Inside the Lair of Ecosystem Aquariums

The Eco Store in Laguna Hills, California is world headquarters for Ecosystem Aquariums and the lair and lab of founder Leng Sy. I paid a visit early last fall after being nearby at Reef-A-Palooza and was stunned at what I saw. it still weighs on my mind. Past the front counter, I entered a hanger with a large showroom of aquariums running Ecosystem Mud filters. These were big tanks - 600 gallons here, 400 there and several against the walls on both sides. A lounge area complete with a couch is found in the middle of this and from there I stood and tried to process what I was seeing. My senses were going hay-wire. What follows is a recollection I've been reliving often ever since.


The Lair of Ecosystem Aquariums


Ecosystem Aquariums Founder Leng Sy

I first noticed the fish - they were large and colorful - undeniably healthy. Tangs that looked like they could mow your lawn. I've been so hung up on corals lately, I've forgotten how awe-inspiring big fish can be. Finally I began to notice the corals. The acroporas had polyp extension that made me want to back away slowly from the tank. The softie tank had bucket-size leather corals. Something was in this water.


Big tangs in a 400 gallon Eco reef

Incredible as all of this was, there was something that would affect me much more profoundly - it was the sound of silence. Imagine being within arms reach of several large aquariums with open sumps and trying to have a conversation. You'd think you be would shouting over the din of the numerous pumps common in many setups these days. Yet Leng and I were able to speak normally. After some time this occurred to me and I joked to Leng that my 30 gallon nano was louder than his whole showroom. I was not completely joking. In my mind it was debatable. The low decibel level contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the aquariums. It was relaxing. And that's what aquariums are supposed to be about, right?


A typical Ecosystem sump


Viewing the open sumps, it was apparent that the Ecosystem method keeps it simple. There were no pellet or GFO reactors - no skimmers - no carbon, in fact there was little more than a sump with an 1 inch deep section of Ecosystem Aquarium's Miracle Mud in a baffled middle section with some caulerpa over it and a sump pump. Some setups didn't even have caulerpa going, they just had mud. Furthermore, there were not a lot of auxiliary pumps running in the display tanks either. No need for a lot of DJ power strips on these tanks and no doubt the electric bill is a lot lower for it. Couple this with the thriving aquariums I saw and you have the 'miracle' of Miracle Mud to me. I was quite taken by this. It was truly the K.I.S.S. principle.

I did note that one piece of hardware found over all these tanks were halide lamps - no LED wizardry going on in Leng's lair. Just big 400 watt halides with Ushio 10k lamps and nice - very nice - reflectors. It reminded me how good reflectors are often over-looked. A mistake one should not make.


Serious halide reflectors abound



A Lay of the Land

The aforementioned giant leather corals were in an incredible 400 gallon aquarium that has been running since September of 2010. It is lighted by one 400 watt 20k and one 400 watt 10k halide lamp to demonstrate deep and shallow water reefs with coral placed accordingly. I noted nice polyp extension on the gonipora.






Next to the 400 is a 150 gallon old school Martin Moe Surge aquarium. This place was fun. I enjoyed watching this tank go through a few surge cycles.








I should note that this is really Leng's laboratory as well. He had several 'A B C' aquarium setups going testing different configurations. Some with skimmers, some with live rock and even a test of competitor's mud VS. Miracle mud. Leng Sy is not a figurehead - his hand's are wet so to speak and he is a hobbyist as you can imagine from keeping all these aquariums running. By the way, I didn't see any ATOs on these aquariums either. "Oh this one takes 5 gallons a day, that one 1 gallon…" Wow, I guess when you are tinkering all day on them it is no big deal.


Leng is testing competitor's muds VS. Miracle Mud


A 600 gallon Ecosystem Aquarium

Just outside the lab area is a real show-stopper - a beautiful curved 600 gallon aquarium that towered over my head. Oh man was this nice. I nearly rubbed my nose on the front of it. It was a new setup - only 4 months old at the time, but already I was seeing some nice coral growth and it contained the acroporas with the scary polyp extension I mentioned earlier.


A 600 gallon Ecosystem Aquarium


A few other things really impressed me about this tank. First of all, it was snowing inside. Snowing plankton that is. Zoo, phyto, pods - to be honest - I am not sure what all I was looking at but there were little squirmies everywhere. An unreal amount of fish and coral food breeding on its own. Secondly, a majority of the current in the display tank was driven by a single Tunze Wavebox. I am amazed that one Wavebox could move water in a tank this size. But it was. Wow.

Lastly and perhaps most impressive, just look at this sump:


Just a sump pump and a couple UV sterilizers. That's it for hardware in a 50 gallon sump with 60 pounds of Miracle Mud as the main filter. Not even a refugium. I was floored. Leng keeps the big 3 in line with Ecosystem A B C dosing ( the C is carbonates and trace elements) and 5 gallon water changes a day. Yep, 5 gallons. Check out his water change setup below. Keeping it simple!


5 gallon water change station



The Eco Mini Aquarium

For us normal guys that can't go this large, I got a good look at the Eco Mini aquarium at the front counter - an all included, very nice nano that comes in 14 and 28 gallon sizes with thick curved glass. The Eco Mini has a built in the back filter that houses mud trays and caulerpa with an LED refugium light. The display is lighted by a HQI halide pendant. This tank was cool. It was also completely silent. Great coral growth and the fuge was going nuts.







