Restarting my 322

[illumnae]

This weekend I'll be restarting my 322. Since I decided to upgrade to a bigger sump, I figured I would just reboot my entire tank, which was getting algae problems. Gave away all my live rock and will be throwing away all my old sand. My new sump will be delivered this weekend and the tank will be cleaned and filled with new live sand and live rock. Intend to seed bacteria from Prodibio and MicroBacter7 during the cycling process.

I intend to use the Polyplab system to reduce nutrients in the tank, and eventually start Grotech ABC+M after a few months when I start stocking corals.

I have a few queries on my setup:

(a) When should I start dosing the Polyplab system? During the cycle from day 1? Or only after I start putting in fish and corals?

( Do I need to run anything else in a reactor on my system? Would it be beneficial to run biopellets and rowaphos in addition to the Polyplab system? How about GAC?

© The new sump design comes with a refugium. What should I be putting in my refugium if I want to be mainly cultivating pods for Mandarins? I read on reef central that for pod culture, just live rock rubble is sufficient. However, elsewhere it states I should also have a DSB and chaeto. Other places also recommend Miracle Mud or similar substrate products. With the Polyplab system in place, what's good to put in the refugium?

(d) Keeping the above in mind, is the Polyplab system still necessary for me? Would refugium alone or refugium + biopellets work better to keep my nutrients ultra low?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Evolutionz]

since polyplab are just carbon dosing, maybe you should start polyplab after your cycling is done. i don't think you need to run biopellets. you'll still need to run rowaphos.

do remember to post pictures of your new tank!

[MarcoVan]

I'll go do polyplab when my tank has stablised. It's carbon dosing and don't expect a bang on a new tank.

Given a choice, I'll only use the bacteria source as seeding, minimal food source, leave tank to complete cycle, stabilise, softies growing, sps growing healthily with purple rocks then carbon dose.

Control of nutrients be done through water changes, carbon and gfo in the meantime.

Else you might get a wreck ahead.

[Evolutionz]

agree with macovan, running carbon is important. im running rowacarbon on my tank tgt with rowaphos in a TLF 150 reactor and using vinegar as carbon dosing. nitrates are at 1 - 2ppm. po4 at 0.

[nicreef]

oo vinegar dint know can use that too... nice

[MarcoVan]

agree with macovan, running carbon is important. im running rowacarbon on my tank tgt with rowaphos in a TLF 150 reactor and using vinegar as carbon dosing. nitrates are at 1 - 2ppm. po4 at 0.

Vinegar is better to use with kalk. Maintain ph and calcium with kalk and carbon dose through vinegar.

Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

[sherman]

Vinegar is better to use with kalk. Maintain ph and calcium with kalk and carbon dose through vinegar.

Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

Totally agree with Bro Marco Van