125g 2 in 1 Seagrass Reef
- Thread starter ThePurple12
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ThePurple12
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Thanks for the kind words!
ThePurple12
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Sorry, I forgot the pictures. Here're some
I found this unknown NPS coral washed up on the beach while I was on vacation in Florida two years ago. I brought it home with me and I've been feeding it Reef Chili coral food every few nights. It hasn't grown at all, so I should probably feed it more frequently.
FTS, you can see the new 14k MH bulb in place of the 10k. I like it so far.
Clowns loving the magnifica anemone
2 of my 9 bubble tip anemones (started with 2 bubble tips 2 years ago and they split) hanging out under the overflow box.
Nice pics! I bet there are a lot of reefers checking out your tank, with an eye to try something similar.
Indo-Pacific Sea Farms (ipsf.com) sells mini strombus snails that are small enough to clean your grasses, and reproduce prolifically to match the food source. These snails alone may be the biggest factor in my success(?). First pic, top right looks like dinoflagellates on some of the grasses. The same thing happened to me. UV, manual removal, pods, snails and mollies did the trick for me. A Fighting Conch may help keep your sand bed clean.
In your FTS, is one MH light 14K and the other still 10K? What wattage? What are the dimensions of your tank?
I'm really digging your scape!
Indo-Pacific Sea Farms (ipsf.com) sells mini strombus snails that are small enough to clean your grasses, and reproduce prolifically to match the food source. These snails alone may be the biggest factor in my success(?). First pic, top right looks like dinoflagellates on some of the grasses. The same thing happened to me. UV, manual removal, pods, snails and mollies did the trick for me. A Fighting Conch may help keep your sand bed clean.
In your FTS, is one MH light 14K and the other still 10K? What wattage? What are the dimensions of your tank?
I'm really digging your scape!
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ThePurple12
New member
Thanks for all the advice!
I will look into the mini strombus snails, and I’ve actually been thinking about getting some mollies for a while. Maybe I’ll pick some up from Petco tomorrow.
The light on the coral side is a 14k and the seagrass side is 6500k, both are 250w. Tank is 72” x 18” x 21”.
I will look into the mini strombus snails, and I’ve actually been thinking about getting some mollies for a while. Maybe I’ll pick some up from Petco tomorrow.
The light on the coral side is a 14k and the seagrass side is 6500k, both are 250w. Tank is 72” x 18” x 21”.
Happy to help!
On the mollies, if you don't want babies, get only males or females. If you do, get one male and the rest females, to spread the sexual harassment around.
Ispf's strombus are kinda pricey, but once they've reproduced to bigger numbers, and they're keeping your grasses and macros clean, the price feels justified.
The 14K looks good!
On the mollies, if you don't want babies, get only males or females. If you do, get one male and the rest females, to spread the sexual harassment around.
Ispf's strombus are kinda pricey, but once they've reproduced to bigger numbers, and they're keeping your grasses and macros clean, the price feels justified.
The 14K looks good!
ThePurple12
New member
I got some white mollies 2 days ago from Petsmart. I bought 3, supposedly a male and 2 females but I didn't have a good look at them, acclimated them to salt for 4 hours, then dropped them in the tank. They were all swimming together, sticking to the surface of the water. They looked stressed, but that was to be expected.
The next morning I found 2 of the mollies swimming around in the corner of the tank. Where was the 3rd? I looked around and saw a fleshy white chunk sitting on a gracilaria bush. I looked closer and found that it had scales. It looked exactly like a headless and tailless molly...
I assume it got eaten and partially regurgitated by one of my 10 anemones, because really that's the only explanation. I have no big fish other than an engineer goby, which still isn't big enough, and I have no crabs or anything like that. Any other ideas?
Anyway, the remaining 2 mollies are very shy and I think are just starting to become bolder. They're eating well, and have just started to eat some algae from the glass.
The next morning I found 2 of the mollies swimming around in the corner of the tank. Where was the 3rd? I looked around and saw a fleshy white chunk sitting on a gracilaria bush. I looked closer and found that it had scales. It looked exactly like a headless and tailless molly...
I assume it got eaten and partially regurgitated by one of my 10 anemones, because really that's the only explanation. I have no big fish other than an engineer goby, which still isn't big enough, and I have no crabs or anything like that. Any other ideas?
Anyway, the remaining 2 mollies are very shy and I think are just starting to become bolder. They're eating well, and have just started to eat some algae from the glass.
ThePurple12
New member
Michael, I think you were right. Those are dinoflagellates that are plaguing my seagrass, not cyano.
I think I'll wait for now on the mini strombus snails just because I don't feel like paying $50 shipped for 6 of them, but if the dinoflagellates continue for much longer I'll probably get some.
I think I'll wait for now on the mini strombus snails just because I don't feel like paying $50 shipped for 6 of them, but if the dinoflagellates continue for much longer I'll probably get some.
Could the mollie have gone through a powerhead? I hope your other two do ok.
Yeah, they're kinda pricey at ipsf.com. I got lucky and spotted some in my LFS's tank, and bought them on the spot.
Yeah, they're kinda pricey at ipsf.com. I got lucky and spotted some in my LFS's tank, and bought them on the spot.
ThePurple12
New member
None of the powerhead slots are big enough for a molly, otherwise that would explain it.
I'll be at a family reunion for the next 3 days, so I guess I'll try a tank blackout while I'm gone and maybe set up the algae turf scrubber at least temporarily. Lately, if I don't remove the dinos at least 2-3 times a day, the seagrass blades will die. I think the algae scrubber will outcompete the dinos and that could be the reason I didn't have dinos earlier.
