Microbiome fascination

[flagg37]

So I’ve been trying to keep up with the microbiome conversations on r2r. It’s some pretty amazing work being done. It got me thinking about how I want to cycle my tank this go around. I’ve always been a proponent of using dry rock and just being patient to avoid any hitchhikers.

With all the research about just how diverse mature tanks are I think I’m willing to try an alternate method. I want to buy 2-4 of the marine pure plates (the 1” thick squares) and pass them out to several of the members on here. Assuming they are willing and have a mature, pest free tank, I’d like them to house the plate in their sump for at least 2 months. Then I’ll pick them up and place them in with my cured dry rock to seed my rock as well. Depending on timing I may do this in a trough or simply in the DT if things are set up in time.

Any volunteer seeders?

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

If you got them to people, maybe they could return them to you at Reefstock 2020, March 7 and 8?

 

[Haddonisreef]

I’m willing to help just added a 8x8x4 two weeks ago.

 

[jda123]

I had to stop reading it is so ridiculous. ...man trying to control nature and thinking that we understand even an iota of what is going on... You can get all that you need from single piece real live rock - why invent the wheel when you can just make another wheel. What hitchhikers are you worried about? Most are complete urban legends - I have never had a hitchhiker and I have gotten more than 5000lbs of rock from the ocean (1000 for my own use and another 4000 in group buys and stuff). Nobody has a "pest free" tank BTW even if they do real coral QT and all of that... it is just not possible to keep all pests out. If you do find a single pest-free tank, you won't find a second one. Everybody has ulva, bubble, aiptasia or something - better to have consumers than try and not get it. I dip, remount and have a coral QT and stuff still gets in... it is fine and I expect it... but I also have stuff to eat it. Heck, coralline is a complete and total pest to me... wish that I did not have any.

There is no science in any of that, or anything even close.. most of it is from pure supposition and labels on the back of supplement bottles. You would be better off reading a reef book from Dr. Ron, or the like, where pHd(s), peer reviews, vetting and the publishing process have just let the good and reliable information get passed on - in contrast, any a-hole with a theory and the loudest voices get the run on a message board. Bacteria, chemistry and biology has not changed in the last 30/40 years. IMO, most of this discussion is idiots leading the idiots where too few have actually had a mature tank (one that they had to shut down and restart becuase their corals filled the whole space). Most of them think that nitrogen and phosphorous are "food," that corals only use the visible light range and that their apex and reactors are smarter than nature.

Do some ICP testing if you are going to put marine pure into your tank - many of them have release poisonous levels of aluminum.

When you are ready, come get a tablespoon of sand from my sandbed... and get some from a few others too - this will give you all that you need to start.

Lastly, ask yourself how those really mature tanks got diverse? They used live rock... from the ocean.

/rant - sorry

 

[Kayvon]

I agree on them leeching Al. You gotta run cuprisorb or the like when first using them in my experience

 

[flagg37]

I had to stop reading it is so ridiculous. ...man trying to control nature and thinking that we understand even an iota of what is going on... You can get all that you need from single piece real live rock - why invent the wheel when you can just make another wheel. What hitchhikers are you worried about? Most are complete urban legends - I have never had a hitchhiker and I have gotten more than 5000lbs of rock from the ocean (1000 for my own use and another 4000 in group buys and stuff). Nobody has a "pest free" tank BTW even if they do real coral QT and all of that... it is just not possible to keep all pests out. If you do find a single pest-free tank, you won't find a second one. Everybody has ulva, bubble, aiptasia or something - better to have consumers than try and not get it. I dip, remount and have a coral QT and stuff still gets in... it is fine and I expect it... but I also have stuff to eat it. Heck, coralline is a complete and total pest to me... wish that I did not have any.

There is no science in any of that, or anything even close.. most of it is from pure supposition and labels on the back of supplement bottles. You would be better off reading a reef book from Dr. Ron, or the like, where pHd(s), peer reviews, vetting and the publishing process have just let the good and reliable information get passed on - in contrast, any a-hole with a theory and the loudest voices get the run on a message board. Bacteria, chemistry and biology has not changed in the last 30/40 years. IMO, most of this discussion is idiots leading the idiots where too few have actually had a mature tank (one that they had to shut down and restart becuase their corals filled the whole space). Most of them think that nitrogen and phosphorous are "food," that corals only use the visible light range and that their apex and reactors are smarter than nature.

Do some ICP testing if you are going to put marine pure into your tank - many of them have release poisonous levels of aluminum.

When you are ready, come get a tablespoon of sand from my sandbed... and get some from a few others too - this will give you all that you need to start.

Lastly, ask yourself how those really mature tanks got diverse? They used live rock... from the ocean.

/rant - sorry

I thought you might have something to say on the subject.

I don’t think the microbiome project has anything to do with controlling anything. It looks like they are wanting to better understand what is going on. I think of it in a similar way like ICP testing. The test isn’t trying to control anything, it’s just giving you data and you can take any suitable action based off of the results.

The hitchhikers I had in mind were aiptasia, majanos, aefws, and mens. I’m sure there’s plenty more that I haven’t even thought of.

I don’t think the evidence for marine pure blocks leaching toxic levels of Al is substantiated. I’ve had one in my last tank and see no reason to have it in the next tank.