Cryptic zone - do you believe in it ?

[Daddy-o]

lol idk if "50 damsels" is a typo, a super Meta joke on this hobby, or exactly the fate that 50 damsels would deserve... but I love it

Not a joke, Seems like with a large group of aggressive fish, they are not all that aggressive. Plus there is a lot of rockwork to hide in.
Cheers! Mark

 

[luisgm]

Love this. How old is your tank??

It’s 6y old. Been through dinos, aefw, at last get rid of all this. I had a big chaeto fuge, but my reef improved without it. As they say, every reef is a different ride....

 

[mav3rick478]

Have you guys seen that Deven from ReefDudes is running a cryptic reactor in his new Geo's custom sump setup? Looks like a better unit than what I was thinking of doing with RO canisters.

 

[Wen]

Anyone using an ace roto mold or tamco water storage tank for a cryptic zone? Or anyone doing a remote cz (not in sump)?

Been thinking about adding this to equipment closet...manifold from sump into cz vertical container, pvc drops down to bottom of container, where water then drifts up through rock “cages” (suspended off bottom), then drains back into sump.
No light, low flow, probably need a gentle circulating pump in there...

 

[Michael Rossi]

Have you guys seen that Deven from ReefDudes is running a cryptic reactor in his new Geo's custom sump setup? Looks like a better unit than what I was thinking of doing with RO canisters.

I did see that. I'm thinking of using an older reactor and basically making the same thing. Either spray painting it or using electrical tape to eliminate all light (keeping a small section open for viewing). I'll have it out of the sump so I don't need to worry about anything creeping into the water.

I'm just not sure about the flow. I need to buy that eBook and really read up on it before doing anything.

 

[mav3rick478]

I did see that. I'm thinking of using an older reactor and basically making the same thing. Either spray painting it or using electrical tape to eliminate all light (keeping a small section open for viewing). I'll have it out of the sump so I don't need to worry about anything creeping into the water.

I'm just not sure about the flow. I need to buy that eBook and really read up on it before doing anything.

It looks like Geo's just vinyl wraps their reactors which is simple enough to get and inexpensive. I used black vinyl on the back of my nano tank instead of painting.

I'm not also looking for a used reactor to do the same but I'll just run it off my return pump since I've already plumb an extension for a small manifold for reactors.

 

[jnvd3b]

I did see that. I'm thinking of using an older reactor and basically making the same thing. Either spray painting it or using electrical tape to eliminate all light (keeping a small section open for viewing). I'll have it out of the sump so I don't need to worry about anything creeping into the water.

I'm just not sure about the flow. I need to buy that eBook and really read up on it before doing anything.

1cm per second (cryptic) to 5cm per second (semi cryptic) is what is shown in CMAT volume 2

i would be worried about the flow channeling or being too quick in a reactor. Most of tyree’s setups were relatively passive i think i would prefer something like KenOs setup above where the flow is both slow and even/widespread.

just my two cents, geo makes great products but that seems like a fancy/overpriced way to run brightwell /marinepure media.

 

[mav3rick478]

1cm per second (cryptic) to 5cm per second (semi cryptic) is what is shown in CMAT volume 2

i would be worried about the flow channeling or being too quick in a reactor. Most of tyree’s setups were relatively passive i think i would prefer something like KenOs setup above where the flow is both slow and even/widespread.

just my two cents, geo makes great products but that seems like a fancy/overpriced way to run brightwell /marinepure media.

Thanks for the flow info.

I picked up a used Skimz FM150 reactor and will be running it off a manifold from my return pump controlled by a gate valve. I already wrapped it with gray vinyl to match the plumbing and block out light. Hoping to return the water to the beginning of the sump so that it can run through the refugium again then back to the tank. I will probably run rubble rock in it to maximize surface area for things to grow.

 

[Daddy-o]

Anyone using an ace roto mold or tamco water storage tank for a cryptic zone? Or anyone doing a remote cz (not in sump)?

Been thinking about adding this to equipment closet...manifold from sump into cz vertical container, pvc drops down to bottom of container, where water then drifts up through rock “cages” (suspended off bottom), then drains back into sump.
No light, low flow, probably need a gentle circulating pump in there...

A pic. of my 40 gallon cryptic tank. It is not completely dark but not lit up either.

 

[Daddy-o]

My cryptic is bare bottom. It gets water from the sump, overflows into a display tank that then overflows back into the sump (gotta love gravity!) In the back corners are double powerheads pointed to the bottom front and in the top back I am running a 2k gyre @ 70%. With this set up I have no detritus anywhere. It remains suspended until it makes its way to the overflow. Also gives good flow to support the bacteria in the rocks.
Cheers! Mark

 

[mav3rick478]

Here's my reactor wrapped and ready for rock rubble. Debating whether to keep the sponges in or not because if this is something that I'm going to just setup and leave alone I don't think it would be beneficial to open it up and expose everything to light when I have to take the sponges out to clean.

For size reference those are 1" pvc couplings to the right.

 

[KenO]

Here's my reactor wrapped and ready for rock rubble. Debating whether to keep the sponges in or not because if this is something that I'm going to just setup and leave alone I don't think it would be beneficial to open it up and expose everything to light when I have to take the sponges out to clean.

For size reference those are 1" pvc couplings to the right.

If you want to filter the water going in I would use an external filtering device. Then you don't have to open the reactor.

 

[Daddy-o]

Here's my reactor wrapped and ready for rock rubble. Debating whether to keep the sponges in or not because if this is something that I'm going to just setup and leave alone I don't think it would be beneficial to open it up and expose everything to light when I have to take the sponges out to clean.

For size reference those are 1" pvc couplings to the right.

We tried something like this. We used a Fluval 306 canister. We removed the baskets and filled it with rubble. Seemed like a great idea til we started getting nitrates in the 100. Turns out all of the crap from the reef was getting sucked in and settled on the bottom. We pulled it out and our nitrates dropped quickly.
Cheers! Mark

 

[mav3rick478]

I would hope running it from my return pump would help with keeping detritus out since there water has already gone through the whole sump. This reactor also pushes the water up from the bottom up with a plate full of holes so I don't think there is a way for anything to settle at the bottom.

 

[AC1211]

Would it be best to just add rock rubble to start a cryptic refugium? Do I have to seed it? It will be an addition to my tank.

 

[mav3rick478]

If it's additional filtration then you can start from scratch since you will just be adding more biodiversity to an established system. But seeding will always help speed up the process.

 

[AC1211]

If it's additional filtration then you can start from scratch since you will just be adding more biodiversity to an established system. But seeding will always help speed up the process.

What would be best to seed it. What organisms should I be looking to speed it up?

 

[KenO]

What would be best to seed it. What organisms should I be looking to speed it up?

This place has cryptic zone packages.

REEF FARMERS

Farming coral reef ocean life in captivity.

www.reeffarmers.com

 

[BurgerFish]

So, a semi cryptic zone is no light and medium flow? Crypric zone is no light and low flow?

 

[SaltyinTennessee]

What an interesting out of the ordinary take on filtration. I really like the idea and may try to incorporate one myself. The marine world is really amazing and so interesting.