with a serrated knife but putting holes in it with a screw driver won’t mess with the integrity of the structure, so long as you don’t go too close to the edges.
 
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#14
Marinepure leeches crazy amounts of Aluminum as it degrades. I would absolutely stop using marinepure if I were you, triton tests confirm insane amounts of Aluminum in systems running Marine Pure.
 

Mr V

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#15
Marinepure leeches crazy amounts of Aluminum as it degrades. I would absolutely stop using marinepure if I were you, triton tests confirm insane amounts of Aluminum in systems running Marine Pure.
I'm sorry for hijack the thread, but I feel a little unfair on this statement about Marinepure.
Have you or someone you know actually hade bad effects after you add Marine pure product?
Even though I haven't tested for Aluminum, but I can swear by Marinepure. I'm a big fan. My filtration system mostly rely on them (Blocks and spheres)

 
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#17
People on RC have registered complaints about it. The fact that it leeches heavy metal is the only reason I feel is necessary to avoid it.


Randy Holmes on aluminum toxicity concentrations


Randy Holmes-Farley testing -- Aluminum testing based on average leeched from Marine Pure, response at RC.

"The aluminum released from aluminum oxide binders has been known to cause problems, and I personally added aluminum to a test tank in an amount similar to what some people are getting (and what I saw released from Phosguard) and did see problems with several types of corals."
 

Tangwich

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#18
[MENTION=989]babyjess210[/MENTION] see, I told you "poly wanna a cracker" syndrome is alive and well. lmao...
btw, if you text me and i don't text back, i am phoneless until i get a replacement. st*pid rain puddle..lol.
 

Zoarder

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#19
[MENTION=989]babyjess210[/MENTION] see, I told you "poly wanna a cracker" syndrome is alive and well. lmao...
btw, if you text me and i don't text back, i am phoneless until i get a replacement. st*pid rain puddle..lol.
s7 edge bro, water resistant... just get it back and stop using when you about to go to sleep haha
 
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#20
Marinepure leeches crazy amounts of Aluminum as it degrades. I would absolutely stop using marinepure if I were you, triton tests confirm insane amounts of Aluminum in systems running Marine Pure.
I run Marinepure also. They also have threads about the Brute trashcan leeching something but going about 3 years on my brute.

[MENTION=989]babyjess210[/MENTION] see, I told you "poly wanna a cracker" syndrome is alive and well. lmao...
btw, if you text me and i don't text back, i am phoneless until i get a replacement. st*pid rain puddle..lol.
Lmao. I text you yesterday for Manna with cheese my treat!!!

s7 edge bro, water resistant... just get it back and stop using when you about to go to sleep haha
No way s7 leeches in bed!!! lol
 
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