Carpet tank build.

[cichlidconvert]

OK I am almost at the week mark and nothing major to report. The blue gig hasn't settled yet and walked across the tank to the black beach at the right of the tank. Its a spot that I thought a gig might like but I didn't anticipate the green gig shading that spot. The blue gets light down there just not as much as if it moved.The mouths are closed for the most part. I've held off on feeding them at this point, but since they don't seem very stressed I'm starting to wonder if should sometime coming up. I know its good to go a month before feeding when they are acclimating so I'm in no hurry.

The last pic was to show the base of the blue gig and how its attached.

 

[xtlosx]

OK I am almost at the week mark and nothing major to report. The blue gig hasn't settled yet and walked across the tank to the black beach at the right of the tank. Its a spot that I thought a gig might like but I didn't anticipate the green gig shading that spot. The blue gets light down there just not as much as if it moved.The mouths are closed for the most part. I've held off on feeding them at this point, but since they don't seem very stressed I'm starting to wonder if should sometime coming up. I know its good to go a month before feeding when they are acclimating so I'm in no hurry.

The last pic was to show the base of the blue gig and how its attached.

First off, your gigs look very nice. I am looking forward six months when my green is as shaggy as yours... Can't wait!!

Do you notice a lot of color on your green's column and underside of his pedal do you see very obvious purple verracue? There were a lot of people who doubted my green was even a Gigantea, so just curious... ours look very similar because I have seen other greens that have a more colorful foot\column and obvious verracue...

 

[cichlidconvert]

The green has a colorful green foot and the verdacue are noticeable but not a bright purple. Definitely easy to see though.

 

[5Starreef]

Very beautiful nems. Seems you know well what you are doing.

 

[cichlidconvert]

First off, your gigs look very nice. I am looking forward six months when my green is as shaggy as yours... Can't wait!!

Do you notice a lot of color on your green's column and underside of his pedal do you see very obvious purple verracue? There were a lot of people who doubted my green was even a Gigantea, so just curious... ours look very similar because I have seen other greens that have a more colorful foot\column and obvious verracue...

So Greenie cooperated and showed its foot. So I snapped some pics of it to show you. The pics dont show how green it is and the verracue are definitely purple and very visible.

 

[cichlidconvert]

OK so yesterday I was feeding my clowns mysis and they fed the green who ate like a champ. and fed the blue. I was trying to feed the nems but the clowns didn't eat at all they just stored their food. Well last night the blue had shrunk to just under half its size and looked like it pooped and was an half digested mysis. it was hard to tell. Shrinking at night has been normal for the blue but since I changed the flow it has shrunk even more at night. Well this morning it was as small as I have seen it. and took its time inflating when the lights came on. I since then added a replaced the 550gph pump with a 1000gph pump to match the pump on the right. Now its getting hammered with flow and is responding well. Oh and I ordered cipro and I'm resealing my 10 gallon for a QT tank, just in case.
On another note, I bought a 200 gallon cube last summer. I had to cut it apart and rebuild do to it being a DIY tank(built by another reefer) that failed. But I wasn't able to finish it do to an injury at work. But now I'm going to get it put back together by a great custom tank building store here. And that will be the new Gig tank. It's gonna take awhile but its going to be worth it. Gigs, clams, and just a few corals. Wish me luck I'll need it

 

[xtlosx]

So Greenie cooperated and showed its foot. So I snapped some pics of it to show you. The pics dont show how green it is and the verracue are definitely purple and very visible.

Thank you for the picture, that is a great reference.. I think mine will be more interesting to see the tentacle colors (base and tips) match up more with what you have.. Mine might be a little more bleached, but it has a great green gig on the tips..

As well, at the LFS I saw some verracue, and now I had a hard time seeing them, but then again mine is planted on an island and never shows me his foot or column for that matter.. The foot was certainly not green as far as I could tell, but then again when I got my green gig it was barely 2.5" and now it's 6-7" in less than a month. It may very well have been super stressed, and it might look different now, but he doesn't cooperate quite as nicely as yours Wondering if mine is one of the elusive hybrids like Minh's, or it is just recovering from being very very very stressed. Either way, looking good!

 

[cichlidconvert]

So yesterday I had a scare with big blue. It was shrunk down more than I had ever seen it. and there was very little flow on it.

So I upped the flow and blue puffed back up. Well this morning it was looking like its normal pre lights on state and got back to normal size and its tentacles have lengthened.again to what they looked like before moving. I thought I would shoot some video of them with the new flow and show where the purple haddoni is gonna be. It will be in the corner all the way to the left. There is a wall of flow in the center of the tank that allows it to stay on its side. That and that's where the sand is the deepest and has room to spread all the way open.

