Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread

[Qwiv]

Coraline Growth
I have seen a few articles referencing the growth of coraline algea and what effects it. One item that plays a large effect is the type of calcium suppliment you use. I am away from home so I can't look it up (and can't remember where to look), but one type of calcium additive really accelerates coraline growth while the others don't. I do remember it is not from a calcium reactor, so it was either lime water, or one of the CA in a bottle products. If I remember right, the calcium that boosted coraline was an organic calcium... but don't quote me on that. You also have to remember there are many species of coraline algea. Some grow faster than others. The article also referenced different water perameters as a possible limiter, but the CA type was the largest contributer in the research. All the factors can explain why coraline grows different in different tanks and at different times. Now if you can explain why it grows on my front glass and not my back glass, that would really help. Nothing is different except the back is black.

Mark
Don't go to a bike shop for a baring. Bikes don't use to many different sizes so the selection would be limited. Try a machine shop. They should have tons, or know where to get them local. I feel really bad. I just threw away about 8 of those things. I can't keep all the junk I have.

 

[melev]

Keeping junk is important. Even more important is keeping track of that junk so you can find it when you need it. Typically I know the general location where it may be, but finding it usually ends up unearthing other stored treasures as well.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[steve68]

got it thanks Marc i will try that, i have seen my blond naso get thin even though he eats a lot of bubble culerpa but im thinking it does not have enough nutrition for him.

 

[Cprowler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7121765#post7121765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
To be honest, I'm not really concerned that I don't have coralline in the tank. As long as the corals are growing, why should I worry? After all, it would be one more thing to clean.

I thought it might be clean because you remove your background to view the tank from the fishroom. I think wetherson does this if I'm not mistaken.

I didn't mean to spark a coralline debate.

 

[melev]

Yes, Weatherson does that. My background is applied, possibly painted on. It came that way, and I'm not interested in removing it. The light from the refugium would disturb the fish that are sleeping in the rockwork.

 

[danmp18]

Marc

When I had my 45G set up in college I had great coraline growth. I was running a 250W MH as well as actinic supplementation. I was too poor to afford a Ca reactor, so I dripped Kalk as my top-off only. I didn't keep SPS, but everything else in my tank looked great including the coraline algae which went nuts and spread all around the tank. I always thought that having good actinics helped coraline alot. I think it may like light in a different spectrum than SPS. Just my experience. HTH.

 

[21Reefman]

Because of your FLOW!

Because of your FLOW!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7126814#post7126814 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Qwiv
Now if you can explain why it grows on my front glass and not my back glass, that would really help. Nothing is different except the back is black.

I noticed that if you have HIGH flow in a tank, or the water is just consatantly blasting into an object at close range, the coraline will grow much more quickly.

I have a 20gal with FL live rock (Crap) and have always been disapointed with the coraline growth, it has been 2-3yrs and I still do not have total coverage. It does not even grow on the glass.
It does however grow like crazy on/in the overflow box!
I also put a power head behind the rock work, it is blasting right into a big rock to difuse it.
That rock back there in the DARK is completly covered in pink/purple coraline after only 2 weeks!
So it loves FLOW!!

 

[melev]

I spent a little time working in the tank today. I had to pull out a couple of skeletons (one of the candycane-like coral that self detructed within a week that took out my lovely moon coral; and one of Brent's that just disintegrated over a couple of weeks), and plucked off some bubble algae for Spock to enjoy.

The Seahorses got another water change today, and the Pico and Q-tank will get a water change shortly. Then I'll make up 55g of water for the reef, and use some of the reef water for a water change on the 29g. Wouldn't be nice if all these systems were tied together?

So here's a picture of the Tyree frag as of today. I've taken this picture every time the exact same way - in macro mode, lens against the glass, zoomed in all the way. That way over time the pictures can be compared and see the growth sequence. As you can see now, the coral is almost about to fill the entire frame. Finally.

and then slightly from above, lens at a 20 degree angle I guess:

I got this piece about a month ago, and had zero hopes of it doing well. Surprisingly it is holding strong, and perhaps spreading out over the rock. Anyone care to guess what it is?

Here's a piece from Brent that I've drooled over in this thread before.

And check it out. A. yongei that is living in my tank. The polyp extension is great, and I think it will do well for once. It's been a while since I had a Green Slimer.

This A. secale is healing up from the spots Tucker chewed upon. See how it is encrusting on the right?

 

[melev]

How about some fish shots for a change?

Six Line Wrasse

Blue Mandarin

Copperband Butterfly

Purple Tang

Longnosed Hawkfish & Ocellaris Clownfish

True Percula Clownfish (approaching 9 years of age)

Bengaii Cardinal fish

Blue Damsel (approaching 9 years of age)

Lemon Meringue Wrasse

And Tucker, the Blue (Hippo) Tang

That's it for today. <b>Oh, and btw, I spent the last day on my ID page, which has been revamped to load more quickly and now includes predator information for each group of items. It now lists 233 items.</b>

 

[gkarshens]

The one you asked about looks like an Echnophylia to me but I'm no expert.

 

[davidryder]

you are my hero marc... this hobby is so fun

 

[Micki]

Marc do you still have Tucker? For some reason I thought you got rid of him.

 

[melev]

Yeah, he's still in there.

 

[melev]

I harvested from my Phyto Jug tonight. As you may recall, I used a large (2g) container of pretzels on March 8 to make phyto in, instead of four 2-liter bottles. What I did tonight was remove the lid, and stir up the phyto well to get all sediment in suspension, and then siphoned it into 2-liter bottles. I was able to fill 3 bottles and save the rest to start the next batch. Then the lid and tubing were cleaned well to remove salt creep and obstructions that would stop the air from bubbling.

This was the darkest batch I've made. The bottles were close to black in color, it was that dark of a green. I'd have to say it was a success.

The Tyree frag we so often discuss has been identified as a Shawn Bennet Valida, or Acropora valida. I emailed Steve Tyree since he's the one that sold it to me from his collection. He just replied minutes ago.

 

[Travis]

Marc, here is what you can expect it to look like when it grows into a colony.
<img src=http://fragfarmer.com/pic/upload/sbennett5.jpg>
That is a picture from Shawn's tank before it was torn down.

 

[NexDog]

Mama mia!

 

[melev]

That would be awesome. Funny how the prettiest corals take forever to grow.

 

[rottface4]

I don't know if it is more funny or annoying.... Just kidding...as long as its growing its a good thing!!! By the way I must say its a nice piece. If someone gave me a piece of that I wouldn't care how long it takes to grow.

 

[newtophish]

Marc, I did it I have read the entire thread, of course I might get fired from work but it was worth it. I will follow along now so I won't get behind again.

 

[rjwilson37]

That is just a phenomenal coral, I want one.