This guy has some Different views about things but alot seems to ring true
check this out about his 40 year old reef tank

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/7-paul-baldassanos-40-year-old-reef

I was wondering if any here use the reverse flow under gravel method that is discussed in this article ? And what about the feeding habits that are practiced by this guy ?

ya me to

I love reading articles like this...


it just goes again to show you that to truly be a healthy ecosystem, a little of everything should be in the tank.. (in it's proper proportions, of course)


I like the idea of the algae trough...
and the fish oil "supplement" makes sense (if his statements about fish oil and fish weight are accurate)

I love reading articles like this...


it just goes again to show you that to truly be a healthy ecosystem, a little of everything should be in the tank.. (in it's proper proportions, of course)


I like the idea of the algae trough...
and the fish oil "supplement" makes sense (if his statements about fish oil and fish weight are accurate)


+1 on all counts, GNC trip for some fish oil?:doh: I too love reading different things people are doing, and successfully keeping tanks...

I was wondering if any here use the reverse flow under gravel method that is discussed in this article ? And what about the feeding habits that are practiced by this guy ?

I haven't used this in salt water, but had a freshwater setup years ago with one.....don't remember much about it.....

I have been thinking about it ( the reverse flow under gravel) and it seems that a spur off of a closed loop with a flow control in place would work .

but like i said in the beginning of this thread i would love to look this guys whole set up over lol for a few days and pick his brain.

as far as the fish oil thing I would say that a 15 year old clown fish as pictured in his article is proof that it really would not hurt

My first saltwater tank was a 70G back in 1979 in NY and I used an undergravel filter with dolomite. I played around with reverse flow at the time but did not have a lot of success and went to using power heads on the UG in a normal flow pattern. It was up and running about 6 years before I had to break it down when I moved to Atlanta.

i may try the fish oil thing on some pellet food next feeding, i think i have some somewhere around here...i will report anything crazy...it makes ALOT of sense to me.

oh, funny what he said about the pennies. when i aquired my tank i found several in the sand i was given......found during a water change.

What about putting pennies in the tank all the time?

I,LL have to try fish oil thing

You have to be carefull when using a reverse flow UG filter. Oxygen gets used up by the nitrifing bacteria in the sand. Since denitrifing bacteria is anaerobic if he's getting denrification there is no DO getting through the gravel. Definetly need some good circulation, especially in the lower levels of the tank.

You have to be carefull when using a reverse flow UG filter. Oxygen gets used up by the nitrifing bacteria in the sand. Since denitrifing bacteria is anaerobic if he's getting denrification there is no DO getting through the gravel. Definetly need some good circulation, especially in the lower levels of the tank.

Word!

Also isn't a reverse UG filter just a super plenum? Why reinvent the wheel?

I love this article, I read it last year. The thing that stuck in my mind was the Bacteria, I think this guy lives near the ocean and gets water/stuff on a schedule. I just came back from amelia island and I struggled over whether or not to fill my cooler with sand and sludge. Think of how easy this hobby would be if we were an hour from the beach! But hey where would be the challenge in that.