Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank
- Thread starter Michael Hoaster
- Start date
I've been making an effort to get some descent pics of Zippy the Gardener, before he grows up and turns blue.
I offered him nori today. Didn't even taste it, as far as I saw. He seems to get plenty of food, eating a variety of flora all over the tank. The grammas are learning that his grazing stirs up plankton. Kinda symbiotic.
I've been observing the would-be fathers. I have seen no actions by either of them that would indicate any form of egg-tending. They sit like they always do, in their barnacles. So, either they don't tend the eggs, or there are no eggs, because they did not spawn. Now that I think about it, it seems like the males would have disappeared into the shell with her to 'take care of business'.
So maybe this was a rehearsal, or maybe she was evaluating their accommodations. Later, I saw her flirting with the other wall-dwelling blenny, who did the same dance moves the other two had done. This would suggest I have three males and one female. That's usually disastrous, but these blennies are perfect gentlemen. I'll keep an eye on them.
I'm seeing improved growth in the caulerpa. Hopefully in time to keep my equilibrium dream alive! The tank seems to be adjusting to the added bio load of the new fish well. The plants get new sources of nitrogen and carbon dioxide and phosphate. The fish get oxygen, food and structure.
I offered him nori today. Didn't even taste it, as far as I saw. He seems to get plenty of food, eating a variety of flora all over the tank. The grammas are learning that his grazing stirs up plankton. Kinda symbiotic.
I've been observing the would-be fathers. I have seen no actions by either of them that would indicate any form of egg-tending. They sit like they always do, in their barnacles. So, either they don't tend the eggs, or there are no eggs, because they did not spawn. Now that I think about it, it seems like the males would have disappeared into the shell with her to 'take care of business'.
So maybe this was a rehearsal, or maybe she was evaluating their accommodations. Later, I saw her flirting with the other wall-dwelling blenny, who did the same dance moves the other two had done. This would suggest I have three males and one female. That's usually disastrous, but these blennies are perfect gentlemen. I'll keep an eye on them.
I'm seeing improved growth in the caulerpa. Hopefully in time to keep my equilibrium dream alive! The tank seems to be adjusting to the added bio load of the new fish well. The plants get new sources of nitrogen and carbon dioxide and phosphate. The fish get oxygen, food and structure.
You can see in some of the pics, he's getting a brownish stripe thing going. It gets more or less visible, depending on his mood. In addition to being pretty, he's become a very important member of 'the crew'. I watched him for a considerable length of time over the weekend. He grazes all over the tank, including the substrate.
One of the great things about tangs, is they seem to be more intelligent than your average fish. He really is a character and has become the star of the show, for sure. And the way he prunes the macros looks way better than anything I (used to) do. I am so happy he has relieved me of this duty-just as I had planned!
As cool as it is that he eats from the tank flora, I'd like to be able to supplement his diet. So far, I've tried broccoli, sinking algae discs, and nori. I've been on the lookout for a good herbivore flake food, which has a plant as its first ingredient, rather than fish meal. In the meantime, I'll give nori another try.
One of the great things about tangs, is they seem to be more intelligent than your average fish. He really is a character and has become the star of the show, for sure. And the way he prunes the macros looks way better than anything I (used to) do. I am so happy he has relieved me of this duty-just as I had planned!
As cool as it is that he eats from the tank flora, I'd like to be able to supplement his diet. So far, I've tried broccoli, sinking algae discs, and nori. I've been on the lookout for a good herbivore flake food, which has a plant as its first ingredient, rather than fish meal. In the meantime, I'll give nori another try.
I looked around, and New Life Spectrum AlgaeMax 1mm Sinking Pellet Food looks like the best option. It has a variety of macro algae, which sounds like a good idea. It seems a little pricey, but it's doable.
Zippy finally tried the nori. Barely touched it. He prefers his food au naturale-not roasted.
Zippy finally tried the nori. Barely touched it. He prefers his food au naturale-not roasted.
This morning I had the bright idea of using a headlamp to look into the barnacle shells. I could only see into one and I couldn't see all the way around in there, but I saw no eggs. One thing I noticed different was that it was squeaky clean in there. It used to be full of algae.
So I guess what I witnessed the other day wasn't sex, but was probably foreplay.
So I guess what I witnessed the other day wasn't sex, but was probably foreplay.
sam.basye
New member
Lol, you are a strange one Michael...
Do you think you will be able to keep up with the macro growth when the tang is full size?
Really, I'm the strange one? OK…
I kind of doubt I'll be able to keep up with it for that long. It'll be neat to see how long I can go. If I can get it back to the explosive growth rate I had a little while back, it's possible. It's hard to imagine him full size! They do get pretty big.
Right now I'm just enjoying the show! And not having to prune!
I kind of doubt I'll be able to keep up with it for that long. It'll be neat to see how long I can go. If I can get it back to the explosive growth rate I had a little while back, it's possible. It's hard to imagine him full size! They do get pretty big.
Right now I'm just enjoying the show! And not having to prune!
I'm seeing an uptick in caulerpa growth. I may be able to keep pace with Mr Zippy's appetite after all. Nitrate dosing is helping.
One thing I've noticed is that when I suspended (nitrate) water column dosing, in favor of substrate fertilization, I didn't see any uptick in growth rate in my grasses. If anything they slowed down. Since these plants are slow growing, it's hard to pin down what helps and what doesn't. Also there is the weather factor. Seagrasses decline in the colder months. We just had to replace our furnace and were without one for two weeks. I had a space heater in the room but I know the tank was affected.
