Miracle Mud System

[BuckWheat]

I've read and heard about it and even seen it in action for about one year now. How much data and information on using this system is there out there? How well does it work and how does it compare to the DSB? I know it needs to be partially replaced every two years and you set it in your sump with slow flow over it and it is supposed to do the rest. What is your breakdown of this product and have you ever tried it? Here we go again!

[Geoff]

i thought it was just another name for a "DSB". or actually any SB made out of oolitic sized particles. another marketing ploy?

G~

[BuckWheat]

I think to some sort yes but not DSB because from what I've seen it is thin. For a 100g like mine it would require two bags with a total of 15 or 20 pounds. It seems to maintain a 0 nitrates level which everyone wants for a reef, no skimmer is used in this set-up but can be an option, I've seem both and both seem to be doing well.

[Spanky]

Then that makes sense BW, the finer the grain the tighter the pack, the less you need to block out O2 and create a anoxic or anaerobic zone.

[BuckWheat]

If what your saying is true then will you have the same problems as a DSB later on? Should you maintain it somehow, they claim nothing else is done. Just dump it in and let it go. The ones I saw all three has been up for almost a year with great results, nothing done, not even skimming in two of the three. In two years you suck out half and replace with new mud.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by BuckWheat
If what your saying is true then will you have the same problems as a DSB later on?

In two years you suck out half and replace with new mud.

[BuckWheat]

Then why in the heck are we discussing DSB's when this stuff is a Miracle???

[Spanky]

LOL you brought it up.

Isn't it just fine mud? I know SueT uses it. That's about it for what I know. LOL

[mojoreef]

Ahhh MM. this is actually not a bad concept, as the fine mud is to be replaced every years or so. The way it is set up is not as efficient as a DSB. but still works for denitrification. The concept is that water flows through a sump and into a bioball chamber. This are will build up bacteria that will process ammonia down to nitrate and then the nitrate filled water pours inot a chamber cantaining the MM. This is very fine stuff and the anoxic zone is very close to the surface, so at this point the nitrates get processed. Concept is ok because they ask u to replace the MM every year or so, so a build up shouldnt be to much of a problem.
For me thier are a couple of catches. One, the MM is really expensive. the other is that the contents of the MM are really scary. lost of Heavey metals and other contaminants the just scare me away from it. Here is a link to test on what the stuff is really made of.
http://www.inlandreef.com/MManalysis.html

Mike

[Spanky]

So you're saying it's a poor mans denitrator?

[mojoreef]

I guess you could look at it this way, lol. You really have to see the contents though. One of the main contents is Iron and a boat load of it. They incourage the use of macro algaes,I wonder why, lol


Mike

[Spanky]

Stop the presses. Remember the conversation we were having about "metal eating bacteria"? What is the one thing that kicks them off and causes accelerated growth?

IRON

Wonder if the iron content is causing the mud to create anoxic zones faster? Normally, denitrators take a very long time to get established because it takes so long for the anoxic areas to build up. If this iron content is causing it to speed up, that would allow people to use them faster and get results faster.

[mojoreef]

Hmmmm could be. R U concidering the setup of the bacteria in this zone when you are saying creates or the fact that it goes anoxic??

Mike

[RWD]

I just wanted to add the IME Southdown also contains iron. I did a little experiment with a large magnet. I opened a new bag of Southdown sand and poured it through a funnel with a magnet in it. Sticking to the magnet was a lot of small iron or other type of metalic particles. I'm not sure how the iron got into the sand, maybe in the processing?

[Joel]

I looked into Miracle Mud for a VERY brief moment til I saw the price. That particular lfs is very pricey anyway but I didn't look twice. Southdown is the way to go for me. Until I hear numerous rave reviews about it anyway. Then I may consider taking out a loan to put some in my sump.