Tampa Bay Saltwater "the recipe" with the Eco Syst

[Zayetsfoot]

hello everyone,

What do you think about the Tampa Bay Saltwater "the recipe" system?:
http://www.tbsaltwater.com/package.html

I want to do this, but I also like the looks of the Eco system:
http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/html/ecosystemmethod.html

My LFS has quite a few tanks set up with the eco system and they love them (of course they should love them, they sell them)... but I have talked with other owners and they all like them too.

But here are a couple of my concerns.

1) The Eco system says that you shouldn't have more than 1inch of sand bed in the main tank. My research shows me that any less than 4inches of DSB and it is worthless. It wouldn't hurt if I had more than 1inch would it. I mean it would not take anything away from the what the eco system is doing???

2) The Tampa bay "recipe" Says that you will need a protein skimmer. opposite of what the Eco system says.
"It does not require a Protein Skimmer or activated carbon to purify the water. It keeps the water well oxygenated through the photosynthesis of Caulerpa and entirely eliminates the need for air pumps" ........quote from their web site.

Should I get a skimmer anyway? Better safe than sorry right? I cant imagine a skimmer would in anyway hurt anything, and I the skimmer is already in my budget.

3) How much sand would I need for a 4" DSB? Is there a formula for this? I am getting a 135 gallon tank (i wanted to save money and get a glass, but I will now be getting an acrylic) I just need to know how much sand I will need for 4 inches

Thanks everyone. The last question I asked helped out a lot! Thank you

Jason

[phistio]

first off, i'm quite fond of TBS...they've been int the business a long time...if you ever get the time read their history on their site...that had to (and still do) go through a lot of red tape to make a living.

however...i don't always agree with TBS "packages". some seem to be "overpacked" with stuff you may not need or want...

as for the DSB question, i'll let some one else chime in...i only have a 1.5" sand bed.

[Zayetsfoot]

I have heard that about TBS from other post. Many people do not agree with the amount of blue hermits that would come. (270 for my 135 gallon tank)

What do you think about the Eco System without the protein skimmer?

Jason
8)

[matrixnyc]

Zayetsfoot, here are some answers to the concerns you had about the Ecosystems Tank:


How much Live Sand or Crushed Coral do I put into my Main Tank????
In an Ecosystem tank the purpose of the substrate is for decoration only!!!! The substrate does not contribute to the filtration of the system. Our experiments indicate a base of 1" or more could become a nutrient sink and could produce an undesired effect. The Nitrites and Phosphates will become high, an Algae Bloom could occur, and maybe Hydrogen Sulfide Gas. We recommend the substrate in the main tank be limited to 3/8" or less. We also recommend siphoning the substrate to remove detritus and regular water changes.

Adding the Skimmer will not have a negative or a positive effect on your tank. The Ecosystem is a natural filtration system and does not require a skimmer or carbon. You would be better off saving the money and spending it on livestock.

[matrixnyc]

What are the dimensions of the 135 gallon tank?

[Zayetsfoot]

the dimensions of the 135 gallon tank is 60x18x36tall

[phistio]

jason...

what made you decide to go with acrylic? :D

[david]

from past readings,
I would agree, 1" or less sand, and save money on no skimmer, for future mud purcheses.
I beleive your supposed to replace 1/3 every so often.

many people still used a skimmer, but agreed it seem to just made them feel safe.

[Zayetsfoot]

phistio,
***is that a little bit of "i told you so" in your voice that i hear!?!?!**** :wink:

I decided to go with acrylic because i figured that as long as I had the money I might just as well. I know I will be more satisfied in the long run, and since I have been planning this forever......I am going to spoil myself.

David,
Thanks for the post. I will save money for now and skip the extra sand and skimmer. I have talked with some other people with the eco system that have added a hang on skimmer to the eco system later. That will be a plan "B". Only if I descover that I need one.

Thanks guys!

[matrixnyc]

Zayetsfoot, did you decide to go with the 4" setup or the 1"

Here is the amount of sand In Lbs.

4" 240 Lbs. of Sand

1" 60Lbs. of Sand

[phistio]

no...not the" i told you so"...more like the "did i have anything to do with that"??? i guess i was more surprised that i might have had any influence.

in the long run, i think you'll be pleased! :wink: :D

[Zayetsfoot]

matrixnyc,
I do not have the ls, lr yet. I will be going with 1". That seems to be what everyone is recomending with the Eco System.

phistio,
I had my mind made up to get an all glass. After your post I started really thinking about the difference between glass and acrylic. At first I was just thinking about the money. After reading what you said I started looking at the other benifits. Like i said.......I decided to spoil myself!

Jason

[HoopsGuru]

In the Ecosystem method, the substrate is much more than decoration. This is actually a key in getting the macroalgae thrive. It is very high in iron which help enrich the plants. Now do agree with it....NO! The same results can occur by just using sand and dosing with iron if your macro does not do well...rather than paying ridiculous amount on some "miracle".

I would just go with a 4" DSB. It is the simplest, most inexpensive, yet efficient filtration used in the hobby today. Don't contribute to companies trying to rip of the hobby. HERE (http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/SandBed.htm) is a sandbed calculator.