Display tank at UnderWaterWorld, Taunton

[Bao]

Hello everyone,

I went to UnderWaterWorld with couple friends over the weekend and was very surprise when I see their big display tank in the front. The tank has few big fishes and few big sps colony as well. Their corals in that display tank is very colorful. BUT they don't have any method to export nitrate and phosphate. I looked under the tank and its just an empty sump with some sand or mud.
They don't use skimmer, no gac, no gfo, no algae scrubber, no bio pellet, no chaeto.
The tank is about 265 gallons.
The owner change 30 gallons every two weeks and dose cal, mag, and alk. Everything is normal here.

So how do they export nitrate and phosphate?? Does anyone know?
I see some hair algae on the rock which means that they have nitrate and phosphate but SPS are very colorful and growing.

The tank has about 3 inches of sand and alot of live rock. Does sand and alot of live rock actually help to lower phosphate?? I know they help with nitrate.
Everything that I have read, they all mentioned that you have to have some way to export nitrate and phosphate but this tank doesn't have any method to export and their sps are still growing and very colorful.

The more I read, the more confused I get. Does SPS require very clean water with close to zero nitrate and phosphate? Or they can survive in a bit dirty water and if you leave them their long enough, they will adapt to the condition and thrive like in this display tank??

Thanks,
Bao

 

[stingythingy45]

Changing water exports no3 and po4.
But I'm not familiar with this tank,I have no idea what the bioload is.
So a small amount of fish and mostly corals with that amount of water volume would be possible.

 

[JayM]

SPS don't do well long term in 'dirty' water, and phosphates are especially bad.

his water changes may be his nutrient export. Doesn't seem like it would be enough, but that's just me.

 

[Bao]

He has maybe 4 big tangs and one big Koran Angel and many smaller fishes. The tank has been running for many years. It is kind of going in the opposite direction in term of nitrate and phosphate export but it does work for him. I tried a setup like that for many years and certainly didn't work out for me.. And I changed more water and run a skimmer also.

 

[NeverlosT]

small bioload, lots of very well seasoned live rock, nice sand bed, and regular small water changes. The algae that does exist in there probably consumes just as much phos and nitrates as his fish/feeding produce. It appears to be a system in balance.

In my experience, a little bit of nitrates and phosphates are desireable, otherwise SPS tend to be so pale and pastel. Im into deep rich colors.

I think his key to success is resisting the urge to mess with it a lot and add a ton of fish. He just lets it keep chugging along.

 

[s_kelley]

His sump used to have a ton of macro algae in it.

 

[Underwater World]

Bao

The DT is a 265 gal and has a 75 gal refugium on it. We cut back the macro algae on it and then the next day the Refugium light broke. Of course the one I like to run was on B/O for two weeks. The light is back on it and the macro algae is growing back. The tank has zero No3 and Po4. We do a 30 Gallon water change each week, not every two. Also the algae in the DT is not hair algae but it is bryopsis.

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions please feel free to call me at the store.

Thanks
Greg

 

[JayM]

That clears up a lot Greg...thank you!

 

[Bao]

Thanks for answering my questions.
Sorry about the misunderstanding, I thought it was 30 gallons for every two weeks.