Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank

[Michael Hoaster]

Thank you Edimar, for your compliments! I think more and more folks are getting interested in "display refugiums". They are beautiful and interesting to look at, plus they make aquarium keeping so much easier!

Sorry to hear macros are hard to come by for you. Can you legally collect yourself? I would imagine Brazil has seagrass and macro algae lagoons.

 

[EdimarOliveira]

There are restrictions to various species of fish, but it seems that the macro algae should not exist. But I reside far from the coast, is not very easy to collect. But do not dismay, why also find "refuge aquariums" much more interesting than just with coral and fish. It's a goal of mine and I've been following your topic is time. Maybe I can not mount a remotely like now, right?

 

[sam.basye]

Still going to thin the herd of grasses?? Doesn't look any thinner to me... [emoji14]

How's the foam wall / root holding up?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Colors!

When Venus and Mars align…

Blue hypnea and green turfy stuff, finding a home amongst the big boys.

That harem is very entertaining!

The flow-through wall, with living petina.

A beautiful, delicate ballet!

Sturdy little growths of grasialria hayi, on the mangrove root.

I can't get enough of these!

These, look a little, puffy. I don't recall ever having them! Except maybe, Bortryocladia.

 

[sam.basye]

[QUOTE/]

These, look a little, puffy. I don't recall ever having them! Except maybe, Bortryocladia.[/QUOTE]

Nemastoma macro algae??




Tanks looking great!

 

[jraker]

Looking good with more reds and blues.

 

[Chibils]

Great photos! Have you considered adding more gorgonians?

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I did add a couple more gorgonian frags a month or two ago. In the next to last pic above, you can see a whip grorgonian sicking out from the wall, on the right. In the fourth pic, you can see the red gorgonian in the middle bottom. So with the tan one I've had over a year, that makes three.

I'd love to have more, but I want to make sure they can survive in my setup, with my feeding regime. So, I start with small frags and go from there!

It's been fun considering new fish, but the ones I have right now are very entertaining! The gramma harem provides a constant soap opera. Yesterday I was watching the tank. Big Daddy was in his hole tending eggs (I presume), and the other girls were bickering with each other. Then Big Daddy comes out and flirts with each of them seductively. Then, for about five or ten seconds, they just hung in place, as if in a trance. I think they were arroused! My guess is that in that moment, they all went into egg-production!

There's a lesson in there for us men; if we give our ladies a little attention, they respond affectionately…

 

[McPuff]

We had briefly discussed a FOWLR a few pages back and I'm making the switch within the next few weeks. I bought a 300DD and that will replace the 120 sps reef I've got now. I plan to keep the LPS and probably add some softies. The sps have been posted for sale. I'm super excited to get back into some tangs, angels, and triggers. Anyway, thought you'd be interested. :0)

 

[Michael Hoaster]

That's awesome, McPuff! Are you having it built on-site? Have you started a build thread? What does DD mean?

 

[jraker]

DD = deep dimensions. They are much much wider than other aquariums, the 300 gallon being 36" front to back.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

sam.basye, I wanted to respond to your earlier questions.

I think I've just about worked up the gumption to remove the turtle grasses, but I've got a bunch of "life stuff" coming up, so I won't be able to do it for awhile. Plus I have the berghia nudibranchs coming in about a week and a half, so I'll want to keep everything stable while they do their thing. So yes, it will happen, but no, I don't know when, at this juncture.

The foam wall is still solid. No crumbling, no moving, no discoloration. The only change is the amount of life encrusting it-more! The fake mangrove root also continues, perfectly intact. I have knocked a root lose, while trying to secure sponges, etcetera, but was able to re-mount it with no trouble. I'm especially proud/relieved it has held up, given the vibration put out by the powerhead within. So the fake parts are all good! At this point, I'm really just trying to encourage more life to encrust them.

In my vision of the next dream tank, I'll have another fake wall, but with more variation and overhang. With the extra thickness at the top, I want to incorporate a sloping "beach/shallows" zone to precede the overflow. I also will do new mangrove roots, but more stylishly!

 

[bjolly]

Well, my aiptasia problem is getting out of hand! I am amazed how quickly they have spread. Two weeks ago, I had a few emerge after Phyllis was removed. Now there are probably hundreds!

After trying chemicals, peppermint shrimp and a file fish, I'm giving Berghia nudibranchs a try. I'm very optimistic, as aiptasias are their only food. This is key-they won't go after anything else. The fact that they are caribbean and a wholly natural solution, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I am a huge fan of Berghias, I think you'll be happy with them. I had an aiptasia forest in my 28 gal and they wiped them out in a matter of weeks. The only problem is they will starve if they run out of aiptasia. After all my aiptasia were gone for a week or 2 I caught all the Berghias that I could find and sold them to a local reefer. I was so grateful to them, hated to think of them starving.

It's been 2 to 3 months since then and no signs of any aiptasia returning.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Welcome bjolly and thanks for sharing your experience! I like the idea of passing them on to someone else and keeping them alive.

I expect it will take a pretty good while for them to eat all of them. Maybe I'll turn down the main pump a little, so they can safely cruise the whole tank scape. Hearing your good experience with them really gives me confidence!

 

[sam.basye]

sam.basye, I wanted to respond to your earlier questions.