 

[xtlosx]

Your gigs look great. Specifically, I can't wait until my green has long and flowy tentacles... There's something about the green color that amazes me more than the purple\blue.... Good work!

 

[cichlidconvert]

Well this build just got serious in a big way!! I was talking with Oceans by Design about completing my 4'x4' cube. They are the best tank builders up here and I can't wait to get it in my living room. And will be perfect for carpets since it will only be 20" tall. Total volume will be 275 with the sump. All sticlodactyl nems, clams and some Sps. Lighting will be either a 400w mh or two 250w mh. This will eventually become it's own thread soon. But now you know why I'm looking for more gigs and sweet haddoni on that note I bought a mini red haddoni

That pic was taken after heavily handling it trying to place it in the tank. It has smoothed out a bit and attached to rockwork but has the feather duster right on top of the oral disk.

 

[cichlidconvert]

I cant believe its almost been a month. I wanted to show a video of the green gig before i adjusted the flow to keep from rearranging my sandbed. the green loves the new flow but it this video the clownfish looks like she's loving life in the mansion lol

 

[worm5406]

Very nice and very happy clown...

How are you adjusting the flow? More horizontal?

 

[cichlidconvert]

I aimed the powerheads at each other but just a little off center, to create more chaotic flow near the green which also took pressure off the sand bed. It looks great actually with both gigs flowing around and both are getting longer tentacles also. This prompted the blue gig to take to higher ground and is getting more light. So here is another vid showing the fish at at first and then the gigs in the new flow.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/p9kfn-5EVVU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[D-Nak]

Well this build just got serious in a big way!! I was talking with Oceans by Design about completing my 4'x4' cube. They are the best tank builders up here and I can't wait to get it in my living room. And will be perfect for carpets since it will only be 20" tall. Total volume will be 275 with the sump. All sticlodactyl nems, clams and some Sps. Lighting will be either a 400w mh or two 250w mh. This will eventually become it's own thread soon. But now you know why I'm looking for more gigs and sweet haddoni on that note I bought a mini red haddoni

That pic was taken after heavily handling it trying to place it in the tank. It has smoothed out a bit and attached to rockwork but has the feather duster right on top of the oral disk.

Sounds like a cool project. Definitely start a build thread when you're ready.

These nems that stores are calling mini haddoni or mini carpets are most likely S. tapetum.

Here area few threads about them:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2176622

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2203020&highlight=mini+carpet

Some for sale:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2264550&highlight=mini+carpet

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2228587&highlight=mini+carpet

 

[Rotknee]

I have two red S. Tapetum in my tank. I have had them for about a year. I originally bought one and it split within the first three months of being in my tank. The "baby" moved to the opposite side of the tank and has remained in the one spot since then. I'll feed mysis shrimp every so often and they appear to be doing well. They share a tank with a gig and haddoni and everybody appears happy.

I really like your gigs and congrats again.:thumbsup: I hope they continue to do well for you. Looking forward to your build log with the new tank. A 4X4 cube will be sweet!

 

[cichlidconvert]

I hate &$@!ing suction cups!!! One of my powerheads detached and blew away the entire sanded that was designed for a haddoni. Well it's not deep anymore because it wiped out the front left corner of the tank all the way to glass. After pushing surrounding sand in it's now only 2 1/2" deep nowand 5-6" under the rocks. Grrrr I hate suction cups!!! Oh and looks like my vertrallis anthias is very sick not a good day.

 

[D-Nak]

Sorry to hear about your string of bad luck.

Ventralis and carpet anemone aren't a good mix. Ventralis like cold water while the nems like warm water. I think only one will be happy -- either the nem or the anthias -- since one comes from shallow water and the other comes from deep water.

 

[cichlidconvert]

I know. But unfortunately it was too late. I bought the anthias not knowing it was special needs. The lfs guy didnt know. He was just giving recomendations on anthias which was gonna be hard enough as it was. But I am currently trying to catch it to put in a hospital tank and medicate it. and if it recovers, I will trade it back in.

 

[cichlidconvert]

I deciced to get back on this thread after the successful acclimation of the purple gig. I am really enjoying this tank. I am still trying to find a way to get the blue gig back to his former size. And I think lighting is the key. So this week I'll be looking for more lighting this week. The purple's tentacles are lengtheningand are close to an inch in the center and the tips are starting to regain color. The green has much longer tentacles and measure about 1 1/2'" And someone ate my blue sided wrasse! and none of them are fessing up. lol. Actually I blame the Haddoni cuz its acting weird. The yellow tips are turning green. Anyway here are some pics and a video. The first is the purple

The green with the blue in the background.

FTS

and the video.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/V3LjpjGTSZk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Some of you have seen this one before so I apologize and will make a new one soon.