When I first got my tank the installer had setup 3 baffles with ceramic rings, coral and granite stones. I battled to get my no3 below 20 so decided a DSB with algae would be worth a try. I first used the RO top up section of my sump which did not work due to a leak and put a circulation pump and air stone to het water through it. This started to yield some results so I chopped my sump up two weeks ago and created the traditional skimmer, DSB, return (left to right) with the addition of a ceramic ring baffle to kill the microbubbles.
The old sand was not enough it would only give me 5cm. I let the old sand sit for two weeks for the critters to get out from under. Using a piece of glass I then moved the sand over to one side over a couple of days (so I did not lose any of my valuable critters) then topped up the depleted area with new sand. I will remove the glass in two weeks.
I have some live rock with calupra from my other tank and put two warm white downlighter bulbs on a 18 hour reverse cycle. The waterfall from the skimmer section adds a lot of microbubbles which helps the algae grow like crazy.
The filter pad on top of the rings is to preserve the pod population until it gets large enough, I will then remove it so that they can be delivered into the display.
The old sand was not enough it would only give me 5cm. I let the old sand sit for two weeks for the critters to get out from under. Using a piece of glass I then moved the sand over to one side over a couple of days (so I did not lose any of my valuable critters) then topped up the depleted area with new sand. I will remove the glass in two weeks.
I have some live rock with calupra from my other tank and put two warm white downlighter bulbs on a 18 hour reverse cycle. The waterfall from the skimmer section adds a lot of microbubbles which helps the algae grow like crazy.
The filter pad on top of the rings is to preserve the pod population until it gets large enough, I will then remove it so that they can be delivered into the display.