"Deep Sea" Reef

[CapitalO]

Hi guys, Ive been thinking about starting a deep sea themed tank lit only by actinic O3 lighting (I have also been considering adding a small amount of 10k although I like the dimmer look of actinics to enforce a deap sea look). I want to base this around Cerianthus sp. (tube anemones), also i want to incorporate brittle stars and other deap sea species. I would like to have some non-photosynthetic corals like Tube corals... but tube corals are the only species of coral i know that are entirely non-photosynthetic. Are there any other species like this? (preferably ones that fluoresce under actinics) or any other corals that can live under very low light conditions? I havent seen any tank shots of a setup like this, so if anyone has some pics i would love to see em!

 

[tibbs2]

I thought sun coral and chili corals are both non-photosynthetic.

 

[ste6168]

what about feather dusters? I believe, although not 100% sure, that they are non-photosynthetic.

 

[CapitalO]

Yes, sun coral are a type of tube coral of the genus Tubastrea, Ive never heard of chili coral before though, I'll have to check em out, thanks! Also i have conisdered tube worms like featherdusters too, thanks for the input though!

 

[iCam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7074617#post7074617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CapitalO
Yes, sun coral are a type of tube coral of the genus Tubastrea, Ive never heard of chili coral before though, I'll have to check em out, thanks! Also i have conisdered tube worms like featherdusters too, thanks for the input though!

"Chili" corals are not the same as tubastrea. I would opt not to include chili corals, as they generally don't do well in home aquariums.

 

[Amphiprion]

I agree. If Tubastrea and Cerianthids are well fed, they will do quite well, unlike "chili" corals.

 

[trueperc]

There is also many types of gorgonians that fall into that catagory, but you do reallize if you go with a tank like this you will have to have very good filters as you will have to feed quite a bit of phytoplankine and filter feeders foods.

 

[CapitalO]

Yes, im planning on having a large sump/fuge for filtration and food production. Arent gorgonians very difficult to care for as well?

 

[iCam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7075939#post7075939 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CapitalO
Yes, im planning on having a large sump/fuge for filtration and food production. Arent gorgonians very difficult to care for as well?

Most non photosynthetic gorgonians are somewhat challenging, as far as flow, and planktonic food demands go.

If you were to go with a coral such as a tubastrea, you will still have to feed each individual polyps a few times a week, even with a sump/fuge.

 

[CapitalO]

Yea Ive read up on Tubastrea, I know they can be demanding as far as feeding goes (although they greatly benefit from a fuge as well). Id really like to get some of the black Tubastrea, I think they would look really good with the darker color scheme, especially compared to the fluorescent tube anemones! But this whole project is still just an idea.. so I appreciate the advice

 

[trippyl]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7075700#post7075700 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trueperc
There is also many types of gorgonians that fall into that catagory, but you do reallize if you go with a tank like this you will have to have very good filters as you will have to feed quite a bit of phytoplankine and filter feeders foods.

I don't know why this would be any more the case than a reef tank with fish who absolutely need much more food than a straight SPS type coral tank.

Certainly tangs (which are in plenty of reef tanks) eat way more than sun corals and gorgonians. Yet no one seems to have an issue with that.

So what I am saying is, sure, filtration is a concern but not any more so than any other fish/reef setup.

 

[iCam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7077082#post7077082 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trippyl
I don't know why this would be any more the case than a reef tank with fish who absolutely need much more food than a straight SPS type coral tank.

Certainly tangs (which are in plenty of reef tanks) eat way more than sun corals and gorgonians. Yet no one seems to have an issue with that.

So what I am saying is, sure, filtration is a concern but not any more so than any other fish/reef setup.

With many of these corals, there needs to be a near constant supply of planktonic food in the water column. That can really play hell on the water quality in the tank.

It is more tedious to feed a coral such as a sun coral. There's preparation of the food, waiting for the polyps to be out, then feeding each polyp, versus clipping nori to a clip, or dumping some food in the tank.