I will always believe Shimek over any author, and hear is why: the man is a
scientist. He and Eric Borneman are changing the way hobbyists mantain
their tanks and there are certain people(like you all) that perfer the older
methods who continually bash them and "rip their theories to threads"(ie
Kent Marine). There are thousands who have embraced Borneman and Shimek's
theories and have much better reefs to show for it. I have subscribed to
this list since around December and the people on this list seem a bit
outdated. Shimek has sicence to back up his theories, what do FAMA and
their outdated writers have? Just this month they have an article on
plenums and how to make one for your anemone tank. I wouldnt pay $0.10 for
a copy of that crappy magazine. As for not including nutrient export in his
articles, any tank needs nutrient export, not just a DSB tank. With the
correct amount of sandbed critters there should be no dead spots and with
macros in a sump your nitrates should be at zero. As for higher
temperatures, have you studied the temperatures in the wild? I suppose you
also keep your salinity at 1.022? Shimek's whole premise it to more closely
copy nature's filtration, and many are having success, dont believe me, go
to any popular bulletin board and look at how many tanks there are with
DSBs. I'm tired of defending these theories, go ask the man himself at the
next MACNA. A few of the outdated reefers in his workshop tried contesting
his theories and were shot down fast and hard by scientific answers that
made their heads spin and turn red. But what's a theory without
expirementation? I encourage you to try DSBs with the proper requirements
they are a cheap, effective filtration.
IMHO
Andrew
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marco Delsordo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2001 6:27 PM
Subject: RE: silica sand ?
I agree with Shane, a coral substrate to maintain the buffer and calcium
levels is a good idea.
Don�t ever listen to "authors" that have no idea of what they are talking
about, and make their theories in what they think is funny, like Shimek. Or
the ones that only want to sell.
You all should read Martin A. Moe, in his book Marine Systems and
Invertebrates he makes a serious study about susbstrates, and all your
doubts should be covered.
Marco
-----Original Message-----
From: Shane Clays [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Viernes, 31 de Agosto de 2001 05:10 p.m.
To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
Subject: RE: silica sand ?
hhhhmmm. Interesting. Personally, and this is just me and an opinion, and we
all know they saying about opinions, but I am not really on the Shimek
bandwagon. As a matter of fact, I dont really agree with most of his
theories. He has advocated keeping reef tanks at 82-83 degrees for a while
now, and about 6 months ago, one of "the authors" of one of the magazines
just ripped his high temp theories to shreds. This author (cant remember his
name or which mag it was in) also ripped many of his deep sand bed, set it
up and just ignore it type theories apart too. I dont agree with Ron and his
sand bed theories, and although he may have had success with them, I think
he leaves many things, specifically what you have to do to properly set up
and support one of the sandbeds, out when he is advocating them. As I had
mentioned in my giant email a few days ago, he says you need some type of
export mechanism to export nutrients. I had read his material and had never
read that at all until I emailed him to "debate" some of his theories.
The whole concept of the calcium based substrate leaching calcium back into
the water for corals to use can be, and from what I have seen, is completely
valid. The way it is supposed to work is that as the oxygen levels in a
sandbed lessen with depth, the pH in the sandbed is lowered as well. At a
certain point (7.2 I believe) the water is acidic enough to actually
slightly break down the alkaline, calcium based substrate. Through slow
osmosis, the water, along with the calcium and alk buffers are released back
into the water, thus becoming bio-available for the animals in the system.
Usually, the amounts released are so slight that we need to continue
supplementing our systems, but from what I know, it does in fact occur.
The point is, the pH deep in the sandbed and the pH in the tank are
completely different, or at least are supposed to be. That is why the
calcium can become available with out melting the corals.
I know you were just relaying what he said, so please dont take this as a
personal thing. This is just what I have read and seen.
IMO,
Shane C.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Dillard [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2001 2:45 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: silica sand ?
>
> have to jump in hear, silica sand is fine for use in a DSB, just ask Dr.
> Shimek yourself. Also, as I heard at MACNA calcium based sands are in
> fact
> not acting as a buffer. This is a myth as Dr. Shimek said, "if your
> calcium
> based sand is actually dissolving in your aquarium, then your corals
> should
> be melting as well." Dont beleive me, ask the Dr. at reefcentral or
> reefs.org
>
>
> IMHO
> Andrew
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2001 5:18 PM
> Subject: Re: silica sand ?
>
>
> > I wouldnt use it either, the thing about it causing diatoms is bull it
> wont
> > dissolve readily enough with the pH our tanks are maintained at. The
> problem
> > is silica sand causes problems with pH youll have a helluva time trying
> to
> > keep your pH and alk stable.
> > ________________________________________
> >
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