I guess I'll leave the scrubber on and maybe dose nitrates until the seagrass gets established... if I can find the scrubber's screen!
I'll be at a family reunion for the next 3 days, so I guess I'll try a tank blackout while I'm gone and maybe set up the algae turf scrubber at least temporarily. Lately, if I don't remove the dinos at least 2-3 times a day, the seagrass blades will die. I think the algae scrubber will outcompete the dinos and that could be the reason I didn't have dinos earlier.
I guess I'll leave the scrubber on and maybe dose nitrates until the seagrass gets established... if I can find the scrubber's screen!
KingOfAll_Tyrants
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Very cool. My tank (plans posted here many months ago) still hasn't taken off, but I'm moving towards a half "reef" (simple reef for now) half seagrass setup. More details once I actually get a tank setup...... (we're doing a lot of rennovation in the living room of the 2BR/2BA apartment now. I'm thinking of setting up a tank in some obscure nook. Either way, build thread will come once tank is setup........).
How deep is your sandbed?
How did you get the Johnson seagrass and codium? I'm not finding them commercially, though I do local source for Thalassia and Syringodium from someone who grows it locally (4 inch sandbed no less).
And I guess the next question, just out of curiousity where in VA are you? (i'm in Fairfax)
How deep is your sandbed?
How did you get the Johnson seagrass and codium? I'm not finding them commercially, though I do local source for Thalassia and Syringodium from someone who grows it locally (4 inch sandbed no less).
And I guess the next question, just out of curiousity where in VA are you? (i'm in Fairfax)
ThePurple12
New member
Nice, another seagrass tank. I'll be looking forward to a build thread!
Sandbed is about 3".
I definitely had trouble getting seagrass. I got the Johnson's from Floridapets last summer, but who knows when/if they'll get it again. I was very surprised/excited to see it in stock. I would send Floridapets an email, maybe they'd get some just for you. The Codium came from someone on Craigslist, but you shouldn't have too much trouble finding some. I think someone's selling some on eBay.
I'm in Christiansburg.
ThePurple12
New member
Sad news- I found the cleaner wrasse shriveled up on the floor. I had a screen on the tank, but it must've jumped out of the opening in the back beside the overflow. It was one of my favorite fish.
And some good news- an LFS ordered a male bluestripe pipefish for me. I picked it up the day before the 3-day blackout. It took an hour or 2 for it to find the female, but once they saw each other, they immediately became a pair, swimming together. Fast forward to today and the male is carrying eggs! I'll be ready on the 4th night to catch the larvae and transfer them to my 5 gallon fry tank, possibly along with some clownfish larvae.
As for the 3-day blackout, the dinos were gone for a day but are now back and plaguing my tank more than ever before. Every time I clean the seagrass blades (2-3 times a day) a few leaves fall off. The depressing thing is, the leaves that are falling off look green and healthy. At this point, no grazer will be fast enough to make a dent in the dinoflagellates. I need to get a new pump for the algae turf scrubber, but once it arrives I will set the ATS up in hopes of it outcompeting the dinos.
And some good news- an LFS ordered a male bluestripe pipefish for me. I picked it up the day before the 3-day blackout. It took an hour or 2 for it to find the female, but once they saw each other, they immediately became a pair, swimming together. Fast forward to today and the male is carrying eggs! I'll be ready on the 4th night to catch the larvae and transfer them to my 5 gallon fry tank, possibly along with some clownfish larvae.
As for the 3-day blackout, the dinos were gone for a day but are now back and plaguing my tank more than ever before. Every time I clean the seagrass blades (2-3 times a day) a few leaves fall off. The depressing thing is, the leaves that are falling off look green and healthy. At this point, no grazer will be fast enough to make a dent in the dinoflagellates. I need to get a new pump for the algae turf scrubber, but once it arrives I will set the ATS up in hopes of it outcompeting the dinos.
Sorry to hear about your wrasse. I need to get my screen done.
Good to hear about your pipefish! Very cool fish. Having a pair must be amazing!
No hard and fast rules for beating dinos, since there are many varieties. Mine responded to UV. It takes weeks but works. Also I employed fast growing Ulva to outcompete and soak up any extra nutrients. Pods were also helpful. Lots of pods, an army of reproducing snails, and mollies all contributed.
The ATS might work. Makes sense. Provides competition for nutrients. I'd add predation/grazing and food reduction.
Good to hear about your pipefish! Very cool fish. Having a pair must be amazing!
No hard and fast rules for beating dinos, since there are many varieties. Mine responded to UV. It takes weeks but works. Also I employed fast growing Ulva to outcompete and soak up any extra nutrients. Pods were also helpful. Lots of pods, an army of reproducing snails, and mollies all contributed.
The ATS might work. Makes sense. Provides competition for nutrients. I'd add predation/grazing and food reduction.
ThePurple12
New member
Thanks Michael! If the ATS doesn't work, I'll bite the bullet and buy some snails.
ThePurple12
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Hey Michael, do you know if alkalinity affects seagrass? It’s affecting my corals, at least. My alkalinity has been running at around 5.5 for months now. I’m going to start dosing baking soda regularly.
I'm a little fuzzy on the science, but yes, I think boosting alkalinity benefits seagrass, by making bicarbonates more available. The grasses can use them to make CO2, which is their preferred form of Carbon.
ThePurple12
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Wow, maybe that's the solution! We'll see...
ThePurple12
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Nice, are you doing seagrass?
