Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank
- Thread starter Michael Hoaster
- Start date
Thanks McPuff. Pretty serious pruning. It's kinda like opening presents-ripping out caulerpa to get at the pretty red macros! I wish I had a genetically modified tang that only ate caulerpa racemosa.
Thanks sam.basye! The blue hypnea is popping up everywhere. Pretty cool, for a macro I never bought! Since my degradation is happening close to the light, that seems the likely culprit. That part is usually buried in caulerpa, so maybe it's something the caulerpa puts out, or it's a combination of both. You'd think that since it's made for ponds, light wouldn't be a problem.
Thanks sam.basye! The blue hypnea is popping up everywhere. Pretty cool, for a macro I never bought! Since my degradation is happening close to the light, that seems the likely culprit. That part is usually buried in caulerpa, so maybe it's something the caulerpa puts out, or it's a combination of both. You'd think that since it's made for ponds, light wouldn't be a problem.
sam.basye
New member
You'd think...
Do you remember what brand of foam you bought?
I used two different kinds, but don't recall which I used where of course...
For my next foam wall build I'm going to foam rocks across the top instead of straight foam. This should eliminate the degradation off the top of the wall.
What puzzles me is that it's supposed to be UV resistant! I put a copious about of foam at the top of my wall. It eventually started to degrade and look like natural, really porous, rock; which looks really good and natural. Then it just kept going until the white eggcrate started showing in thin spots.
It should probably be completely sealed with some sort of epoxy, or similar, and completely covered with sand or crushed coral to prevent the degredation.
I bet the saltwater probably had something to do with it as well. I'm sure they never tested it in sw during production..
I wonder if I can get some free cans if I complain? Lol
I used the Touch & Foam Landscape stuff.
Yes, I wasn't very careful or thorough with the sealant. God, I hope to never do this again, but for future reference, I would heavily seal areas close to the light.
Yes, I wasn't very careful or thorough with the sealant. God, I hope to never do this again, but for future reference, I would heavily seal areas close to the light.
sam.basye
New member
I think I used 1 or 2 cans of Beckett pond foam and the rest (3 or 4) of Touch & Foam.
I'm pretty sure the touch & foam was what I used on the top portion.
It's not THAT bad...
Aside from the fumes and adhering to anything and everything. Lol
Oh, and being expensive for those of us who are cheap!
So that creepy, brown macro I've got, and I act like it's some undiscovered species…turns out it's just…grasilaria. I was visiting Florida Pets (.com), looking at their macros, and there it was - grasilaria on a rock. So apparently, there's a brown variety. Oh well, another macro I didn't pay for! A couple of new ones have popped up too. One is on the fake wall in some strong current. It will be interesting to see how different it grows up there. Phenotypic plasticity. I love it when I get to say that.
I do enjoy getting the macros back, after Mr Zippy's banishment. I've got hypnea all over the tank now. Each clump is like a mini refugium. The pods love it. And I love the color. I'm also hoping for the return of the cotton candy algae. Once upon a time, this one tried to take over the tank, but I all but eradicated it. There was a small bit on the main pump return grate. I picked some off and tried rubbing it on the fake root. That just seems like it would work. Rub the plant on a rough surface, and leave behind some plant cells, starting a new plant. I've tried it a couple of times, and so far, no luck. If it doesn't work this time, I'm hoping the bits I lost will start new plants, and then I can try to get them onto the mangrove root again.
I noticed the purple condylactis anemone looked bigger and happier, when I returned from my trip. From this I deduced that it doesn't like the dosing so much. I'm thinking I'll reduce the frequency of dosing a little. Maybe wait until it fully expands again before the next dose. I may also try another substrate fert, for the grasses.
Overall, the tank seems good. I'm starting to see some detritus buildup. I'm looking into adding some diversity to the detrivore crew. Maybe shrimp, a cucumber, or perhaps a harem of cherub angel fish!
I do enjoy getting the macros back, after Mr Zippy's banishment. I've got hypnea all over the tank now. Each clump is like a mini refugium. The pods love it. And I love the color. I'm also hoping for the return of the cotton candy algae. Once upon a time, this one tried to take over the tank, but I all but eradicated it. There was a small bit on the main pump return grate. I picked some off and tried rubbing it on the fake root. That just seems like it would work. Rub the plant on a rough surface, and leave behind some plant cells, starting a new plant. I've tried it a couple of times, and so far, no luck. If it doesn't work this time, I'm hoping the bits I lost will start new plants, and then I can try to get them onto the mangrove root again.
