Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)

[mr.wilson]

Peter, Shawn and Dave
Thanks you for putting together the website as it has alot of great information in one spot.

I do have a question from the teflon tape section. When you mentioned plumbers paste was that actually a teflon paste? I have been using this instead of teflon tape and still have not seen it harden so that the plumbing cannot be taken apart.

I've never used plumbers goop/dope/paste/glue. The plumbing was glued together with thread glue when I started the project. Other than a few bulkheads, all those parts have been scrapped for numerous reasons.

I use teflon grease on O-rings and parts that need to fit together like skimmer tops. It's the same as silicone grease. Teflon grease seems slightly less viscous. I don't know what will happen to your thread seal if/when the teflon grease dries up. The stuff used on Peter's plumbing looks like white tooth paste and it dries hard. Parts have to be cut apart with no chance of tightening, repositioning or loosening the thread.

I use white teflon tape on threads, but I prefer glued socket fittings (less chance of failure and shifting).

 

[mr.wilson]

Peter, the website is fantastic! It's great to have so much information in one spot. The only thing I noticed that was missing was a nutrition section for fish. If it's buried under another topic I may have missed it.

Thanks

We sourced out all kinds of coral nutrition sources, but the problem is one corals nutrients are another nuisance algae's nutrients. Nutrients are are dirty word and often misconceived. Coral nutrition is definitely an overlooked area, driven by a fear of excess (inorganic/dissolved) nutrients that feed nuisance algae and retard coral growth (phosphate & nitrate).

After steadily raising our nutrient import with powdered coral foods from 0-150 microns (spirulina powder, plankton powder, oyster eggs, chicken egg powder, decapsulated brine shrimp eggs etc.) we eventually lost our low nutrient system balance. We tried increasing GFO use and considered dosing lanthanum chloride, but decided to cut back on nutrient import (feeding).

We tested the foods and they all scored really high in phosphate. It's hard to qualify and quantify how much is too much, as we are adding organically bound nutrients (nitrogen & phosphate) to feed corals and trying to eliminate inorganic (dissolved) forms of these same chemicals. In other words, you need one to have the other so a balance is necessary. At the same time, we were losing some of our colour intensity and gaining more algae on the acrylic.

Nutrient levels are now low again in the tank and we will start increasing the feeding until we see the scales tip the other way again.

 

[dave.m]

We are starting to get a lot of candy floss algae in the mangrove system. Does anyone know an invert that eats the stuff?

Turbo, cerith, nerite and astrea snails are supposed to be good for hair algae. Also some hermit crabs like Clibanarius digueti. Do you think there might be enough water in the mangrove trays to keep small grazing fish like a goby or lawnmower blenny?

Dave.M

 

[mr.wilson]

Mr. Wilson, would you please document and share this experience for me.....errr... I mean for my friend.......:hmm2:

You would be surprised what sensitive health issues erythromycin is used to treat, but yes cyanobacteria is the most embarrassing Saltwater Transmittable Disease, or STD

I was looking at my usual brand of Red Slime Remover (I won't mention the brand ) and noticed the label says "does not contain phosphates or erythromycin succinate". When I went to use the treatment, the fine (light yellow) powder that smells like bananas that I know as erythromycin is now a coarse bright yellow odourless crystaline chemical that appears to be some kind of furan-based antibiotic such as nitrofurazone or nifurpirinol. I dosed three times over a week and it didn't do anything. I went back to my supplier and looked at the competing brand and it also stated "does not contain phosphates or erythromycin succinate", but it looked and smelled just like erythromycn to my trained eye and nose. I had a 30,000 gallon tropical fish wholesale warehouse for 8 years so I have ingested lots of the stuff

I suspect that the common knowledge that these treatments are simply erythromycin has prompted manufacturer's to say "what do you mean there is no erythromycin succinate in our product". Now that's like telling your wife you haven't been spending your lunches in a hotel room with any blonde women, or your boss that you didn't steal any $20 bills from the till. A lie of exclusion is still a lie

erythromycin base
erythromycin estolate
erythromycin ethylsuccinate
erythromycin stearate
erythromycin gluceptate
erythromycin lactobionate.

Erythromycin by any other name shall smell as sweet, and I suspect one of these are what we get in these treatments.

Anyway, the E.M. looking & smelling stuff worked with just one treatment, and the "new and improved" Red Slime Remover didn't work after several uses.

It's hard to identify the difference between red cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates in some cases. We have a bit of both which is pretty common. I find turning the lights off for a few days with a concurrent large water change and physical removal is enough to get rid of dinos in most cases. This is all happening in Mars 1 where flow is not as swift and the lighting is a poor spectrum (standard daylight T8 lamps).

Nerite snails are reported to eat cyanobacteria but I don't know if they eat the red stuff. It's often overlooked that common blue green algae is cyanobacteria as well and the red slime we see is just one variety.

 

[mr.wilson]

Turbo, cerith, nerite and astrea snails are supposed to be good for hair algae. Also some hermit crabs like Clibanarius digueti. Do you think there might be enough water in the mangrove trays to keep small grazing fish like a goby or lawnmower blenny?