So when I posted awhile back that substrate dosing was responsible for the sudden asexual reproduction in my manatee grass, I may have been wrong. I now suspect that it was the water column dosing all along. I was reading through some of my notes, and found that they prefer root uptake of phosphorous and leaf uptake of potassium and ammonium. So maybe I'll try substrate dosing with a high phosphate plant tab and water column dosing with ammonia. Yikes!
One thing I've noticed is that when I suspended (nitrate) water column dosing, in favor of substrate fertilization, I didn't see any uptick in growth rate in my grasses. If anything they slowed down. Since these plants are slow growing, it's hard to pin down what helps and what doesn't. Also there is the weather factor. Seagrasses decline in the colder months. We just had to replace our furnace and were without one for two weeks. I had a space heater in the room but I know the tank was affected.
So when I posted awhile back that substrate dosing was responsible for the sudden asexual reproduction in my manatee grass, I may have been wrong. I now suspect that it was the water column dosing all along. I was reading through some of my notes, and found that they prefer root uptake of phosphorous and leaf uptake of potassium and ammonium. So maybe I'll try substrate dosing with a high phosphate plant tab and water column dosing with ammonia. Yikes!
This fish is pretty and he knows it. He chases his own reflection. Not because he thinks it's another tang, he just likes to watch himself.
Yes, I am a strange one.
Even though I had a general idea how keeping a harem of royal grammas would go, I was completely blown away by the reality of it. The group dynamics are so much fun to watch! I've got like a poor man's anthias school going on here, but with much more durable fish. And they really took to the gramma caves. I couldn't have done such a big harem without them. And there's plenty more caves for new fish too!
Even though I had a general idea how keeping a harem of royal grammas would go, I was completely blown away by the reality of it. The group dynamics are so much fun to watch! I've got like a poor man's anthias school going on here, but with much more durable fish. And they really took to the gramma caves. I couldn't have done such a big harem without them. And there's plenty more caves for new fish too!
Michael,
With respect to marine sea grasses, how much of their nutrient uptake occurs thru the leaves. As a avid vegetable gardner, I always fertilized the foliage.
From what I've read, it appears that seagrasses are adaptable to variable conditions. In nutrient poor waters, they increase root biomass to uptake substrate nutrients. In nutrient rich conditions, like my tank, they uptake more through their leaves. I wonder if that's why my grasses tend to get tall.
In my struggle to favor the grasses over the macros, I've been substrate dosing. Now that I have the blue tang, I have resumed water column dosing to accelerate the macros growth again. So, I'm still experimenting.
As I mentioned above, I will next try some plant tabs, containing phosphate, for the roots, since that's how they prefer to get phosphorus. Their preference for leaf uptake of ammonia is tempting me to try ammonia water column dosing-a scary proposition in my tank with fish and a few inverts. If I were to attempt it, I would of course start with a very low dosage. And I'll go ahead and get fitted for a straight jacket…
In my struggle to favor the grasses over the macros, I've been substrate dosing. Now that I have the blue tang, I have resumed water column dosing to accelerate the macros growth again. So, I'm still experimenting.
As I mentioned above, I will next try some plant tabs, containing phosphate, for the roots, since that's how they prefer to get phosphorus. Their preference for leaf uptake of ammonia is tempting me to try ammonia water column dosing-a scary proposition in my tank with fish and a few inverts. If I were to attempt it, I would of course start with a very low dosage. And I'll go ahead and get fitted for a straight jacket…
Well that makes me feel a little less crazy. Does your 55G tank have any fish and/or inverts?
Oh yeah, from the FTS thread!
I'll have to give it a try. I guess with all the new fish, I'm essentially, already dosing ammonia.
I'll have to give it a try. I guess with all the new fish, I'm essentially, already dosing ammonia.
The caulerpa may have pulled ahead of the tang today. I completely opened the ball valve on the main pump today too. Things were getting just a little too leisurely. Now the current is a little crazy! The sand at the right end of the tank is moving again. And there's a weird vortex in the corner that pulls down air bubbles. I may have to back it down a scosche.
sam.basye
New member
Don't wanna make life too easy... Gotta make them work for it. 
I know it's a little late for this, but..
It may have been a good idea to set up two tanks and test your column vs substrate dosing hypothesis so you aren't (educated) guessing at this point. lol
You could always set up two small tanks and try it so they are in a controlled environment and column dose one and substrate the other to find out for sure which the grasses like most.
I know it's a little late for this, but..
It may have been a good idea to set up two tanks and test your column vs substrate dosing hypothesis so you aren't (educated) guessing at this point. lol
You could always set up two small tanks and try it so they are in a controlled environment and column dose one and substrate the other to find out for sure which the grasses like most.
Now you tell me…
If I had multiple tanks and/or a fish room there are lots of things I'd like to test. But remember I'm on a strict one tank diet. So, I test one theory at a time in my slow, plodding way. I have concluded that water column dosing is more effective than substrate dosing. Now I'm testing different dosing media, and I'm trying to see if a combination of both can be helpful. I think it can, with the right combination.
Another thing I may try is to rip out all of the turtle grass and focus solely on manatee grass, which was my original intention. Though it's a bit more challenging, I really do like the manatee grass better.
If I had multiple tanks and/or a fish room there are lots of things I'd like to test. But remember I'm on a strict one tank diet. So, I test one theory at a time in my slow, plodding way. I have concluded that water column dosing is more effective than substrate dosing. Now I'm testing different dosing media, and I'm trying to see if a combination of both can be helpful. I think it can, with the right combination.
Another thing I may try is to rip out all of the turtle grass and focus solely on manatee grass, which was my original intention. Though it's a bit more challenging, I really do like the manatee grass better.
