Coral Maternity in Portugal

[Mr.Biggs]

water tubes

Aquapic

more water tubes

I have never done businesses with any of these so I don't know about service.

 

[magnoliarichj]

just use golf tees.

 

[Machado deSousa]

The tubes are marketed for different kinds of flowers, large or small ones, which means that there are tubes with several sizes. You must be sure whether the size of the tubes you order are the most appropriate for the egg crate you have. As a precaution, order at first a small number of boxes.

 

[JaredWaites]

Good idea Machado! Thanks for mentioning that.

After they've established themselves upon the rubber part of the AquaPic, then you simply remove that and cement or glue it to the top of your disks...brilliant.

Do you have to glue it, or cement it to the rubber top or will it fit snug into the top of it where you would normally stick a stem of a flower...?

 

[Machado deSousa]

When coral cover the lid completely or achieve a growth of 1" around in any direction i remove the lid from the tube, together with coral, and glue them on disk, always removing the air between the lid and the disc with the glue. May be used two components epoxy to glue, heat melted glue used by electricians to fix electrical cables to the wall, Thorite, etc.. If eventually coral base has covered the lid and propagated to the tube, i cut the tube immediately below the coral extension, fill the conjunct with glue to remove the air and fix the piece on the disc.

 

[killereef]

very nice

 

[Baros]

Congratulations Machado on your beautiful propagation setup!!:thumbsup:
I felt like a kid looking at all those gorgeous frags. It's like a coral candy store

 

[ReefFreaks]

Machado,

Your success rate looks very good 95/100. Great job. I think I read waaaaay back that you use Seachen reef dip. Are there any other tricks to your success rate as far a "conditioning" or "healing" of the frags?

 

[Giga]

this has acually inspired me to do something simlar to this, just on a smaller size(my apartment is only so big:rolleye1: ) ) i'll have two 25 gallon tank-one coral growing tank-one mangrove tank- and a 29 gallon sump/filtration-finisheing the stand this week!

 

[redox]

Machado havent heard from you latley. Are you busy cutting corals?

 

[magnoliarichj]

ttt

 

[Shouse94]

Well,
Ill be the 101th guy to say it. Amazing setup Machado de Sousa!
I enjoyed every word of the 10 page thread. I hope to be at your level of expertise someday.
Just one question, not sure if I missed it somewhere in the thread. How high are your T5's mounted off the water surface?
Pete

 

[Shouse94]

Also why do you choose to replace your T5 bulbs every 6 months?
I only ask this b/c I've heard from other reliable sources that T5's hold their light output curve waaaay longer than Metal Halides and don't really begin to lose efficiency till near the end of bulb life (which is way longer than 6 months). I'm not questioning your strategy, only trying to understand from your point of view/experience. Thanks for any insight you can provide.

 

[Machado deSousa]

Hello friends,
Excuse me my delay in thanking you for your comments and answer questions posted here but I have been a little busy with work. Thanks for your interest and sympathy.

I will answer to all questions.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11135832#post11135832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefFreaks
Machado,

Your success rate looks very good 95/100. Great job. I think I read waaaaay back that you use Seachen reef dip. Are there any other tricks to your success rate as far a "conditioning" or "healing" of the frags?

My first trick is to avoid at all costs contamination with pests such as EAFW, red bugs, Montipora Eating Nudibranch, etc.. If I suspect the existence of any parasite in my system I move away the coral as soon as possible and do the treatment with the more indicated Chemical baths (dipping).

My second trick is to combat all kind of undesirable algae. I avoid the introduction of any new variety of algae in the system and reduce nutrients such as phosphate and nitrate to the minimum levels not only to enhance coral colors but to prevent algae apparition. Rowaphos and algae filters give a good help. As a preventive measure large variety of fish and invertebrate herbivores are welcome.

And the last but not the last trick is stability to all physical and chimical parameters.

Cheers,

 

[Machado deSousa]

Hello friends!
Excuse me my delay in thanking you for your comments and answer to the questions posted here but I have been a little busy with work and others affairs. Thanks for your interest and sympathy.

I will answer to all questions one by one.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11135832#post11135832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefFreaks
Machado,

Your success rate looks very good 95/100. Great job. I think I read waaaaay back that you use Seachen reef dip. Are there any other tricks to your success rate as far a "conditioning" or "healing" of the frags?

My first trick is to avoid at all costs contamination with pests such as EAFW, red bugs, Montipora Eating Nudibranch, etc.. If I suspect the existence of any parasite in my system I move away the coral as soon as possible and do the treatment with the more indicated Chemical baths (dipping).

My second trick is to combat all kind of undesirable algae. I avoid the introduction of any new variety of algae in the system and reduce nutrients such as phosphate and nitrate to the minimum levels not only to enhance coral colors but to prevent algae apparition. Rowaphos and algae filters give a good help. As a preventive measure large variety of fish and invertebrate herbivores are welcome.

And the last but not the last trick is stability to all physical and chimical parameters.

Cheers,

 

[Machado deSousa]

Hello friends!
Excuse me my delay in answering to your questions but I have been a little busy with work and others affairs. Thanks for your coments, interest and sympathy. I will answer to all questions one by one.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11135832#post11135832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefFreaks
Machado,

Your success rate looks very good 95/100. Great job. I think I read waaaaay back that you use Seachen reef dip. Are there any other tricks to your success rate as far a "conditioning" or "healing" of the frags?

My first trick is to avoid at all costs contamination with pests such as EAFW, red bugs, Montipora Eating Nudibranch, etc.. If I suspect the existence of any parasite in my system I move away the coral as soon as possible and do the treatment with the more indicated Chemical baths (dipping).

My second trick is to combat all kind of undesirable algae. I avoid the introduction of any new variety of algae in the system and reduce nutrients such as phosphate and nitrate to the minimum levels not only to enhance coral colors but to prevent algae apparition. Rowaphos and algae filters give a good help. As a preventive measure large variety of fish and invertebrate herbivores are welcome.

And the last but not the last trick is stability to all physical and chimical parameters.

Cheers,

 

[Oldude]

WOW!!! That is an amazing and inspiring set up. WELL DONE!!! You have given me some great ideas for mine. Thank you.

 

[michika]

Do you have any photos of moving the polyps over to your nursery tank? How do you extract the polyp(s)?

 

[Machado deSousa]

Hi Mods,
Sorry, please erase my repeated posts.
Thanks

 

[Machado deSousa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11137593#post11137593 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Giga
this has acually inspired me to do something simlar to this, just on a smaller size(my apartment is only so big:rolleye1: ) ) i'll have two 25 gallon tank-one coral growing tank-one mangrove tank- and a 29 gallon sump/filtration-finisheing the stand this week!

Hi Giga!
I'm happy to inspire you. Go ahead! You are on a good way...
Cheers,