My NPS Tank Build

[Hookup]

Here is an update of my solana
My current feeding setup: 2 petco auto feeders filled with Ultra Min F Ultra Clam and Ultra Seafan. I did have another auto feeder that broke down so im going back to petco and pickup two or three more.

Could you explain your auto-dosing of the faunamarin products?

It looks like you are dosing the dry material into the system... If so, i'd like to know how that is working for you.

 

[slapshot]

Your favorite coral is a Red Diodogorgia Nodulifera. Feed it often and it will do good. They need to be directly fed as they eat a lot.

 

[CuttleKid]

Hookup I am dozing the dry FM foods into the tank. I have had great success with it. My gorgs stay open almost 24/7. The only problem is I do not have feeding rings yet to keep the food from spreading all over and going strait into the skimmer. I plan to pick them up soon. I use the cheap petco brand auto feeders and they seem to work the best for me.

 

[Hookup]

Very inetersting... Claude is a friend of mine.. I'll speak to him about this setup... I helped translate the a zoo manual to English and I do not think they were intended for this use...

The MINd is an activator that creates a feeding response. One that you seem to already have...

You've got an interesting setup and I'm very interested in your progress so please update.

Thanks.

 

[CuttleKid]

Hookup is there a difference between Ultra Min D and Ultra Min F? I have the Ultra Min F not Min D. I'm pretty sure that Min F is a fine coral food not a feeding response trigger. Again I may be entirely wrong.

I have an update on my tank. I just finished acclimating a black Crinoid and red gorgonian and they are doing great so far.

I'll post pictures soon.

 

[Aquabacs]

Hookup is there a difference between Ultra Min D and Ultra Min F? I have the Ultra Min F not Min D. I'm pretty sure that Min F is a fine coral food not a feeding response trigger. Again I may be entirely wrong.

I have an update on my tank. I just finished acclimating a black Crinoid and red gorgonian and they are doing great so far.

I'll post pictures soon.

There is a difference between the Min D and Min S liquids Min F is Fauna Marin's ultra fine feed. See if I can dig up the exact quote from Claude but IIRC that the Min D has less trace elements and acetates than Min S but more biopolymers. Min D was put on the market to replace Ultra Pac (great product if you are making a food mix slurry).

There is also no issue with dry feeding with the dosers Claude can weigh in as well but the feeds can be used in both methods (dry or slurry). What is most important is that the corals are thriving not just surviving. Do not be afraid to experiment.

Mike

 

[CuttleKid]

Thanks for the quick response and helpful information Aquabacs.

Here is a quick pic i took of my crinoid i received yesterday from DD. It seems to be doing well but i know its WAY too early to tell.

 

[Aquabacs]

If you dont have already, pick up some Argent cyclop-eeze ( I believe Jehmco has them for about 35 a kilo or so). Well worth the investment of buying a brick of cyclop-eeze because the ROI on it is only a few months if you are buying cyclop-eeze at retail price. All you need to do is slice it up with a saw and put it in a few individual freezer ziplock bags.


Mike

 

[CuttleKid]

I just saw my crinoid doing something INCREDIBLE!!! I have never heard of this but I'm sure it isn't a new thing. I went to check on my tank and on the crinoid. I noticed som micro bubbles in the tank due to low water level in the filter. I remedied the situation and then proceeded to admire my crinoid. I noticed that the crinoid has an awesome way of transporting food. It was only visible because the food was stuck to the micro bubbles. I saw the bubbles being transported from its "feathers" to its arms and then it transported the food down its arm "shaft" like a conveyor belt. It was incredibly fascinating to watch.

Has anyone seen this?

 

[slapshot]

That is how they eat. If you feed cyclops you can see that show all day long. Most foods are too small to see that.

 

[Aquabacs]

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Do you mean like this one of mine at feeding time.

Mike

 

[CuttleKid]

YES! Exactly like that.

On the other hand i just purchased a dendro from Cherry Corals. Very EXCITED because i have never kept a large polyp dendro. I previously had a dendrophyllia gracilius but my tank crashed and it perished.

Here is the link to the one i got.
http://www.cherrycorals.com/product.php?productid=5516&cat=0&page=1

 

[slapshot]

Mike you have the craziest shots of those guys. Mike can the black ones be kept easily? I mean they are not like the red ones are they? That is very cool. nice purchase Cuttle, Todd is a great guy and great to deal with.

 

[CuttleKid]

Thanks Slapshot

I took a few quick videos with my Iphone and put them on youtube

Here are the links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYJWfDZRQV0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFybtfDjLew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACAsZ5GoQVo

 

[slapshot]

Nice!!!

 

[CuttleKid]

Here are the new additions to my tank.

4 Hippocampus Erectus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ2rdFfR9KM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqpqzP7ISn4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WOo45Bi8Ts

And my new Dendro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feZ1pHCFaTk&feature=related

 

[coltrref]

question:

the hippocampus not stress to the gorgonias?
do the hippocampus allow to extend the polyps?

 

[Aquabacs]

Mike you have the craziest shots of those guys. Mike can the black ones be kept easily? I mean they are not like the red ones are they? That is very cool. nice purchase Cuttle, Todd is a great guy and great to deal with.

Relatively A healthy red robustipinna visually are absolutely beautiful but I would take a black comanthus sp. crinoid over one any day of the week. Care is simple as long as your tank parameters are inline...cyclop-eeze, rotifers, not selective with feeding, just keep their gut filled.

Himerometra rubustipinna can be a real PITA. Can be touchy with tank parameters and often starve if not feed enough. Categorize them as high energy crinoid. Most that come in have arms that are covered in closely spaced fine pinnules and should be in an environment of high current with a high ratio of zooplankton. While feeding they can adapt their arm fan pattern for optimal capture of food but ideally the fan should be flat. Arms overlapping (arm grooves alternating with each arm: one facing in the direction of the flow others against it) would be forming a almost solid fan and able to collect most amount of zooplankton in a high flow area. Now if the current in their area isnt high, more often they will form a radial pattern looking more like a open flower (arm grooves all facing up). I cannot leave out their most often seen position in aquariums...closed (arms rolled inwards when they are not feeding). This is seen not just when they are not feeding but when light is to intense for them.


Mike

 

[slapshot]

Thank you sir!

 

[CuttleKid]

My canon camera is missing so i can only post videos from my iphone.

This is a short tour of my tank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUyAi-1AqgI

Sorry for the grunts. I was having a Crohns flare up.