I noticed the purple condylactis anemone looked bigger and happier, when I returned from my trip. From this I deduced that it doesn't like the dosing so much. I'm thinking I'll reduce the frequency of dosing a little. Maybe wait until it fully expands again before the next dose. I may also try another substrate fert, for the grasses.
Overall, the tank seems good. I'm starting to see some detritus buildup. I'm looking into adding some diversity to the detrivore crew. Maybe shrimp, a cucumber, or perhaps a harem of cherub angel fish!
nawilson89
New member
I have a brown gracilaria that I never bought. I found it in the gulf. It's grows way to fast and I pulled 99% of it once and left a clip that threatens to overtake.
EdimarOliveira
Member
Brugges your Michael progress!
Blue algae are really a sideshow ...
These days I received the substrate and salt for reassembly mine. I look forward to start now with a beautiful aquarium as your as a model for me.
Congratulations!
Blue algae are really a sideshow ...
These days I received the substrate and salt for reassembly mine. I look forward to start now with a beautiful aquarium as your as a model for me.
Congratulations!
I think I've seen the one you are talking about, nawilson89, in your pics. I think yours is a different species than mine. Yours grows fast, mine pretty slow. Despite the extra pruning needed, fast growers are pretty handy for uptake/export. Now if I could just get up the courage to put 'em in a salad…
Thanks, EdimarOliveira, for the kind words.
I'm excited to hear your tank is coming together! You should start a thread for it, so we can all follow along.
Good luck!
I'm excited to hear your tank is coming together! You should start a thread for it, so we can all follow along.
Good luck!
Thanks, zachxlutz! And welcome!
nawilson89
New member
Hmmm... you can eat them. I won't.
I was actually thinking when I got a larger tank and more macro I could add an urchin to help with pruning. This would, of course happen after the tank was set up for a few months and everything had time to grow out.
Subsea is always talking about eating his. Pretty cool!
I'm still trying to figure out a way to keep an herbivore. I think the trick would be to have multiple tanks, so you could rotate the herbivore around, where needed, and not where it isn't. Pruning gets old…
I'm still trying to figure out a way to keep an herbivore. I think the trick would be to have multiple tanks, so you could rotate the herbivore around, where needed, and not where it isn't. Pruning gets old…
EdimarOliveira
Member
This week I'm finishing the reassembly of deionisador since I moved to town and had to redo it.
But it's almost at the point where I can start recording with photos progress.
Wait! I need a lot of your advice ...
That's great! Start your thread. It doesn't have to have lot's of photos, especially at first. I think it's a good idea to start by stating your goals for the tank. How do you want it to turn out? What do you plan to keep? Why are you setting it up the way you plan to?
I had pages of stuff, where I was exploring ideas, long before I even had water in the tank. Above all, have fun and enjoy all phases of construction. There's no rush. It's your baby!
I had pages of stuff, where I was exploring ideas, long before I even had water in the tank. Above all, have fun and enjoy all phases of construction. There's no rush. It's your baby!
Good advice. Make it fun.
I have both Red Grapes and most recently Grape Caulerpa in a 55G growout tank. The Red Grapes are my money crop as it is a gorgeous macro for a display tank. While I do not want Grape Caulerpa, a fast grower, to crowd out the Red Grape, I got it to eat. It is a super food. Here in he Austin community, I have become popular in the party scene. As a single man, that works for me.
Well I should be eating it too, since I'm the 'acting' herbivore. Can I throw it in a salad? I like my foods super!
So you show up at the party with caulerpa racemosa? And that's working for you? How?
So you show up at the party with caulerpa racemosa? And that's working for you? How?
Cheviche is a favorite in Mexican, Caribbean and Peruvian cultures, as well as the Austin party scean. Because I have many vegan friends, I leave the protein marinade (shrimp or firm white fish) in a seperate dish. I also leave the seaweed in a seperate dish, because the chemical action from the lime breaks down the texture from crisp to mushy. Previously, I used Red Ogo. The novelty of eating seaweed gets people interested, all the time. Grape Caulerpa is just a differrent color. Just come up with a catchy name like "Green Grapes".
The basic Chevichee includes sweet onions, peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, then I add what I have extra in the refrigerator like celery, radish, cucumber. Lime is the catalyst that brings it all together.
Or is it "you put the lime in the cocunot and shake it all up".
The basic Chevichee includes sweet onions, peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, then I add what I have extra in the refrigerator like celery, radish, cucumber. Lime is the catalyst that brings it all together.
Or is it "you put the lime in the cocunot and shake it all up".
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