 thathiep wrote:
Very nice!! Love the mixed corals and very healthy fishes. How do you maintain your system with loaded of fishes? |
Duy -
1) First I think you need a good skimmer to remove some of the organic waste before it breaks down, along with a good flowing system to keep everything suspended in the water column and not settling on the rocks and sand:
2) Then I think you need a decent sandbed for this high of a bioload, as the sandbed is the main processor of ammonia and nitrites into nitrates in your system... If I was going BB I don't think I could have as many fish;
3) And I think you need to make sure you have enough live rock; since that is your main de-nitrator in your system and if you have too little your nitrates will keep creeping up due to the high bioload. I see a lot of people skimping on Live Rock due to the cost, and then wondering why they have constant problems with nitrates / hair algae / etc;
4) Then I think you need a lot of coral to pull any remaining nutrients out of the water. The sponges and clams probably also help with that
5) After that, It's just following the basic reefkeeping principles on things like changing out filter socks frequently so stuff doesn't linger and rot in there (I change mine every day or every 2 days);
I use a turkey baster to blow of f the rocks and corals every few days to help keep them from being covered in detritus or slime; If you run carbon and / or GFO (I run both in a BRS dual chamber reactor) make sure you change it frequently (every 2 weeks for carbon, monthly for GFO); keep your parameters as stable as possible (things like using an ATO and dosing regularly); feed a good variety on foods and don't overfeed; don't go too long on water changes (I do 16 gallons once a month, and I vaccum the sandbed when I change the water to get out any crud)
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and he hasn't knocked over a single coral yet... he's a "gentle giant" I guess... But the big guy LOVES bloodworms
