Nutrient export methods, especially mangroves

KleineVampir · Dec 29, 2019

When I first started I thought I could keep everything under control with just chaeto. Then I basically got GHA and still haven't gotten rid of it! Though keep in mind this is a 0 water change system. That said, I'm always looking for nutrient export methods!

What eventually happened is that the chaeto got a lot of GHA on and in it, also it got cold once when my overflow stopped working. Either way, it died. But now I have a nice skimmer instead. I also have 2 "bio-block" marine pure type blocks. Only counts as nutrient export if it's actually denitrifying I guess! Also I have situated some knitting canvas under my nice bright light I got for the chaeto in the hopes of growing some algae sort of like a algae scrubber. It's definitely growing some algae but I haven't "roughed it up" since honestly I just don't have the right tools for that. Or maybe I do somewhere but I'm not aware of it.

Anyways the knitting canvases are just a little something for the meantime and a little experiment to see if you can just put knitting canvas under a light and call it an algae scrubber. (Huge if true!) But soon I'll have 10 mangrove propagules. And no idea what I'm gonna do with them when I get them! Do the tops have to be out of the water? If so I could probably figure something out.

Is there anybody out there with experience on how much nutrients mangroves can export? My idea is at least they won't have the hair algae problem like with chaeto. But I get the impression they uptake nutrients a bit slower. Still, I find chaeto to be a bit too fussy for my liking. And maybe not the best for ultra-high nutrient systems since GHA will just outcompete it right on top of it.

Also after I try the skimmer + the mangroves...and then probably the skimmer + even more mangroves, lol....Where do I go from there? Algae scrubbers? I want to do this naturally without something like GFO or carbon.

EmdeReef · Dec 30, 2019

Unfortunately mangroves growth is too slow to be a significant nutrient export, unless in very large numbers.

Scrubber_steve · Dec 30, 2019

KleineVampir said:
Anyways the knitting canvases are just a little something for the meantime and a little experiment to see if you can just put knitting canvas under a light and call it an algae scrubber. (Huge if true!)

LOL

Goodair · Dec 30, 2019

You need alot of mangroves for a export, amd they also require strong lights. Try ulva if chaeto doesn't work. If you have gha in the tank, no macro will get rid of it, it would compete with it and it might not grow as out of control.

Scrubber_steve · Dec 30, 2019

Goodair said:
If you have gha in the tank, no macro will get rid of it, it would compete with it and it might not grow as out of control.

I have to disagree here. My scrubber got rid of the gha & cyano on my rocks completely. Only Coralline grew after that. This is the difference between effective algae filtration, & say, some knitting canvas under a light in a sump, or poorly growing chaeto.

Goodair · Dec 30, 2019

Scrubber_steve said:
I have to disagree here. My scrubber got rid of the gha & cyano on my rocks completely. Only Coralline grew after that. This is the difference between effective algae filtration, & say, some knitting canvas under a light in a sump, or poorly growing chaeto.

Coralline took the space gha would take (the end goal most people want), if a tank has just gha and little to no coralline, it would not go away. Like a fowrl tank with low alkalinity.

KleineVampir · Dec 30, 2019

Scrubber_steve said:
I have to disagree here. My scrubber got rid of the gha & cyano on my rocks completely. Only Coralline grew after that. This is the difference between effective algae filtration, & say, some knitting canvas under a light in a sump, or poorly growing chaeto.

So you think algae scrubbers would be a reasonable step? I have about 0 idea on how to plumb it or how it's gonna work but I do have a guy who helps me with the plumbing of my tank. That said there's no more room in my sump.

Scrubber_steve · Dec 30, 2019

Goodair said:
Coralline took the space gha would take if a tank has just gha and little to no coralline, it would not go away.

It did in my case do exactly that. Coraline I didn't have, gha & Cyrano I did.

Scrubber_steve · Dec 30, 2019

KleineVampir said:
So you think algae scrubbers would be a reasonable step? I have about 0 idea on how to plumb it or how it's gonna work but I do have a guy who helps me with the plumbing of my tank. That said there's no more room in my sump.

