Sweet Reefer
Member
- Joined
- May 21, 2008
- Messages
- 11
Hi Anthony,
I am an aspiring coral farmer enjoying studying your book. I was wondering if you had any input regarding economic shortcuts in systems setup for aquaculture. I can not afford large amounts of aragonite sand and live rock, and I was wondering if there may be alternative serviceable if not ideal methodologies.
I have a couple ideas for how to accomplish this:
1) Natural - large refugium volume with thin sand bed and modest amount of live rock for ammonia conversion and diversity. Nutrient export via macroalgae. Thinking this method takes advantage of the relative economy of water volume versus rock and sand.
2) Artificial - small trickle filter for ammonia conversion
well maintained with mechanical filter media ahead of biomedia so it isn't just a nitrate factory. Then skimming and chemical media for nutrient export. Or maybe algae turf scrubber in place of media keeping economics in mind.
3) Any combination of the above. I would really like to hear how you would approach growing an aquaculture business from a basement rigged up system and limited funds if you would indulge in a sort of reverse fantasy(nightmare?).![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Side Note: This theoretical system would be for hardy soft corals. I have a legitimate sand and rock filled system for Scleractinians, but I don't want to contaminate it with toxic softies.
Thank you for being such an awesome resource; I believe you are one of the single biggest forces in helping to reduce our hobby's impact on the environment!
I am an aspiring coral farmer enjoying studying your book. I was wondering if you had any input regarding economic shortcuts in systems setup for aquaculture. I can not afford large amounts of aragonite sand and live rock, and I was wondering if there may be alternative serviceable if not ideal methodologies.
I have a couple ideas for how to accomplish this:
1) Natural - large refugium volume with thin sand bed and modest amount of live rock for ammonia conversion and diversity. Nutrient export via macroalgae. Thinking this method takes advantage of the relative economy of water volume versus rock and sand.
2) Artificial - small trickle filter for ammonia conversion
3) Any combination of the above. I would really like to hear how you would approach growing an aquaculture business from a basement rigged up system and limited funds if you would indulge in a sort of reverse fantasy(nightmare?).
Side Note: This theoretical system would be for hardy soft corals. I have a legitimate sand and rock filled system for Scleractinians, but I don't want to contaminate it with toxic softies.
Thank you for being such an awesome resource; I believe you are one of the single biggest forces in helping to reduce our hobby's impact on the environment!