Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!elan.utah.edu!hutching
From: hutching%elan.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Brad Hutchings)
Newsgroups: alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: Live Rock
Keywords: saltwater, reef
Message-ID: <1990Jan16.095100.19367@hellgate.utah.edu>
Date: 16 Jan 90 16:51:00 GMT
References: <1990Jan15.170416.28220@agate.berkeley.edu> <3510@cpoint.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Utah CS Dept
Lines: 31

In article <3510@cpoint.UUCP> alien@cpoint.UUCP (Alien Wells) writes:
>In article <1990Jan15.170416.28220@agate.berkeley.edu> markh@sag4.ssl.berkeley.edu () writes:
>
>Having never (yet) done a mini-reef tank ... I can't help you with a lot of
>your question ... but ...
>
>>In 4-6 weeks I'll have a reasonably well seeded 
>>bacterial bed and I'll start to disconnect the UGF, siphon out gravel, etc.  
>
>Let me get this straight.  You had a working tank with a few fish and a UGF.
>You then added a trickle filter, and you plan to disconnect the UGF as the
>trickle filter gets established?  Sounds risky to me ... make sure you are
>very gradual about it, slowly decreasing the flow through the UGF until it
>isn't doing anything ...
>
>
>Good luck.
>-- 
>--------|	With Altzheimer's Disease, every day is a new day!
>Alien   |   		- Earl McKennon
>--------|     decvax!frog!cpoint!alien      bu-cs!mirror!frog!cpoint!alien

Ack! Don't reduce the flow through the undergravel filter gradually
or otherwise. You risk the development of anerobic areas in the gravel
bed. A much safer way to make the transition is to remove a handful of
gravel every other week or so. Just leave the UGF setup as is. When the
gravel has been completely removed, you can safely disconnect it.
It is always a good idea to test the water regularly during the transition
to assure that you are not removing too much gravel, too soon.

Brad