These Eco Mini's run about $400 without the halide, but the quality was there and they sure are clean. I like them a lot.



Miracle Mud Overview (from ecosytemaquariums.com)

Miracle Mud is the original refugium mud substrate developed by Leng Sy in late 1989. Miracle Mud is comprised of up to 80% oceanic mud, harvested from deep ocean water and then dried on land. The remaining 20% is a formulation of minerals and trace elements that make Miracle Mud a true MIRACLE.

• Miracle Mud continuously replenishes the mineral and trace element concentration in the aquarium, making this the most comprehensive filter medium available.
• Miracle Mud is the most efficient denitrifying filter medium for the money. While other comparable products require a minimum 6-inch deep sand bed for denitrification to occur, you will need only 1 inch of Miracle Mud, making it the least expensive filtration medium available today!
• Miracle Mud reverses Hole-in-the-Head disease!
• Miracle Mud helps maintain the vibrant coloration of corals, invertebrates and fishes in the reef aquarium!
• Not only is the EcoSystem Miracle Mud filter an efficient denitrifying and stand--alone unit (no protein skimmer required), it is also the most comprehensive filtration system on the market!

Miracle Mud® is a product of EcoSystem Aquarium®. Miracle Mud is comprised of up to 80% oceanic mud, harvested from deep waters, and is then dried on land. The remaining 20% is a formulation of minerals and trace elements that make Miracle Mud a true "MIRACLE."

The mineral and trace element composition is as follows:
Aluminum, antimony, barium, beryllium, bismuth, boron, bromine, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesium, chromium, chloride, cobalt, dysprosium, erbium, europium, fluorine, gadolinium, gallium, germanium, gold, hafnium, holmium, indium, iodine, iridium, iron, lanthanum, lithium, lutetium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, niobium, osmium, palladium, phosphorus, platinum, potassium, praseodymium, rhodium, rubidium, ruthenium, rhenium, samarium, selenium, silicon, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, tantalum, tellurium, terbium, thallium, thorium, thulium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, ytterbium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium.

Video Overview:

My Miracle Mud / Ecosystem Method Notes

- the mud is a big [STRIKE]denitrifier[/STRIKE] de-nitrater that has been spiked with a lot of essential elements that get picked up by corals requiring a 50 % change of mud once a year (initial batch will go 2 years)
- 10% water changes monthly
- skimmer is discouraged - if you run one, Leng says to run it on a timer only a few hours a day
- live rock discouraged
- deep sand discouraged
- caulerpa optional but if used, run light 24/7
- dosing only needed if keeping an SPS tank. Ecosystem dosing elements look interesting.

- 10 lbs mud for 40 - 65 gallon aquariums
- 20 lbs mud for 70 - 95 gallon aquariums

- the Eco Mini comes with a iron-based phosphorous reducer
- Leng uses salt based on Tropic Marin's German mix
- Leng uses Ushio halide bulbs




My Impressions

My preconceptions about Miracle mud aquariums were that they were 'dirtier' with yellow water. This was not the case. I saw some carbon polishing going on, but many tanks did not have anything and were very clear. ( Except for all the pods!) I also thought that is was expensive. The mud is expensive initially ($79.99 for 10 lbs.), but most average setups won't require more than 10 - 20 pounds of it. It last 2 years, then you replace half. So ongoing maintenance cost is low and if you think about all the pumps, reactors, skimmer and everything else you don't need, that initial cost is not bad at all. If you have a sump already baffled out for a refugium, you can save a lot of money over buying an Ecosystem sump which are pretty expensive.

I went into the Eco Store not knowing a lot about the Ecosystem method of filtration but I left so impressed that I wanted to learn a lot more about it. Leaving that store, I just knew that Leng was doing something right. His setups were uncluttered, extremely quiet and thriving. That is a big 3 right there. That sure made me think about my current setup. And if you visit the Eco Store, I bet you will think about yours too.

matt




The Eco Store is by appointment only.

Eco Store
23262 Verdugo Drive
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
USA

Email: [email protected]
Website: Eco Store
Work Phone: 949 - 581 - 8888


More on Miracle Mud at Ecosystem Aquariums:
Miracle Mud®

 

Wow! Thanks for sharing Matt!

 

Too cool! Do you know how old his oldest tank is?

 

Awesome!

 

Wow. Great write up Matt. Definitely something to look up to. Id love to see it in person. Thanks for sharing!

 

i might try it with my fuge! Cant hurt right?

 

Cool write up Matt.

That looked like Eric Bornemans Flush Box on the surge tank. I've thought about building one a few times. My luck it would develop a leak and run into the lighting.

 

Yeah I always wanted a surge too. Would probably be a hard sell though.

I asked Trent...

I did note some old tanks from around the world highlighted on their YouTube channel. FYI.

Thanks all! I was up a bit late with this report. Glad you liked it.

matt

 

thank you so much for sharing matt. this was an awesome write up.

 

really looking to get one of these hob miricle mudd systems. thinking of getting rid of my crappy fluval 305 and just run one of these on a 40gal breeder tank. checked the price online not too shabby.