Sally's bullet proof (fact or fiction) & substrate ?

[crete456]

Hello...currently I have a 37 FO tank setup...I just purchased a 75 gal slammin used setup that was in the paper and want to setup a 1st time reef setup...has anyone tried sally's bulletproof reef setup on garf's website...they use no filtration,a protein skimmer, 2 powerheads, and minimal lighting 1 blue moon reef 40W & 2 triton 40W flour.,live rock,& water changes and claim to have sucess...also what kind of sand is used and how deep for a reef tank...thanks Denny

 

[Curtswearing]

OK,

I have no problems with GARF whatsoever other than this. There is no such thing as a bulletproof reef. If there was, forums like RF wouldn't even exist.

Let's think about this.

You have 2 125g tanks. One contains a 3 foot long snowflake moray eel with only only mushrooms and zooanthids. The other tank contains a relatively small bioload but is stacked from top to bottom with SPS corals, a couple clams, and maybe a few softies.

The calcium needs of the 2 tanks vary widely. The alkalinity needs of the 2 tanks vary widely. The nitrate problems of the two tanks vary widely.

If you treated both of these tanks the same based on Sally Jo's dosing "recipe" you are waiting for disaster. It's the "recipe" and word "bulletproof" that bother me.

Test, test, test. Do regular water changes with a quality water source and a quality salt. NEVER overfeed (it's tempting but there are more problems other than nitrates).

With that said, there are quite a few soft corals which will do just fine with that amount of lighting. Coralline algae will actually do VERY well with the lower lighting.

I don't use filters either. I use protein skimmers and live rock. Sometimes I use a sandbed and sometimes I don't. If you want to go with a DSB, do a search for Ron Shimek or Rob Toonen. Many people are preferring SSB's now (shallow sand beds). There are pro's and con's to each type of substrate.

 

[Krish]

Naw...Never tried it. I'm sure someone here has tried it or atleast knows a bit about it, but nothing here. When you say they use no filtration, is that what the site says? If so, they are a bit confused IMO. Live rock and protein skimming are both forms of filtration Best of luck with whatever approach you decide to go with

 

[Sk8r]

I use no filtration on my 52g EXCEPT my live rock and live sand, and the protein skimmer. My lights are an mh 250 with 2 actinic, my return pump is a mag 9.5 with a sea swirl, and my skimmer is an Urchin. Mixed lps, sps, nanofish, clam, and sponges. My tank just survived 10 days with a novice tanksitter in 105 degree heat, so it's pretty stable [and my tanksitter has real promise!]

 

[Electrokate]

Hi,
I have done things similar to what Garf is suggesting. I don't think they put many fish in those setups, do they? Mostly just algae eaters?

I had sand not quite 3 inches so it wasn't a "deep sand bed" with lots of liverock, hardy inverts, and lower lighting than normal-power compact 50/50 bulbs. I did run a small hang on power filter because it traps loose debris and because then I can run carbon. The rest of the filtration was sponge filters or powerheads with sponges on them that I cleaned regularly-no skimmers. This seems to work if you want to house a pair of clowns in a 20 with a few hardy corals, or for quarantine systems. I have corals in these tanks growing and showing excellent color too. I had an RBTA that split a couple times in the 20 long, it was a very shallow tank and the anemone sat right under the surface to get close to the bulb. Yeah, there are no easy answers on what "works" in this hobby. I wouldn't recommend anyone else do a skimmerless tank, by the way.

I have not tried standard flourescent as I don't like how often you have to change the bulbs. The bulbs are considered hazmat so they have to be gathered up for a special trip to a special office at the dump. Same with PC bulbs but at least they last twice as long!
Kate

 

[Ed Hahn]

You go Curt Go!

OK,

I have no problems with GARF whatsoever other than this. There is no such thing as a bulletproof reef. If there was, forums like RF wouldn't even exist.

Let's think about this.

You have 2 125g tanks. One contains a 3 foot long snowflake moray eel with only only mushrooms and zooanthids. The other tank contains a relatively small bioload but is stacked from top to bottom with SPS corals, a couple clams, and maybe a few softies.

The calcium needs of the 2 tanks vary widely. The alkalinity needs of the 2 tanks vary widely. The nitrate problems of the two tanks vary widely.

If you treated both of these tanks the same based on Sally Jo's dosing "recipe" you are waiting for disaster. It's the "recipe" and word "bulletproof" that bother me.

Test, test, test. Do regular water changes with a quality water source and a quality salt. NEVER overfeed (it's tempting but there are more problems other than nitrates).

With that said, there are quite a few soft corals which will do just fine with that amount of lighting. Coralline algae will actually do VERY well with the lower lighting.

I don't use filters either. I use protein skimmers and live rock. Sometimes I use a sandbed and sometimes I don't. If you want to go with a DSB, do a search for Ron Shimek or Rob Toonen. Many people are preferring SSB's now (shallow sand beds). There are pro's and con's to each type of substrate.

Curt,
You could not have said it any better. No two tanks are alike.