I have had success with my freshwater planted tank and wanted to know how transferable this technique is to saltwater. My plan is to set up my 40 gallon breeder as a saltwater tank. Ive got an Ehiem canister filter, heater, T5 lights and powerhead ready to go.
Ill set up the substrate of the tank with a combined mixture of live sand ~ 40 pounds, ~ 10 pounds of gravel and some amount of Mud. Once this has settled Ill add about 30 pounds of live rock and another 10ish pounds of live rock rubble. The rubble will provide the macroalgae with an initial foothold to grab onto, I plan to set this rubble pile up away from the cluster of larger live rocks. Then Ill add Calurpa to the tank and let this grow for about a month. Once the macroalgae has shown signs of growth I plan on adding the following inhabitants:
A sand bed stirring team consisting to Trochus and Cerith snails
Hermit crabs of various types
1 Flame Angel
3 Similar Damsels
1 Bicolor Blenny
2 Clarkii Clownfish
1 Bubbletip anemone
Some number of soft corals
The idea with the tank is to have a successful ecosystem where the livestock provide the macroalgae nutrients to grow and the macroalgae clean the water and provide food for the inhabitants. The snails and crabs should eat the detritus from the fish while the fish (all herbivores) should be eating the Calurpa.
If anyoine has anyexperience with this type of setup (refugium included) please point me in the right direction.
Ill set up the substrate of the tank with a combined mixture of live sand ~ 40 pounds, ~ 10 pounds of gravel and some amount of Mud. Once this has settled Ill add about 30 pounds of live rock and another 10ish pounds of live rock rubble. The rubble will provide the macroalgae with an initial foothold to grab onto, I plan to set this rubble pile up away from the cluster of larger live rocks. Then Ill add Calurpa to the tank and let this grow for about a month. Once the macroalgae has shown signs of growth I plan on adding the following inhabitants:
A sand bed stirring team consisting to Trochus and Cerith snails
Hermit crabs of various types
1 Flame Angel
3 Similar Damsels
1 Bicolor Blenny
2 Clarkii Clownfish
1 Bubbletip anemone
Some number of soft corals
The idea with the tank is to have a successful ecosystem where the livestock provide the macroalgae nutrients to grow and the macroalgae clean the water and provide food for the inhabitants. The snails and crabs should eat the detritus from the fish while the fish (all herbivores) should be eating the Calurpa.
If anyoine has anyexperience with this type of setup (refugium included) please point me in the right direction.