There's various ways to plumb in a scrubber. I feed mine with the tank overflow, passes through the scrubber then into the sump.

Goodair · Dec 30, 2019

I had that problem when my tank was fish only with low mineral salt, my alk was 5-6 and gha wasnt crazy but was noticable. Since start corals, better saltand added t5s, coraline started to grow and the gha is slowly becoming less and less, the snail are keeping it back and making room for the coraline. Haven't changed anything in my sump, chaeto grows steadly. This is just my experience and will probally be different for you.

Goodair · Dec 30, 2019

Also, I've noticed you need to keep the gha short for the snails/urchins to eat it, long strands they will ignore.

ccombs · Dec 30, 2019

Mangroves aren't the most effective nutrient export. Although I like the look when people do 'forests' of them. They are more complex organisms than GHA and they don't take up as many nutrients.

KleineVampir · Dec 30, 2019

EmdeReef said:
Unfortunately mangroves growth is too slow to be a significant nutrient export, unless in very large numbers.

Very large numbers you say........Lol.

My current idea, though it might not happen immediately, is that for the price of a 3-500 dollar algae scrubber, I could have a huge 50 gallon rubbermaid tub fulla mangrove trees. My plumber guy says there's a way to run it like a second sump though I have no idea how that would work! I'd be remiss if I didn't share this guy's setup (since it's like exactly what I want to do except probably without as many mangroves.) :

Scrubber_steve · Dec 30, 2019

KleineVampir said:
Very large numbers you say........Lol.

My current idea, though it might not happen immediately, is that for the price of a 3-500 dollar algae scrubber, I could have a huge 50 gallon rubbermaid tub fulla mangrove trees. My plumber guy says there's a way to run it like a second sump though I have no idea how that would work! I'd be remiss if I didn't share this guy's setup (since it's like exactly what I want to do except probably without as many mangroves.) :

I see he has a home made ATS

KleineVampir · Dec 31, 2019

Scrubber_steve said:
I see he has a home made ATS

Yeah...I really need to figure out plumbing.

Oh yeah, here's some upside to not having the chaeto around...I can try vibrant. Anybody think I should do that? Would be a nice change of pace from going into the tank with a toothbrush and whipping up an algae cataclysm.

Goodair · Dec 31, 2019

It's worth a shot, do you have any corals?

Turbo's Aquatics · Dec 31, 2019

I have an old Algae Scrubber Basics guide I wrote several years ago and posted in a bunch of places (including here) then a few years ago I just put it on a freebie website:

Algae Scrubber Basics - Overview

I'm in the process of revamping my business website (step 1) and then I'm going to work on a section which envelops this old zoho site, along with a bunch of updates for the DIYers and such - basically a broad knowledge base or compendium of everything algae scrubber.

But in the meantime, you can use the link to the zoho page, it's mostly still accurate.

Or ask questions on the dedicated thread here:

Algae Scrubber Basics

Dedicate Algae Scrubber Basics website (freebie site, why not): http://algaescrubber.zohosites.com/ Just joined here, I have the same username on several other forums. Not everyone is on multiple forums so I figured I would join up here and share expertise and tips on DIYing Algae Scrubbers...

www.reef2reef.com

KleineVampir · Jan 4, 2020

Really weighing my options here as to whether I should get a scrubber or a mangrove tub. Something tells me you guys would say get the scrubber! But man are they one of the most overpriced things out there.

KleineVampir · Jan 4, 2020

Goodair said:
It's worth a shot, do you have any corals?

I do. Not a ton but I do have some. GSP, monties, some zoas. That's it actually!

KleineVampir · Jan 4, 2020

The thing about trees is that they get most of their bulk (in carbon) from the CO2 in the air. So yeah to an extent they don't rely on your water's nutrients that much. I guess that would make them pretty inefficient nutrient export methods. I just wish somebody out there could tell me what a 50 gallon tub will do for your tank. There's an update to the video I posted, and there is algae growing all around those trees. Somehow that isn't very convincing. And he said he didn't even notice the difference in the tank. Maybe I'm starting to lean more towards scrubbers.