Using nature/Limestone and Mangrove Mud 5/10/13
Dear Wet Web Media,
<Hello Alyssa>
 I live off the West Coast of Florida. I am setting up a new 265 gallon system. A beach nearby has tons of limestone rock everywhere. If I cured this, would it be safe to add to my tank? I have a 40 gallon refugium and another spare 40 gallon tank that I plan on making a Mangrove refugium with a deep sand bed. Is it ridiculous to consider using "real" mangrove mud? I can't seem to rule out these options in my readings and thought I should go to the source.
<Well the limestone/dolomite is certainly safe to use but you run the risk of bringing unwanted microorganisms into your system.  Would be best to let the rock bleach in the sun for a week or so to ensure no living organisms are on or within the rock itself and then go through the curing process. 
As far as the mud, I would just buy some Miracle Mud or similar product.>
Thanks!
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Alyssa

DIY Ecosystem sump... I want to build my own ecosystem mud filter utilizing an old sump that is about tie size of a 20g tall aq. Is this to small ? <That should be fine although the larger the 'fuge, the better.>  I am trying to save a few $$$ but if I half to I will build a bigger sump. <Wouldn't hurt, I suppose it would depend on what size tank you're filtering.>  If this is a  sufficient size, how much mud should I use. <Follow Ecosystems recommendations on mud depth> What type of light/bulbs goes on top of this? <Standard output daylight fluorescents should do the trick, PC's will work great also. Good luck w/ this project! -Kevin> Thanks, Kevin V.

Re: Diy ecosystem Sorry I forgot to tell you that I'm filtering a 75gal.  Will the 20gal refugium still be ok? <Yep, should be fine. -Kevin> Kevin V.

Mud In His...Sump! Hi, <Hi there! Scott F. with you!> I was wondering about a filter for a 60 gal. reef tank. I wanted to get a mud filter for in the stand. I looked a the Amiracle and the Ecosystem. both are very expensive. Can I make one myself or would it be better to just buy one? If I can make one do you have any info on how to. Thank you, Brian <Well, Brian- it is certainly possible to construct one yourself. It really depends upon your skill level at DIY projects. Personally, I like to purchase my major system components as "off the shelf", but you can certainly make your own! There are lots of cool plans for these systems on the internet. The oft-recommended site ozreef.org is just one potential place to look for more information. Have fun! Regards, Scott F.>

Miracle Mud with Aragonite or Mineral Mud?   1/3/07 I have a 55 gallon main tank that is using an approximately 15 gallon wet/dry/refugium sump.  I have 5 lbs. of miracle mud in the refugium with a live rock and some Chaeto.  I know I should double the amount of miracle mud but it is just so expensive.  I was thinking of using mineral mud or some aragonite.  Which would be preferable? <Mmm...>   Should I layer it or mix it together? <I would mix it> Since the miracle mud has already been in the refugium for a while, will mixing cause an ammonia/nitrite spike when I add the new substrate? <Not likely> Should I turn the pump in the sump off for a little while to allow things to happen in the refugium and not go into the main tank, then do a water change? <A good idea. Bob Fenner> Re: Miracle Mud with Aragonite or Mineral Mud?   1/3/07 I was wondering which you would recommend as far as the mineral mud or the aragonite to supplement the miracle mud. <Mmm, the best would be more of the one product... Leng Sy's EcoSystem Aquarium mud... but the other two might be mixed in... No preference, by L'Oreal. Bob Fenner> Idea I had an idea after reading one of the posts on your message board and I did not know where to go with it. The post was concerning the CPR hang-on refugiums. I looked it up in one of my catalogs to see how big it was and noticed how expensive and small they are. I then thought about it and had an idea to use a Hagen Aquaclear 500 as a refugium.  <The "other shoe" is about to drop on these approaches... know of a couple of folks/companies looking into hang on, injection-formed containers... thank goodness... the price of such is about to plummet> I have done something like this before, but without lighting it. I just filled the basket with liverock rubble and it worked rather nicely. <Yes... Pete and I experimented with these (with/out skimmers, CO2 injection, different types of biomineral/alkalinity reactors, macro-algae, substrates (natural and not) for the last years... You've never visited here as I recall.> The current idea is to retrofit the lid into some sort of hood/light. They should sell well under the CPR units of comparable size. What do I do with the idea?  <Sold! Do check with the Chuas at All Seas for fab small CF lighting fixtures at very reasonable pricing here...> I could try to build one myself and write something up for one of the trade magazines (probably FAMA as they are the only one I have noticed will use brand names in their articles). Or should I approach Hagen directly? <We should talk... and you might want to chat all this up with Leng Sy (Ecosystem)... your idea has been "kicked around" for quite a while... and you will need something proprietary, semi-spectacular to at least notable to get beyond marketing...> I am not looking to become a manufacturer or become rich off of this one idea, but I do not want to see these in stores and get nothing either. <I will send this note to Peter.C (biz associate, partner in fun) for his input. His thought was to have the bodies of his/our units OEM'ed in Mexico, over the border... but have talked with Jason.K (Aqua-C) re jigs, fashioning at least the first few hundred, thousand units in the U.S. to make sure they're a go-er... As stated above, there are folks who want to have something like the Tetra-Tec HO unit body injection molded overseas... you should get hot on this if you intend to do anything... Bob Fenner> Thank Steven Pro