40g Long Naturally sun-lit tank

[karimwassef]

Wow... plastic baggie with a clump - express mail

Think about it.

 

[cksss]

Wow... plastic baggie with a clump - express mail

Think about it.

i've been wanting to do that, but had a hard time securing them to rocks. The chances of loss pieces surviving are lower under in-experienced hands. Also driven by the fact that they need high-flow. I tried binding them to rocks with strings and they took very long to attach naturally :fun4: Tried superglue but critters living in the Ochtodes didnt like the approach.. maybe will try again

 

[karimwassef]

I'm good at securing things to rock.

 

[cksss]

I'm good at securing things to rock.

haha thats great! would love more suggestion on securing the Ochtodes

 

[karimwassef]

I'd need to see and touch it first. Personally, I'm a big fan of hole anchors and zip ties around short spans.

For example, I'll drill a small hole and fill it with epoxy putty and and superglue with an opening in the middle of that mess for the branch... once it's in, I apply more superglue so the base is packed.

Also, the same idea but horizontal works too + zip ties around branches so it's basically tied down at multiple points at once and superglued at the base and head in a hole.

I use this for stubborn sea fans that need to be blasted with flow but anchored down like the dickens!

 

[phobos2deimos]

I've had fantastic luck with ochtodes and Hypnea Pannosa by simply stuffing little chunks into the nooks of my rock, or by rubberbanding it to chunks of rubble. It roots in just a bit and holds fine. That stuff grew like weeds in my "prop fuge" and IIRC shipped surprisingly well.

Pretty cool to see it react differently to different light colors and intensity.

 

[cksss]

omg! thanks for the tips!
I am sure selling these 'weeds' r very profitable

I've had fantastic luck with ochtodes and Hypnea Pannosa by simply stuffing little chunks into the nooks of my rock, or by rubberbanding it to chunks of rubble. It roots in just a bit and holds fine. That stuff grew like weeds in my "prop fuge" and IIRC shipped surprisingly well.

Pretty cool to see it react differently to different light colors and intensity.

 

[cksss]

Photos of the tank inhabitants taken early in the morning before feeding time when the fishes are most hungry and ironically most active.

One of the mandarin pair hunting for pods in the macros forest

Added an Koran Angelfish recently

The most elusive fish to photography, the starry blenny

The green macros here get snapped up by the tang and angelfish real fast! Fortunately they grow fast in the sump too

 

[psidriven]

Any tips for growing ochotodes? I have some and can't seem to grow it. Its in a sps tank so should be enough light and flow.

 

[cksss]

Any tips for growing ochotodes? I have some and can't seem to grow it. Its in a sps tank so should be enough light and flow.

It could be lack of certain nutrient? My macros wont be happy (stops growing or starts dying) if the NO3 is below 5ppm, and these are what i've been dosing twice weekly

 

[psidriven]

i'll test n&p tomorrow and consider dosing iron. thanks and go s'pore!

 

[karimwassef]

Install a wet dry bioballs trickle filter... guaranteed to generate nitrates

 

[cksss]

Happy New Year everyone!

Here is a quick status of the tank as of Jan 2018.

Lost lots of Ochtodes too due to failed experiment in 're-planting' them. Will continue the experiment again when they're in bigger mass. Lost all the greens too due to hungry fishes, these are planted only today and not expecting them to last. Fortunately, the backup greens grow fast in the refugium.

 

[bigfoot77]

cksss, your tank thread is both informative and inspiring.

I will be setting up something similar hopefully within the year. I quit the hobby a few years ago but am planning to be back soon with a macroalgae tank instead of the more common reef tank (corals). Trading and keeping corals are actually illegal in my country. I've kept corals in reef tanks in the past but have decided to be more "law-abiding" this time.

Your posts, and those of others here, are a great source of information.

 

[JZinCO]

agreed. the tank seems to change regularly and each iteration is visually appealing.

 

[cksss]

I'm glad the information have been useful, and hope that you'll enjoy it as much as we do

Its not only more environmental friendly, it is also cheaper to run and more fuss-free!

cksss, your tank thread is both informative and inspiring.

I will be setting up something similar hopefully within the year. I quit the hobby a few years ago but am planning to be back soon with a macroalgae tank instead of the more common reef tank (corals). Trading and keeping corals are actually illegal in my country. I've kept corals in reef tanks in the past but have decided to be more "law-abiding" this time.

Your posts, and those of others here, are a great source of information.

Thank you

agreed. the tank seems to change regularly and each iteration is visually appealing.

 

[BonesCJ]

I added the same kind of filefish to my macrotank about a month ago, has adjusted to it very nicely, great fish!

 

[cksss]

I added the same kind of filefish to my macrotank about a month ago, has adjusted to it very nicely, great fish!

oh yes, it keeps the tank aiptasia free :dance:

 

[cksss]

The much beloved Starry blenny past away recently Sharing the last photo taken of this mysterious dude. Its favourite activity was basking in the sun and chilling on the Ochtodes. It happened soon after an RBTA was added, could it be related?

Gotten 3 fan worms for this dirty tank. They look better in a cluster in my opinion.

And a sneak peek of upcoming macros/mangrove for the display tank. This is a photo of the refugium aka seaweed incubator. It consists of the following..

• Red Mangrove
• Caulerpa Racemosa
• Caulerpa Serrulata
• Caulerpa Prolifera
• Ulva
• Some tiny Fern Caulerpa which i can't ID

 

[vlangel]

Sorry to hear about the starry blenny. The fan worms look very nice in a cluster and I like how both the display and sump are progressing.