Dave.M

There is enough room for gobies and blennies until the macroalgae grows and fills the tank Even snails will get crowded but I thin it out weekly. Our plan was to add a variety of snails and hermits, but I was hoping to narrow it down to one species that will target the red candy floss hair algae.

 

[dave.m]

For red candy floss algae (not cyano) I have read that Mexican turbos are very good.

Dave.M

 

[cableguy69846]

I love this tank, and still go back to ogle it every once in a while. It is absolutely amazing.

I keep hearing about this mongrove wall and wondered if you had any pictures of it now? I remember seeing it way back in the thread and wanted to know how it was coming along.

Again, I love this system. Keep up the good work.:thumbsup:

 

[mr.wilson]

Ask and you shall receive

Ask and you shall receive

 

[cableguy69846]

That is stunning. I love it. Another question for you though, how big will they all get and what will you do to keep them from taking over the house?

On a crazy side note, too bad there aren't any tree dwelling reptiles or amphibians you could let live in those.:thumbsup:

 

[mr.wilson]

That is stunning. I love it. Another question for you though, how big will they all get and what will you do to keep them from taking over the house?

On a crazy side note, too bad there aren't any tree dwelling reptiles or amphibians you could let live in those.:thumbsup:

I don't think Judy wants geckos or anoles running around the house, but it would solve the seasonal ant sightings We could put a few mudskippers in there, but they may end up on the floor.

Pruning.

 

[cableguy69846]

I don't think Judy wants geckos or anoles running around the house, but it would solve the seasonal ant sightings We could put a few mudskippers in there, but they may end up on the floor.

Pruning.

Lol. That would be a sight to behold. And you may be right about the mudskippers. Although, that would be a cool project, to meld a fish tank and reptile tank of some sort.

I also wanted to say, thank you for answering my questions. I know you are busy, and I am a bit of a noob. So thank you. I will let you get back to your masterpiece now.

 

[mr.wilson]

Lol. That would be a sight to behold. And you may be right about the mudskippers. Although, that would be a cool project, to meld a fish tank and reptile tank of some sort.

I also wanted to say, thank you for answering my questions. I know you are busy, and I am a bit of a noob. So thank you. I will let you get back to your masterpiece now.

Being a noob doesn't make you a knob

 

[Jessie Gray]

Mr Wilson, My new tank is 8 ft long and the overflowes are towards the ends on the back of the tank. * inches from the ends and they are 10 inches long. would you still recomend the barrel roll tipe flow in the tank or would a cercular flow be better since their is somuch open space inbetween them. thanks

 

[mr.wilson]

Mr Wilson, My new tank is 8 ft long and the overflowes are towards the ends on the back of the tank. * inches from the ends and they are 10 inches long. would you still recomend the barrel roll tipe flow in the tank or would a cercular flow be better since their is somuch open space inbetween them. thanks

Water is easier to move in a "barrel roll" from bottom to top then across, then a circular motion along the outer margins drawing in water from the centre. If you keep the substrate "swept" and have good surface movement, the rest kind of falls into place on its own. A barrel role is better for bringing water to the surface for gas exchange and exporting detritus. Having said all that, your reef formation will throw a wrench in your flow dynamic plans :mtool: Leave yourself some flexibility for angling the closed loop exit ports or powerheads/props so you can avoid flow restriction/friction around rock work.

I have seriously considered making a tank with rounded corners on the bottom. That way the transition sends more water up, rather than hitting a flat wall where it goes equally in every direction. You could make a tank out of bent acrylic, or simply insert "quarter pipe" acrylic ramps on the bottom of each end. In theory it is more efficient, but in practice who knows?

 

[Jessie Gray]

that sounds like a good idea to me thank you for the help. I am sure this wont be the last question. I have had a tank befor but not on this scale. by the way I also intent to try a very large criptic zone, like 175 galon poly horse tank that I originaly bought for the sump but have decided to use a 112 galon 80 in long aquarium insted. the horse tank with sloping sides was just going to be too much trouble to put patitions in. thanks again

 

[Wee Duncs]

Hello mr wilson, Peter and all, first post here been lurcking for quite a while etc, have really enjoyed the journey so far.

I can concur with Dave.M that true Mexican Turbos do indeed eat red hair algae, found out about these after battling for a long while and they did the buisness. Keep up the good work, will continue lurking now.

Regards
Duncan

 

[mr.wilson]

Hello mr wilson, Peter and all, first post here been lurcking for quite a while etc, have really enjoyed the journey so far.

I can concur with Dave.M that true Mexican Turbos do indeed eat red hair algae, found out about these after battling for a long while and they did the buisness. Keep up the good work, will continue lurking now.

Regards
Duncan

Thanks for the confirmation Duncan, now get back in your shell

 

[jadendo]

What is the name of these plants? What are they for?
Please educate me.

Thanks.

 

[dave.m]

A link for jadendo.

Dave.M

 

[jadendo]

Thanks