refugium,plants, reduce nitrate...

[Potts050]

What do people mean by a drip system?
Is it a gradual replacement of the tank water by adding fresh make up water constantly and allowing an overflow to the sewer or is it a system that circulates a small amount of water through a nitrate digester of some kind, and return it to the aquarium

 

[X24]

What do people mean by a drip system?
Is it a gradual replacement of the tank water by adding fresh make up water constantly and allowing an overflow to the sewer or is it a system that circulates a small amount of water through a nitrate digester of some kind, and return it to the aquarium

1st one. all it requires is a faucet near the tank, and a drain near it. you take a few irrigation parts and you directly drip water into the tank, there is a bulkhead or something in your sump or tank placed so the waterlevel is where you want it in the tank, and it just continously drips water into the tank and is pretty much a constant waterchange.....but it just dilutes the water really.

if i had a faucet and drain near my tanks i'd most def. go with this...instead i'm going to have to have a hose, some large trash cans a window and powerhead.

 

[Formula_JP]

i love plants that dont require HO lighting, i liked the refug idea but also like the idea of having some of those plants in the tank. why not just do that?

 

[Eltormo]

Well this is my first post here.


On this thread i can't confirm how much plants are need it to effectively reduce nitrate levels,but i was on a salt watter lagoon yesterday which is like part mangrove,and watter is very silky and full of particles and the visibility was poor,the mud is kind of soft and your feet will go deep on it if you stand on it.


But as i was collecting a Feather Duster and some Flame Scallops,i came face to face with several mangroves,and to my surprise the watter was very clear on the 2 i get close to compare to the rest of the watter just 2 feet from the mangrove,these plants most work,i have read this several time on other places,but never saw it for my self.


The clarity was quite striking,it was from like earth to moon,but after you leave the mangrove plant like 3 feet from it,visibility became poor again.\



Sorry if i make any grammatical errors since i am from Puerto Rico and my English is not so good.

 

[Aqua Doctor]

I was of the understanding that water plants feed on ammonium first; not much in the "nitrate department"

Mangrove are brackish/salt trees; anyone have a FW mangrove of "substancial size" to show?

Some plants mentioned definately help in "water clarity"

IMO. if you want to reduce nitrate without water changes.....get a denitrator; this is proven too work alot better,especially with aquaria that have heavy bio-loads.

 

[frasertheking]

I was of the understanding that water plants feed on ammonium first; not much in the "nitrate department

they do but if there is limited amounts they move onto nitrates but this is good as if this is absorbed there is less to turn into nitrite and nitrate .

also this can be a very cheap filter a nice sunny window will do you for growing the plants .just a tray with gravel and water pumped in slowly and then flow back to the tank .they do it all the time in aquaphonics where the fish are only there to feed the plants

 

[floridaguy]

Don't listen to the other guy i use a 10 gallon refugium i built on my on by they it's really easy. Do some more reseaerch and just do it don't be scared. buy live mudd at all type of green plants good lighting and you'll see a huge difference in nitrte reduction pretty much immediately.