Miracle Mud

[akabryanhall]

What are your thoughts on this? Anyone use it with good results? i have heard mixed reviews about it's effectiveness.

 

[Monroereef]

I have it in my fuge. FWIW, it does help the pod growth. However, people who use LR rubble also do very nicely.

Sunny

 

[Wy Renegade]

Studied it pretty extensively back a few years ago when we were investigating refugium pretty heavily. We ended up going with normal sand instead; really couldn't find enough evidence to support the "miracle" claims.

 

[akabryanhall]

Yeah I feel that the word "miracle" assigned to any product is a little strong..

 

[drainbamage]

Studied it pretty extensively back a few years ago when we were investigating refugium pretty heavily. We ended up going with normal sand instead; really couldn't find enough evidence to support the "miracle" claims.

Can you share some of your investigation? Not like digging up notes, just what you found? I recently traded and got a few jugs of the carib-sea stuff, and debating if it's worth dropping into the fuge on my new frag setup or not. Since I have it already (didn't pay much so figured it was worth a shot) do you see any drawbacks from it, or just that it's not everything it's cracked up to be?

 

[BlazinNano]

It is not worth it. It releases what you replace with water changes. It is expensive and half has to be replaced every year. IMO not worth it.

 

[beaslbob]

What are your thoughts on this? Anyone use it with good results? i have heard mixed reviews about it's effectiveness.

I think common old play sand from home depot is just as good.

To me it is the macro algaes the make the miracal mud systems work. Some minor dosing of iron may help but still it is the macros.

Years ago hobbiests used to put some crushed oyster shells in the sand to help with calcium.

From what I hear if you are attempting sea grass (turtle grass) you need some organics in the sand and a deeper sand also. But for macros that should not be necessary.


I do remember seeing some analysis of the miracle mud and it tested to be a silica sand with higher then normal iron components.

 

[Tabasco1]

Thanks for all the info, I was curious myself if it was worth putting in the refugium set up from the get go.

 

[beaslbob]

Thanks for all the info, I was curious myself if it was worth putting in the refugium set up from the get go.

the refugium with macro algae definately is.

not the miracle mud.


my .02

 

[Wy Renegade]

Can you share some of your investigation? Not like digging up notes, just what you found? I recently traded and got a few jugs of the carib-sea stuff, and debating if it's worth dropping into the fuge on my new frag setup or not. Since I have it already (didn't pay much so figured it was worth a shot) do you see any drawbacks from it, or just that it's not everything it's cracked up to be?

See beaslbob's notes below. I don't believe that is harmful, just don't believe it is all its cracked up to be and the continued expense for the "miracle" effect is not justified. We added it to one refugium, and the growth of macroalgae in that fuge was minimally better than that of the growth of the same macroalgae planted in a fuge with aragonite sand substrate. IF I remember correctly, its not truly mud persay, but rather an extremely find sand.

I think common old play sand from home depot is just as good.

To me it is the macro algaes the make the miracal mud systems work. Some minor dosing of iron may help but still it is the macros.

Years ago hobbiests used to put some crushed oyster shells in the sand to help with calcium.

From what I hear if you are attempting sea grass (turtle grass) you need some organics in the sand and a deeper sand also. But for macros that should not be necessary.


I do remember seeing some analysis of the miracle mud and it tested to be a silica sand with higher then normal iron components.

Some of us still do (the crushed shells that is).