Live rock + DSB - how the heck?

If ithere is the proper amount of LR and LS then as the compounds are
created little by little they are inerted just as quick and easy.
Overload the system or cut back on live rock to the point its not more
than or an amount that is necessary to handle the bio load and odds
are you will then see ammonia levels show up.

In al my years of fooling with marine fish, I have yet to ever see
ammonia or nitrite levels show up on a test in an established matured
tank, even if tank did suffer a dead critter unbeknown to me. I tend
to go below suggested BIO load, with livestock stocking rate and also
to go above when it comes to live rock.......but have never been a
fancier of DSB. None of mine are over 1.5" with most at 3/4 to 1"
or so at most. I do go very heavy on liverock however.......

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:52:43 -0500, Add Homonym
wrote:

Been running my systems with no mechanical or chemical filtration for
some time, relying soley on live rock and sand for bilogocal filtration.

It works quite well.

My current system keeps nitrogenous waste levels at zero (or close
enough that none of my tests detect them)
ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, all 0.

Prior to this, I had sponge filters and some charcoal in a hang on tank
power filter. Ammonia and nitrites would be 0, but nitrrates would
fluctuate between 5 and 20. (*I still had the DSB and live rock at that
time)

What I don't get is this: It was explained to me that the problem with
intense biological filtration is that it works to well, hence the
nitrate buildup. That makes sense. But if you slow things down, relying
only on live rock and sand for the first two stages, so that the
anaeobic bacteria in the sand and rock can keep up with killing the
nitrates, why do you not see at least a slight rise in ammonia and or
nitrites?

I suppose i should just be happy that it works, but I don't entirely get
why...



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I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!