started over

[treesprite]

Since my DSB was clearly not working I went ahead and acted on my desire to change from the 20H for a fuge to the 29 I had gotten when I needed a QT for the clownfish. 9 additional gallons added to the system.

 

I took the top 1" layer of sand off and sat it aside in a separate bucket, then took all the rest of the sand from the sump and from the refugium. I put all the sand, plus 30 lbs of brand new sand, into the 29, putting the 1" top layer from before on top. Now I have 8" deep sand in a 12x30" area.

 

Question: does lighting over a DSB matter? I can either have my macros down there in the fuge with the sand meaning there will be a light, or keep the macros in the sump. Any thoughts on this?

 

The other thing I did was re-do some plumbing. I had the water going from the sump overflow to the wannabe-frag-tank, then down to the fuge (now the 29g). I have 2 lines from the display feeding the sump, so what I did was put a T on one, so now the water to the frag tank comes directly from the display, the sump feeds only the fuge, and the frag tank feeds the fuge also because there is no return in the frag tank. I put a valve after the T to control how much of the flow goes to the frag tank and how much goes to the sump. I'm really liking having the two containers independent from one another.

 

Now to wait a couple months for the DSB - I hope it works this time.

Edited February 14, 2009 by treesprite

[Origami]

Question: does lighting over a DSB matter? I can either have my macros down there in the fuge with the sand meaning there will be a light, or keep the macros in the sump. Any thoughts on this?

 

Forrest, the DSB does not need light (unless you're going to also place macros in it, of course).

 

Good luck with the new configuration.

[treesprite]

Forrest, the DSB does not need light (unless you're going to also place macros in it, of course).

 

Good luck with the new configuration.

Thanks.

 

I know it does not need light, someone had mentioned before something about keeping a DSB in darkness and the only way I can do that is to not keep my macros in the fuge. Right now the macros are in my sump and macro bits keep getting in my skimmer pump.

[Origami]

Thanks.

 

I know it does not need light, someone had mentioned before something about keeping a DSB in darkness and the only way I can do that is to not keep my macros in the fuge. Right now the macros are in my sump and macro bits keep getting in my skimmer pump.

 

I have my DSB in a 20H. There's about 8.5" of sand with the remaining volume used for chaetomorpha. I have 2 compact fluorescent reflector lamps hanging above to provide light for the algae.