RE: [APD] RE: preventing algae

["Thomas Barr" <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

> You mentioned a coil denitrifier. I know what denitrification is, but have
> never heard of a "coil denitrifier." If it is not too much trouble, can
you
> please tell me more about this? What is it and how does it work?

Uses a drip through a long coil and allows denitrification to occur in the
anaerobic tube(near the end) as it progresses and loses O2 from aerobic
bacteria along it's pathway. You can search the internet on them. Sponge
columns can do the same thing, they use to sell batch denitifyers etc.
Plenums do this same thing in reef tanks but that's being replaced by
refuguims(marine plant filters). 
I fiddled with some about 15 to 20 or so years ago. But why do I need
something that removes NO3? Haha, that's what the plants do and they do it
better, cheaper and easier than other methods. I brought the darn things
and then made an algae scrubber and then a plant filter.
The plant filter won out over the 3.
 
So I really have no further use for any of those toys. 

I have not used them in many years so I have little knowledge of available
methods today. If anyone ask me how to remove PO4 or NO3/NH4, it's going to
be with plants whether it's SW, Brackish or FW tanks.
That;s the whole concept behind refugiums which are perhaps the more
popular method in reef keeping today.
Basically a plant filter. 
FW folks don't really do much with it except as the main theme, but a FW
plant filter is a great thing.
Tunze, Hydrologix make specific plant filters and any NTF style hyroponic
unit can be converted into a plant filter.
 
> I sensed the tone of your email was a tempered one. I appreciate that.
While
> I do not generally respond well to flaming or negative reinforcement, I am
> (after all) Earnest, and I do warm up readily to honest information.

Some take me to be a crotchety old fart on the internet.
 I come off gruff at times, argumentative, onrous and other good qualities.
But I really don't take things personally, it's about the issue with the
plants/algae.
I will get wound on that issue, not people/personal issues. If something is
not right and I'm sure, I will say so. I am direct about it also. I am dead
wrong sometime also. 
I think many feel intellectual arguement and personal attacks are the same
thing, they are not. I was not raised that way, you can still like someone
and disagree intensely over something. But which side makes the most sense?
I let folks decide that for themselves. CO2, salt water, non CO2,
substrate-water column issues etc.
 
But I wanted to encourage you to post and others also that seldom post.
Make mistakes,that way we learn. 

I think people are scared to say things and then they get jumped on by some
fool like me and then several folks do not want to post.
That is not my intent and I am very likely guilty of doing this on more
than one ocassion! Then other folks get mad at me for biting the head off a
new person and throw Tom atos at me:-) Jeeze, I's never do that in million
years _in person_. 

My goal is to get more planted tanks in the homes and to have quite simply,
the utter domination of the World by planted tanks. 

> Thank you again for your sage direction. It means a lot to me. Maybe in 10
> years I will be more even keeled, maybe with a somewhat tempered
enthusiasm,
> and be able to provide much more sound advice.

Naw, it's just a thing we all go through. I tried a bunch of snake oils and
did the same path.Anyone that has been around for 10 or more years has. 
Just trying to help some other folks not make these same mistakes as we did
in the past. Just don't repeat the same mistakes and problems. 
Fortunately, I got lucky. If you get into it, you can do pretty darn good
in about 1-2 years now on average.
Some very nice tanks are being achieved by relatively new folks in the
hobby, many have 1-4 years or less.
15 years ago it would have been very difficult to do much of this and
certainly would have been very tough to repeat.
Now, anyone that wants to do it can. 

Nice layout for the DIY for the Emp 400 in your attachment.  

Regards, 
Tom Barr

> Until later,
> Earnest Steve (steve Coach)



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