DSBs into a Scanning Electronic Microscope with EDAX analyzer

[eyeinthesky]

Hello everyone,
If you are interested ... I believe for the first time samples from DSBs and skimmate have been put into a Scanning Electronic Microscope with EDAX analyzer. First samples are from a fine calcite sand (a “failed DSB” without bacterial activity), other samples are from a good running cold water DSB; finally some skimmate has been dried and put under the microscope. It is just a preview, a start to find out best practices, we’ll try to improve the job!

it's in italian

http://www.aiamitalia.it/forum/viewt...hp?f=17&t=1862

[allsps40]

It would be helpful and interesting if I could read the article.

[Stefano]

sorry, may be a mistake in authorizations... our admin is going to fix it..
try this one now

http://www.aiamitalia.it/forum/viewt...hp?f=17&t=1862

If the problem is the language... we need a bit of time to translate something. Sorry again!

[Vinny Kreyling]

Still come up in Italian for me.

[scadsobees]

Try this link - nowhere near perfect but you can get the gist....

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate...rUrl=Translate

[HighlandReefer]

Thanks for the link.

[Stefano]

Just a small experiment; in our association we are discussing about DSB, how it is running in coldwater (17°C, as to say 62.6°F). Some friends are satisfied by DSB, other less, other... nothing. I analized through SEM/EDAX an aborted DSB and I can say that with the wrong sediment a DSB can be impermeable even to bacteria; questions about modal selection of granules size. Such idea has been checked up to 20.000 magnification and with EDAX spectrometry, on several samples, but it is just a start (if somebody have some ideas... is wellcome). In any case no bacteria at all, or amorphous organic matter. BTW that DSB was characterized by a huge of mud wrapping living rocks till to dead of calcareous algae. This mud was made mostly of dust coming from the bottom (calcitic sand made artificially) and minor cyanobacteria and diatoms. Brought away the DSB (400 kg -880 lb- plus water!), changed the water and doubled the circulation rate, living rocks are blooming again and the mud disappeared. Other DSB tanks run better with low nitrate level but they have too important troubles with mud: when the DSB is running the mud seems to be made mostly of bacteria accordind to some optical microscope observations. All these tanks receive organic carbon sources (vodka method but without alchool, using acetic acid, fructose, calcium gluconate and so on - acetic acid becomes from zeovit method ) or not: with the DSB organic carbon supply seems to boost mud production, but without it there is mud anyway. Obviously on a DSB you cannot run wild you pumps . Beside such negative examples we have DSB quite good, so at the moment we are mostly thinking about a remote DSB, or something similar to Calfo's bucket. And refugia filled by algae in wich allow reproduction of small shrimps such as Palaemon and Mysis, common along our shores. Powerful skimmers, carbon supply and a remote DSB could all together contribute to maintain a good quality of water. Otherwise a huge of water changes . Besides such considerations we can see some tanks managed with internal biologic filters,small skimmers and thin gravel bottom to be wonderful, keeping gorgonians considered sensitive such as Paramuricea and Astroides for many years, reproducing Astroides by eggs (better, planulae) and with high level of nitrates.... We have still a lot to understand I believe...