mirical mud/protein skimmer

[bjftanker]

I am trying to find out more about this mirical mud stuff. Im thinking about putting it in my 75 gallon reef setup.Is it better than a protein skimmer? Do you just put it in the bottom of your sump? Where can i get some? Any information about it is appreciated>

 

[ste2k3]

Here's a link to the ecosystem aquariums home page who supply the mud.

MUD

you can run a skimmer and mud, or either on there own. IMO, there is no better system.

ste

 

[Navarre]

I run a mineral mud system. No skimmer and i cannot recomend it enough. You will need a macro algea to put in the sump with the mud as its the algea that actually deals with the nutrients, (the mud helps add vital eliments to promotefaster growth and keep the water stable).

My readings were as follows .

Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate less than 0.2 (it has moved from 0.0 over the last week but i have added alot of new things too)

Phosphates 0.0

PH 8.3

Calcium 460
KH 11

And this is in a system that has not had a single water chnge since May 2004

 

[bjftanker]

So will i have to buy another sump to run mirical mud? I allready have a sump that is setup with the bioballs. Would i just stick it in the bottom where my pump is? I read the artical above and it sounds very interesting... I like what i am hearing.

 

[Navarre]

If you have a sump al;ready then i recoend you add mineral mud. SImply put the mud into a chamber and if possible add a layer of aragonite on top (not essential but advisable) then get some macro algea to put in the sump and keep the sump lit 24/7. It doesnt have to be special lighting, even a household bulb will suffice. Its just to give a constant "Daytime" period for hte algea to grow... this continual daytime also helps stabalise PH too

 

[ess17]

Navarre, do you use bio balls in your sump with the mud? Is this how it is supposed to be done? When I start my tank I would like to use mud, but I am confused at what the sump setup should look like.

Thanks!

 

[Navarre]

Yes i do use bio balls in the sump.
Eco systems say this is because the balls help break u p micro bubbles but i feel that the balls are used to create nitrate.
Bioballs are extremly efficient at breaking down ammonia and converting nitrite to Nitrate. Placing these in the section just before the mud section means that the balls are providing the macro algae with nitrates for it to be broken down and thus finish the cycle.

 

[leon]

somthing like this!

when running

youll get loads of sponges growing on the bio balls, and the sump is a good place to keep troublesome fish for a while or other things, i have a peacock mantis shrimp in mine.
Leon.

 

[scottknight]

Those pictures are fantastic. Thanks for posting them. The system differs from others I have seen in that final section. What is the purpose of the blue foam pad as opposed to another pair of bulkheads? Doesn't it stop pod migration?

EDIT: Oh, and is that a light hanging in there as well?

 

[leon]

The blue sponge is called matala matting, it very course, stiff of plastic meshing, its just a form of filter to make sure on stray bits like algae go into the return chamber and block the return pump, it also helps house a huge abundance of pods, sponges, squirts ect, pod migration is pointless, the return pump will mash anything taken back up to the main tank. Luckily i have 105kg of live rock, so that keeps the population going in the main tank. Its also lit 24 hours by a D&D twin T5 lighting unit, abit more than it actually needs, as navarre said, they can be lit by a regular house bulb with no differnce at all!.
leon