My 500 + gallon system. Last 13 years to now. Build, Aquascaping & more. Lots of pics

[slief]

Today I received a shipment of macro algae from Indo Pacific Sea Farms in Hawaii to bolster my Macro in my undertank refugium. The refugium is about 80 gallons and has a bunch of Chaeto that I have been growing and harvesting for about 4 or 5 years. I got a nice bag of chaeto from them to add a different variety of chaeto to my mix. I also got 2 pounds of their Tang Heaven Red Seaweed which is Gracilaria Sp. Between the existing chaeto and the new macro, my 30" x 36" refugium is pretty well covered from front to back. It will be interesting to see how this stuff does. From what I understand, the Tang Heaven Red is really good for my tangs and herbivores so instead of tossing this stuff I can feed it to the fish. From what I understand, doing so does not release all the nutrients back into the water. I guess I will have to research that more before doing it but I still rely on the chaeto pruning for some of my nutrient export anyway.. I also received a 1 gallon package of tiggerpods from Algae Barn but unfortunately the gallon package broke a seam in transit and lost most of it's water.. They are sending out a new shipment of pods on Monday which is just fine as I already have a pretty substantial pod population.

Some shots of my well stocked refugium.

This is the Tang Heaven Red... And a lot of it!

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

You were not lying. As a matter of fact thats an understatement that your fuge is packed.

 

[HumphreyBear]

... From what I understand, the Tang Heaven Red is really good for my tangs and herbivores so instead of tossing this stuff I can feed it to the fish. From what I understand, doing so does not release all the nutrients back into the water. ...

I've done this for a few years, using turf or macro to feed tangs. I have never seen any facts or figures on it it, but look at it this way: once I remove the algae from the refugium or ATS it is 'exported', locked up in process that grew the removed algae (that is the past week or two's worth of growth). The fact that I recycle it as a perfect vegetarian food source is incidental as I would be introducing new nutrients in the form of food for the tangs anyway.

At least this way you'll know what went in to the tang food, so no surprises from manufacturing/commercial processes. I've never seen a net increase in phosphate or nitrates attributable to this strategy.

I honestly think people who get hung up over this haven't thought it through - how are you increasing nutrients by recycling the same elements?

Cheers,
'Bear

 

[slief]

You were not lying. As a matter of fact thats an understatement that your fuge is packed.

It's definitely packed. The two pounds of Gracilaria proved to be more than I was expecting. Supposedly, this stuff grows really fast too. We will see if that proves to be true. I could always dehydrate the stuff in my dehydrator and make my own nori. Time will tell.

I've done this for a few years, using turf or macro to feed tangs. I have never seen any facts or figures on it it, but look at it this way: once I remove the algae from the refugium or ATS it is 'exported', locked up in process that grew the removed algae (that is the past week or two's worth of growth). The fact that I recycle it as a perfect vegetarian food source is incidental as I would be introducing new nutrients in the form of food for the tangs anyway.

At least this way you'll know what went in to the tang food, so no surprises from manufacturing/commercial processes. I've never seen a net increase in phosphate or nitrates attributable to this strategy.

I honestly think people who get hung up over this haven't thought it through - how are you increasing nutrients by recycling the same elements?

Cheers,
'Bear

Thanks for the feedback. That is really good to know. Depending on how this stuff grows over the next several days, my tangs will get a nice treat.

 

[ixtcxi]

love it.

 

[slief]

Since scraping all the coraline off my viewing panes a week ago, the larger of my two RBTA's decide to stretch out to the other side of my peninsula. We bumped him a couple times which likely ticked him off enough to hang out on the other side of the rock outcropping. He's about 2' across which can pose a real issue for near by corals. As such, he really needs to stay where he's been happy for several years.... Away from my corals...

His base didn't move and he's still attached to the same spot under a pass through cave but every now and then he will hang out on the other side of the rock peninsula. Normally he goes back to his normal spot within a couple days but this time he didn't. He can stretch well over a foot to reach either side but he's always preferred the opposite side. Since it had been a week already with no sign of him moving and also because he was really bothering my hairy mushrooms and my finger corals in that area, I decide it was time to take some evasive action to get him back to his normal home.

This is where he was.

This is where he belongs on the opposite side.

