Help with Setting Up Macro Tank

Pigpen17

Pigpen17

New member
Hello,
Maybe I'm over thinking this, but I would like to bounce my system off a few heads in here and see if I am on the right track or not. I read the link Finz gave me and I feel a bit better about the whole thing. Thanks!

I am switching my tank plan from Corals to Macros. I have a lot of questions, but guess for starters is my gear going to work, or do I need to re tool my system?

56G tank (30"x18"x24")
Live Rock (about 10 years with me)
Live sand (about 4 months old and a few inches thick)
Reefbreeders Photon 24" LED
About 1200+ GPH flow
Aquamaxx HOB Skimmer



I was reading that you should run a filter and not a skimmer. I very much like my skimmer though. Not opposed to adding a filter though.

Will this work as is? What should I add/remove?

Thanks in advance.
 
The 24" light is a bit short, yes. My Xenia is right on the edge of the effective light. That's what I get for buying a 30" tank! The 36" light will just be too big.

So I am thinking of the Lagoon type set up. Some C. Prolifera in the sand. A few red Algae. I was going to start with a Portieria. Maybe an anemone. Maybe not. Should you add them first?
 
I've been looking at buying a Blue Hypnea as well. Is that a good "starter kit". A Caulerpa of some kind, Portieria and a Blue Hypnea?

Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions, but I don't even know what I don't know yet and I guess I'm trying to find the "nerd side" of this hobby.
 
I to have a 56 gallon tank. It's a macro dominant with a few softies. I have a 10 gallon sump and 7000k finnex ray 2.. And its 29 1/2" but only 21" of leds in the middle. I bought a skimmer when I started this tank. But took it off. Your macros will die if you skim. Let them do all the work for you.
 
I'm running a mantis tank (40g breeder with a 30 converted into a sump) with NO skimmer. all my filtration is done via macro algae. I have zoas, gorgonians, xenia, daisy polyps, and non-tridacnid clams all happy and healthy. I've actually had to do supplemental feeding since the algae sucks up all the nutrients. The main inhabitant is a 6" peacock mantis shrimp who gets fed daily. Fish don't have anything on my girl! :)

Actually, my only issue was not really knowing how to identify the different macros so I didn't know to say "HELL NO" when a lady pawned off (for free, who's going to turn down free macro!?!?) dictyota algae on me. It's pretty, but it's going nuts lol
 
Awesome tank! I am very exited to start this project!

So maybe I am starting to see a bit more of the whole picture. As much as macros can help support a system, your system has to support them as well. I can see a balance of adding a macro to start, seeing how it does, adding a fish, then adding another macro so on and so on. Building a balanced system.

I'm thinking with only one fish in my tank, I should start small with maybe one macro and see what happens. I am hesitant to stop skimming. Not sure why. I'm sure I will come around to it as it becomes the problem we know it will.

Come to think of it. I have no sump, so without a skimmer, my tank would be completely silent. Hmmmmm.

So where do nems fit in this picture? Are they a contributor or part of the nutrient filter?
 
Perhaps I should rephrase the question. Is there a reason for having an anemone in a planted lagoon aquarium? or is it just for looks/likes? It seems to be a popular choice. And if you are going to keep an anemone, should it be added first so it can find it’s “spot” or can it be added at any time?

Again, thank you for you help so far. I have a better understanding of what I am getting into, even if it is still just the surface. I did find the nerd side. I was reading about uptake ratios in the forum sticky. Not sure I got it, but it was an interesting read.
 
Help with Setting Up Macro Tank

knap_123 said:
I to have a 56 gallon tank. It's a macro dominant with a few softies. I have a 10 gallon sump and 7000k finnex ray 2.. And its 29 1/2" but only 21" of leds in the middle. I bought a skimmer when I started this tank. But took it off. Your macros will die if you skim. Let them do all the work for you.
Click to expand...


Is it ok to have mandarins in a macro tank? I'm thinking of a planted refugium style tank. I'm wondering if 12 hours of light will be enough? I'm not sure if mandarins can do 16-18 hours of daylight. Seems mean lol

Nice growth btw:-)
 
You can have an anemone if you have enough light. Downside is risk to your fish. The bubble tips have the best success rate. They don't seem to bother macros at all, IME.

I don't know the magic formula of nutrient levels for macros, but it's clear they need some. Try what macros you like and see what works. The trick, of course, is to keep micro algae at bay. I suggest lots of tiny snails. They are great at keeping your macros clean.

Yes, the "old helpful threads" are pretty daunting at first. It helps to reread them a few times-it did for me. Keep in mind they had little to no fish loads, so dosing was helpful. Samala was even dosing phosphate! With a fish load, dosing may be unnecessary. My macros did much better, once the tank matured and water parameters stabilized. I have a low fish load, and am just getting into dosing. So far, so good, but I'm going very slowly. Maybe with a few months experience under my belt, I'd feel comfortable enough to advise in this area, but definitely not yet!

