Christmas in a Macro Lagoon

[redlobstor]

I couldn't figure out how to post pictures so I'm doing it through Tapatalk. These were on sale at Walmart for $5 so I'm going to try them and see how well they work out.

Jason

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[Subsea]

First. The super bloom has a higher ratio of phosphate. I would stay away from that.

Second. Why do you feel you need to add inorganic nutrients when you will have plenty of waste from lionfish.

The reason that I add beaucoup inorganic nutrients is because I am cultivating fast grow decorative macros with a production rate of 7-10 volumes per month. Don’t do that in your reef tank. I have 45 years experience.

 

[redlobstor]

Second. Why do you feel you need to add inorganic nutrients when you will have plenty of waste from lionfish.

I got it more for the bacteria that is inside there rather than to use as a fertilizer and I like to experiment around. I have so many different tanks that I can set up to play around with experiment see what they like see what they don't like.

 

[Subsea]

I doubt that your fertilizer has bacteria in it. Unless you have access to a scientific lab, you will never know what you are actually doing at the micro level. Any healthy, mature reef tank will introduce bacteria with some water and/or handful of substrate. There are proper probiotics made for reef tanks if you want to get scientific, but I don’t think that they are necessary.

 

[redlobstor]

It's hard to see but the bottle states that it has 7 different microbes in it. Do you use liquid or granular miracle grow?

 

[Subsea]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=29485

This is good bacteria that will last you 20 years.

Feed live clams, mussels, and oysters for good probiotic bacteria to enhance immune system for your fish.

 

[Subsea]

Liquid Miracle Grow. Without knowing much of your experience level I caution you to go slow. Don’t buy “reef bacteria” from Wal-Mart. You would have been better served if you bought seed bacteria for your sewage system. Yes, I have done that. Many bacteria exist in both fresh and salt water.

 

[redlobstor]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...m?pcatid=29485

This is good bacteria that will last you 20 years.

Feed live clams, mussels, and oysters for good probiotic bacteria to enhance immune system for your fish.

Looks like good stuff. I prefer to grow food for my inhabitants and feed live foods. I'm not sure the tang and clownfish would eat the live foods that you mentioned, at least not on the shell. Most people probably remove from shell and feed anyways.

Liquid Miracle Grow. Without knowing much of your experience level I caution you to go slow. Don’t buy “reef bacteria” from Wal-Mart. You would have been better served if you bought seed bacteria for your sewage system. Yes, I have done that. Many bacteria exist in both fresh and salt water.

Thanks!

I've had tanks both fresh and salt most my life plus I read extensively. I have no experience with macro algae planted tank but I want a display macro tank plumbed to another tank so the macros can filter the water and to provide food. In the macro display I want some eels. I think heavy waste producing fish are perfect for a macro tank.

I have some questions about a seagrass so I will start my own thread. I'm hoping to hear your input.

Jason

 

[Subsea]

Lionfish and ells would most certainly eat fresh oyster flesh. I doubt you could grow anything substantial enough to feed those predators, unless it was green mollies.

Let us back up for a minute. If you wish to plumb a remote display macro refugium, it is not necessary to include messy predators in macro display. Your macro display refugium can get its nutrients from your main display. Macro will grow sufficiently without intentionally increasing nutrients. Excess nutrients will fuel both macro and micro algae. Stay away from adding inorganic nutrients until your tank has achieved some maturity of diverse bio filtration.

Unless lions or ells are a must have “pivitol species” for you, I would not include them in my macro display. Depending on how much you feed predators, your macro display would actually add nutrients to your display tank. That is not a good sceanario. If lions & ells are what you want to house in your planted tank, then don’t connect it to your main display.

You mentioned seagrasses. Much more difficult than macro (seaweed) to care for.

 

[redlobstor]

Lionfish and ells would most certainly eat fresh oyster flesh. I doubt you could grow anything substantial enough to feed those predators, unless it was green mollies.

I'm sure they would once trained on frozen. I doubt I could grow anything either unless I had a commercial like setup to breed marine fish.

Let us back up for a minute. If you wish to plumb a remote display macro refugium, it is not necessary to include messy predators in macro display. Your macro display refugium can get its nutrients from your main display. Macro will grow sufficiently without intentionally increasing nutrients. Excess nutrients will fuel both macro and micro algae. Stay away from adding inorganic nutrients until your tank has achieved some maturity of diverse bio filtration.

Unless lions or ells are a must have “pivitol species” for you, I would not include them in my macro display. Depending on how much you feed predators, your macro display would actually add nutrients to your display tank. That is not a good sceanario. If lions & ells are what you want to house in your planted tank, then don’t connect it to your main display.

Let me explain my reasoning. The idea of plumbing together is to increase water volume plus the non macro tank be either a FOWLR or soft coral tank as such doesn't need as pristine water as an SPS reef. Lionfish, related kin, and eels are pivotal species and should be by themselves. Eels could be mixed but lionfish should be kept separate. I realize even with increased water volume and macros I will need to intervene more than I normally would. I would never dose a tank unless it was necessary.

You mentioned seagrasses. Much more difficult than macro (seaweed) to care for.

Seagrass is for a seahorses tank. I know I can use macros for attachment but I like the idea of seagrass.

Jason

 

[Subsea]

Jason,

You should read, Caribbean Biotype Seagrass Tank thread if you rise to keep seagrass.

I have no experience with seagrass because I know it is difficult. Enjoy your seagrass tank.

 

[redlobstor]

Jason,

You should read, Caribbean Biotype Seagrass Tank thread if you rise to keep seagrass.

I have no experience with seagrass because I know it is difficult. Enjoy your seagrass tank.

Thank you! I will check it out.

You have a beautiful tank. Do you think the tumble culture would work for Ulva?

Jason

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[Michael Hoaster]

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[Subsea]

Thank you! I will check it out.

You have a beautiful tank. Do you think the tumble culture would work for Ulva?

Jason

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Jason,
Tumble culture would work for Ulva, but not the same tumble as the Dragon's Tongue. The main issue for any macro that is grown in a tumble culture is how it floats in the current. Ulva is thin and flat with a surface that resembles a sail. When the plane of the sail is perpendicular to the flow vector direction, Ulva will accelerate thru water and then it would pile up when making second 90 degree turn to go up and begin next revolution.
I suggest that you google "œUlva tumble culture". See where that takes you. At some point, I may set up a Ulva tumble culture, but I doubt there is enough demand for me to consider it commercially.

 

[redlobstor]

Hey, redlobstor. I was thrilled to read you are interested in seagrass! I would be delighted to help, anyway I can. I know my thread is kinda long, so if you have any questions, ask away.

Seahorses and seagrasses are a great combination. I saw a video of them together in nature and it was way cool! There was a very strong current and the horses had no problem, just doing their thing, like it was just another day. I always thought they were too weak to deal with that, but boy was I wrong!

You seem like a very curious, open-minded aquarist, with lots of ideas to experiment with. Sounds like fun!

Thanks Michael!
I started reading your thread but as you say it is very long. I do like to experiment and try different things to see what works and what doesn't. I definitely have questions and will start a thread as to not hijack anyone else's.

Jason

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[Michael Hoaster]

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[Subsea]

At 5 & 25 years mature, I recently made a major change in rock scape and live stock in both of my display tanks. Using two 1yr set up experiments with decorative macro mixed garden display using diver collected uncured Gulf live rock.

 

[Chasmodes]

Patrick, I love your tanks! It must be amazing to sit there with a magnifying glass watching every little thing, and follow up just taking it all in one tank at a time!