And this is my evasive action. I taped my heavy duty dry side magnet scrubber to the outside of the tank. Then attached a spare Koralia with it's wetside magnet to the magnet scubbers dry side though the acrylic. I keep this koralia in my fish storage inventory as it seems to come in handy every now and then. The Koralia magnets are way too weak for my 1.5" thick acrylic so this was a good work around to hold it in place.

Koralia pointed right at him when the lights came on. It didn't like that one bit. LOL

Mission accomplished. It didn't take long for him to high tail it out of that spot and slide over to the other side of the peninsula. He's starting to open back up right where he belongs. In a few hours it should be back to his normal giant self and the mushrooms, polyps and finger corals on the other side should be happy again.

 

[slief]

Success! The anemone is back where it belongs and happy. It's really starting to open back up.. Not quite half it's normal size but in a few hours, it will be back to it's full glory. Right where it belongs. :beer:

 

[woodnaquanut]

I honestly think people who get hung up over this haven't thought it through - how are you increasing nutrients by recycling the same elements?

I agree with you completely. Part of the nutrients will be converted by the tangs to energy and body mass. Thus net reduction in nutrients.

With a huge bonus of the tangs getting to eat natural food!

 

[saf1]

If you don't mind let me know how the tang heaven grows. It is on my next purchase list from IPSF. I love that place and Mr. Heslinga is always helpful when I email or call.

 

[slief]

If you don't mind let me know how the tang heaven grows. It is on my next purchase list from IPSF. I love that place and Mr. Heslinga is always helpful when I email or call.

Will do. Funny thing I that I just grabbed a small handful and tried to feed some my fish. Only my Atlantic Tang touched it. My other tangs that are all used to eating from my hand wouldn't come near it. I think they thought it was my anemone as it's color really resembles that of my RBTA's. After getting impatient, I put it back in the refugium and fed them some nori followed by LRS Fish Fenzy, LRS Reef Fenzy and Mysis. I'm not surprised they were reluctant as they have a fairly consistant diet and this bares no resemblence to anything they get fed. As such, it will take a bit of time and probably a feeding clip.


Speaking of RBTA's.. The big one is back where it belongs and obviously happy. .

 

[Dmorty217]

Will do. Funny thing I that I just grabbed a small handful and tried to feed some my fish. Only my Atlantic Tang touched it. My other tangs that are all used to eating from my hand wouldn't come near it. I think they thought it was my anemone as it's color really resembles that of my RBTA's. After getting impatient, I put it back in the refugium and fed them some nori followed by LRS Fish Fenzy, LRS Reef Fenzy and Mysis. I'm not surprised they were reluctant as they have a fairly consistant diet and this bares no resemblence to anything they get fed. As such, it will take a bit of time and probably a feeding clip.


Speaking of RBTA's.. The big one is back where it belongs and obviously happy. .

Great picture of the vlamingii, unicorn and naso!

 

[saf1]

Thanks Slief.

Side note, I may be losing my RBTA. My son picked one up for his bio-cube which split. Both did well although it appeared they started to outgrow the 29 gallon tank. We fed it silversides. About a month ago only one, the original, not the clone, is expanding much like yours. The clone is balled up. I noticed last week there are two tucked in the area where it is hiding, but still balled up nice and tight but whiter this time around. Same with the one that split.

I've since started to feed the original shrimp minus the tail and it loves them but still can't figure out what is up with the others. Forgot to add the original RBTA is about 4 years old. The trouble with the clone seems to be about a month or so. I'm going to be moving the tank into a 40 breeder so more stress but may be better in the end.

 

[slief]

Thanks Slief.

Side note, I may be losing my RBTA. My son picked one up for his bio-cube which split. Both did well although it appeared they started to outgrow the 29 gallon tank. We fed it silversides. About a month ago only one, the original, not the clone, is expanding much like yours. The clone is balled up. I noticed last week there are two tucked in the area where it is hiding, but still balled up nice and tight but whiter this time around. Same with the one that split.

I've since started to feed the original shrimp minus the tail and it loves them but still can't figure out what is up with the others. Forgot to add the original RBTA is about 4 years old. The trouble with the clone seems to be about a month or so. I'm going to be moving the tank into a 40 breeder so more stress but may be better in the end.