I think I've just about worked up the gumption to remove the turtle grasses, but I've got a bunch of "life stuff" coming up, so I won't be able to do it for awhile. Plus I have the berghia nudibranchs coming in about a week and a half, so I'll want to keep everything stable while they do their thing. So yes, it will happen, but no, I don't know when, at this juncture.

The foam wall is still solid. No crumbling, no moving, no discoloration. The only change is the amount of life encrusting it-more! The fake mangrove root also continues, perfectly intact. I have knocked a root lose, while trying to secure sponges, etcetera, but was able to re-mount it with no trouble. I'm especially proud/relieved it has held up, given the vibration put out by the powerhead within. So the fake parts are all good! At this point, I'm really just trying to encourage more life to encrust them.

In my vision of the next dream tank, I'll have another fake wall, but with more variation and overhang. With the extra thickness at the top, I want to incorporate a sloping "beach/shallows" zone to precede the overflow. I also will do new mangrove roots, but more stylishly!

I just enjoy busting your balls. Lol

I read that your are going to do something and then you don't do it for months is like an open door to constantly remind you. [emoji14]


I actually like all the grasses and think you should leave them, especially since they will be difficult to remove being all intertwined.
It would be pretty cool to add some Caribbean zoa's here and there in the seagrass bed

Good to hear the walls and root are holding up! Love all the life growing on them.



The future tank sounds fun!
How long do you think you will keep this one going?? When will you be satisfied, then get bored? Lol

Be careful how you answer that. Don't leave me any open doors...

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I used to work with a guy who had endless variations on the question,"Why you gotta busta ma balls?" "My balls, whya you busting them?"

Oddly enough, I kind of appreciate it. I sometimes tell the world I'm going to do something, so I'll get it done. That's how this thread got started! I know how lazy I am…

I appreciate what you're saying about the grasses, but I'd really like to lose the turtle grass. Now you're using reverse psychology on me! It will be a mess. I'll have to be prepared to replant most of the DSB. It could upset the balance, which is the most terrifying part. I guess I could let the caulerpa overgrow a bit, to help soak up extra nutrients…

Some caribbean zoas would be cool. But then you have keep them from overgrowing…something…blah…lazy…zzzz…ahem, I have been looking for something like that, that doesn't add work. I know how lazy I am… (copied and pasted)

I thought about getting another condylactis gigantea anemone. That opens up the possibility of sexual reproduction. Sick, raunchy, anemone sex. All those tentacles…

Thanks on the wall and root, and right back at you with your fake wall!

I'm not sure how long this tank will go on. The wife wants to travel. I could break it down, travel awhile, then take what I've learned from this tank and apply it to the big dream tank.

I'm pretty satisfied now with it, but I see so much more potential! So I guess I'm not bored yet…

 

[sam.basye]

I used to work with a guy who had endless variations on the question,"Why you gotta busta ma balls?" "My balls, whya you busting them?"

Oddly enough, I kind of appreciate it. I sometimes tell the world I'm going to do something, so I'll get it done. That's how this thread got started! I know how lazy I am"¦

I appreciate what you're saying about the grasses, but I'd really like to lose the turtle grass. Now you're using reverse psychology on me! It will be a mess. I'll have to be prepared to replant most of the DSB. It could upset the balance, which is the most terrifying part. I guess I could let the caulerpa overgrow a bit, to help soak up extra nutrients"¦

Some caribbean zoas would be cool. But then you have keep them from overgrowing"¦something"¦blah"¦lazy"¦zzzz"¦ahem, I have been looking for something like that, that doesn't add work. I know how lazy I am"¦ (copied and pasted)

I thought about getting another condylactis gigantea anemone. That opens up the possibility of sexual reproduction. Sick, raunchy, anemone sex. All those tentacles"¦

Thanks on the wall and root, and right back at you with your fake wall!

I'm not sure how long this tank will go on. The wife wants to travel. I could break it down, travel awhile, then take what I've learned from this tank and apply it to the big dream tank.

I'm pretty satisfied now with it, but I see so much more potential! So I guess I'm not bored yet"¦

No travelling!
I'll have to find someone else's balls to bust...


Removing the turtle grass will probably get you Dino's or diatoms for a couple weeks, but it will go back to normal shortly. You need more wavy greenness in the planter.

Another nem would be neat, what about the curly que nem? And shrimp to go with?

Chances are that multiple condy's will not equal babies, maybe the raunchy sex part, but no love children. Lol

What about some of the Carribean stony corals amongst the grasses?

 

[jraker]

I know there was a lot of talk about large Caribbean fish on this thread, so when I was at my LFS today, I thought I would take a picture to show how big queen triggers get.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

The problem with the turtle grass removal is the roots-they're kind of huge. So ripping them out is going to be like a boat motor went through. It's going to suck, but it's going to get done at some point. I look forward to the look of only manatee and shoal grass!

Another nem is possible. Adding new shrimp is problematic, now that Big Daddy has a taste for them.

As for breeding condylactis, I'm less concerned with offspring, though it would be cool. I just like the idea of the animals and plants I keep being able to enjoy sex. Is that weird?

Caribbean stonies are illegal to collect, except what you can find on farmed rock. I may add more live rock at some point, so it could happen.

That's a big fish, jraker! I'm trying to picture in my head how big a mature blue tang would be in comparison.

 

[Michael Hoaster]