Fathers of Modern Reefkeeping

This topic is under filtration because without the advances in aquarium filtration, none of the rest would be possible.

Here is an article about those people who seem to have introduced some of the best ideas: Reef Farming News: Fathers of Modern Reefkeeping

It came too early for that '97 article, but at the WMAS December Meeting of the previous year the RDP Technique was introduced to the WMAs before the rest of the world read about it. At that meeting John Walsh introduced us to the new RDP technique of nightime pH control combined with already proven algae scrubbing filtration. John was a popular WMAS guest speaker in the early days. He gave the info to us ahead of publication, saying that it would be printed in FAMA in a few months! The WMAS library may still have that particular lecture on VHS tape. John also built the first Marine Ornamental Fish Breeding facility, Sea-Quest, in Puerto Rico.

I don't know what he is doing today, but I believe the name of John Walch should be on the list of "Fathers".

I'm not sure where any data is , I just tried it because it seemed like it would work and it did.

Now that I think about it, I did take some readings which are mentioned in the article RDP pH Control and Filtration in the February 2002 Sea Star Online which discusses my success with the technique. It mentions the mechanism as well as I understood it at that time. The O2/CO2 relationship in the water and that pH is a function of CO2 is better left for you or some of our resident Chemists and Chemical Engineers to describe.

Since every tank/system is different, I don't know if any definitive statement can be made regarding size and lighting requirements to handle x number of gallons in a main tank. My philosophy has been to put as much or more light on the refugium as the main tank and to make the refugium as large as possible. It seems like refugium size anywhere from 10% to 25% of the main tank capacity does the job.

I've got to say that you(BananaTropics) have done excellent on both those factors! Your tank & refugium are very nice. BTW, that SPS frag you gave me was lost in the mangrove roots in the bucket overnight. I took it out and stuck it in the sand of the refugium and that's where it's still growing right now(2 wks later)! It's a hardy SPS! Thanks.

Edited by Mark Peterson