Lot's of flow, quality light and water quality and the 3 key factors I've found as key to keeping anemones happy. I've been keeping BTA's for about 18 years now and NEVER feed them. I've done it a couple times but that is it. They don't need to be fed. They are filter feeders and photosynthesize. I hear about people feeding them all the time and it's one of those debated topics but splitting always seems to coincide with feeding and splitting is often a sign of stress. Like I said, I never feed my nems and they are always healthy and happy. I've had these ones for years too. The big one has been with me for about 5 years now and the smaller one was a split from the big one a couple years ago.

 

[biecacka]

Slief, what do you use for water movement in your fuge with that mass off vegetation? That stuff looks thick!!!
I am also sure this is somewhere in here but, do you dose anything, ca reactor or just good old fashioned water changes?

Corey

 

[slief]

Slief, what do you use for water movement in your fuge with that mass off vegetation? That stuff looks thick!!!
I am also sure this is somewhere in here but, do you dose anything, ca reactor or just good old fashioned water changes?

Corey

The fuge is downstream from my sump and sees the full flow from my return pump which is closet to 3000GPH. There is a lot of flow passing through there. I don't dose anything nor do I run a calcium reactor. Just automated daily water changes of 5 gallons a day using my cheap Instant Ocean salt mix at 1.026.

 

[slief]

The anemone is happy and staying put where it belongs. As an aside note, I post this in the anemone section here..

As most of you know, I've got a couple RBTA's in my tank. One of which is this huge one at over 2' across. Over the last month or two, I've noticed a large bubble like growth on one side of it that seems to be growing. Almost like it's sprouting off a new anemone. I've had BTA's split and this is nothing like any splitting that I've ever seen. The bubble is almost baseball sized. I've had this anemone for years and he is obviously very healthy. I'm just not sure what to make of this bubble like growth as I have never seen anything like this with any anemone that I have had in the last 18 or so years. My water quality is pristine so I'm sure that has nothing to do with it.

Could it be splitting off another anemone? It looks like it will eventually detach from the anemone. It's almost like one of the bubble tips/tentacles exploded in size as the area where the bubble connects to the anemones body is about as thin in diameter as one of the tentacles. It's as though this bubble like growth is hanging from a thread like a ballon on a string. Anybody ever see anything like this or have an explanation?

You can see it on the left side of these two pictures.

A couple close ups.

 

[biecacka]

Weird, I have never seen anything like that before. Thanks for the rapid response to my question. Also, what intensity did you start your leds @ & where are you intensity wise today. I know you have had them for some time

Corey

 

[slief]

Weird, I have never seen anything like that before. Thanks for the rapid response to my question. Also, what intensity did you start your leds @ & where are you intensity wise today. I know you have had them for some time

Corey

I started my Kessils at about 70% which matched the par of my previous Reeftech LED's. I also tried to match the color of the Kessils to the color spectrum I had my Reeftech LED's set to. I have the Kessils at a max of 80% now. The center ones that shine through my acryllic top are at 80% intensity while the ones on either end that shine through the openings on top of my tank are at 76%. I have the center ones up a bit higher to compensate for the acrylic they are shing through. The lights remain at their max intensity for 4 hours a day. There is a 4 hour ramp up and ramp down for a total photo period of 12 hours.

Here is my ramp. The orange line is intensity and the blue line is color.

 

[ERivera65]

looks like its splitting, I believe they deflate and they actually inflate little bubbles when they split, I had one do that before at the aquarium shop I worked at a long time ago.

 

[slief]

Sadly I lost my Tamarin Wrasse the other day.. Not sure why because he was eating well and seemed to be getting along with all other fish. Crap happens and it could have been a toll from collection methods. None the less, he came with a warranty so I went back to Vivid today and got a Red Tail Tamarin who was also eating mysis. Hopefully this one does better. I don't usually lose fish so I am pretty sure it had nothing to do with my tank or inhabitants. There was no aggression and my parameters are all stellar.

That said, I hate going to stores like Vivid. I ended up buying two other fish that I will pick up tomorrow. They are in one of their frag display tanks which will have to be torn apart to get them out. One is the most beautiful giant 6 line wrasse I have ever seen. The other is a beautiful Tomini Tang. They have had the wrasses for years and the Tomini for a year or more in this tank. Hopefully I don't have any issues with the new 6 line and my existing 6 line or my Melanurus. My existing 6 line is much smaller and this new large one will be going in last so it shouldn't be an issue given his size and the current pecking order. I've never had any aggression issues with any of my wrasses so hopefully that remains the status quo.

Pictures to follow later today and tomorrow when I get the other new fish in..