Best of luck, and please keep us updated on your progress. There's still not a lot of good info on macros, so everyone's experience adds to the pool, so to speak.
 
Thanks for the reply.

Still on the fence of the anemone. Placed my first order today with Gulf Coast Ecosystems. I bought 2 Dragons Breath, 1 Caulerpa Prolifera, and “several clusters” of Botryocladia (Red Grape).


I had some Caulerpa Prolifera before and I liked it a lot. It stayed in my sand bed and with a few trimmings looked good. After a while it started to look a bit messy, so I pulled it. Giving it another shot. My plan so far is to add these and then place an order with Reefcleaners for more snails and pods. After that, sit back and see how it goes. Might add another fish. I’m looking at a Court Jester Goby.

I’ll post up pictures once I have the Macros in tank.
 
If the tank is new, I'd wait on the nem, until water conditions settle down. You do have old rock and sand, so it shouldn't be too long. I've had that goby. They sift sand, so should help with algae on the sand. Mine eventually starved though.

Nice macro choices! Wish I had some dragon's breath! I like the prolifera too. But I figured with my seagrasses, they might look redundant.

I look forward to pics!
 
Well, they have arrived and they are in. I really like the Red Grape.
The two bits of Dragons Breath I got were much smaller than I expected,
and the C Prolifera is not in the best shape.
I got the Proifera in the sand and once it takes hold I am going to sculpt it a bit more.


So far I have my lighting the same as it was before. A 10 hour cycle peaking at 30 Blue and 40 White for two hours. We will see how it goes.


Next up, gettting a package from Reefcleaners. About 30-40 Dwarf Ceriths, Bag of Pods, and a few more Trochus Snails.


I am trying to picture the end game while placing. The only thing I am sure of ATM is I want to keep the cave on the left free of macros, but maybe surrounded by them.








Thoughts?
 
So they have been in there a few days now. Is there anything I should be doing to acclimate them better? I am getting some die off. A few "grapes" have turned white and floated off, and the Dragons Breath is getting white edges. I mean, things look alright, and I am a patient gardener ,but maybe I am missing something as far as what to do when you introduce macros?
 
With your low fish load, there may not be enough nutrients to feed the macros. That's what happened to me. I had macros in before the tank was full of water!

You could add fish, or just feed the tank more, as if you had more fish. Or, if you really want to get adventurous, you could get into dosing. The "Old Helpful Threads" has a lot of info on that.
 
Michael Hoaster said:
With your low fish load, there may not be enough nutrients to feed the macros. That's what happened to me. I had macros in before the tank was full of water!

You could add fish, or just feed the tank more, as if you had more fish. Or, if you really want to get adventurous, you could get into dosing. The "Old Helpful Threads" has a lot of info on that.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was hoping it was something like that and not, "Oh no! You totally messed them up!" or something with my lighting.

Yeah, I have some issues with ideal conditions for now. I have a lot of micro algae, GHA, and some kind of shelled worm on my glass. All of these are consuming. Plus I am still skimming ATM. I plan on cleaning up as much of the micros and worms I can, adding bigger CUC, and see where that gets me. The amount of life I have growing leads me to believe that my nutrient levels are good, but they are already being consumed. I planed on adding the macros, and then the CUC after. Looking at it now, I don't know why I didn't do it the other way around. Made sense to me at the time.

So yeah, clean up the crap, add the CUC and yes, a new fish is very soon. Maybe this week I'll get one in QT. Thinking another goby or a pair of Stoplight Cardinal fish. If they get worse during this process I'll probably turn off my skimmer for a while.
 
Well, things are settling out. Still not sure about the Dragons Breath, but the Red Grape has shed all it’s white “grapes” and is now looking very healthy, and beautiful. I’m very happy with it. To be honest, I knew there would be some failure out of the gate, and I would take just a few of these thriving as success. I might be on my way.

My new purchases:
30 Dwarf Ceriths
10 Florida Cierths
10 Trochus Snails
Bag of Pods
They will be here tomorrow.

Also bought two Fowleria Cardinalfish to go into QT. If all goes well they should be in tank in a little over a month. They like to hide in sea grass, are peaceful and look prehistoric. I’m gonna love them. They will arrive Saturday.
 
I've wanted to keep macro in my sump but for some damn reason my chaeto won't even grow I've had the small ball for 3 months but the dt has to be picked of Gha a few times a month or so I think I need lots of snails but my Lfs charges so much for them it's 10$ for 5 so I'm waiting for the saltwater fish.com packages to go on sale
 
Sounds like a great crew. I'm not familiar with that cardinal. I'll look for it.



Two bucks a snail is not bad, and you're not paying for shipping at your LFS.
 
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