My S. Gigantea Experiences (pic heavy)

[God.]

March 22nd 2012: It Begins

Original thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153924


Big Blue (day 1)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/6897621648/" title="IMG_20120403_194038 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5457/6897621648_9984802cee_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="IMG_20120403_194038"></a>

Picked up this beauty at work having no prior knowledge on carpet anemones and a will to learn.

Big Blue Now ( day 371 )
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8598227567/" title="20130328_194812 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8252/8598227567_b72b53ebc8_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20130328_194812"></a>

Wow what a road its been! Ive almost missed a few nights of sleep over this dang thing. It was kept in a 20L (30Lx12Wx12H) with an AquaClear 70 HOB filter, Backpak HOB skimmer, an MP10es and originally a 150W MH upgraded to a 250w around 7/28/12 (~18 weeks after purchase).

I know most of you might be shocked with my low tech tank but i love it

After upgrading to a 250w MH i had more light, but also more heat. i was forced to place a fan ontop of my tank that i would turn on through out the day (usually in the morning) to compensate for the heat created by this beast. Keep in mind my tank is only 12" tall. With great heat comes great evaporation (i think thats the saying lol) my tank would fluctuate temp and salinity wildly!

im talkin atleast 1 gallon a day. sometimes i wouldnt top off due to my busy lifestyle and it would go 2 days (maybe 3 :face palm: ) when the water level drops about 2 1/2 - 3" the water would heat much faster. in the morning my aquarium would be 78. by the time i got home from work it was 84ish. i would have daily swings of temp anywhere from 5-9 degrees! It never worried me. i find it strange alot of people are so scared of temp swings with your gigs. One day my tank hit 89.9 when i got home and surprisingly everything was great. few zoo colonies were closed but everything was great. i freaked out though and shut off my light and cranked the fan to HIGH. Big mistake. i think the rapid cooling nuked my 24 head frogspawn because it was open when the lights turned off and it was gone in the morning. The water was white and milky with frogspawn goo and big blue didn't seem to mind. i did a ~10 gal water change and never looked back.

Fast Forward to Mid December 2012

Baby Green
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8296226018/" title="20121213_112749 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8503/8296226018_b7cbb96e42_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="20121213_112749"></a>

Here he is upon arrival. He looked good but i really wanted to try this new treatment that OrionN (bless your soul lol) had been sharing on this website.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8295176177/" title="20121220_134605 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8224/8295176177_a6b0e4fd40_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="20121220_134605"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8296228908/" title="20121220_134554 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8296228908_3cdcbc8c35_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20121220_134554"></a>

And then a beacon of blue pt2
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8295177299/" title="20121220_134631 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8295177299_2f6b4b1276_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="20121220_134631"></a>

This guy came in a week after baby green. Granted "baby green" looks quite yellow but i think the white balance has something to do with it.

Here they are in QT together
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8598266651/" title="20121222_101519 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8091/8598266651_350f1e9852_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20121222_101519"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8599366402/" title="20121222_101545 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8095/8599366402_31acec4296_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20121222_101545"></a>

 

[God.]

Here you can see baby green spittin some poop/zooxa
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8599366866/" title="20121229_090420 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8381/8599366866_29d4e175bb_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20121229_090420"></a>

And Then! Tan Tan the Security man!
( no QT strait to DT)(I know its a Zebrasoma party in there)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8296230774/" title="20121220_134840 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8504/8296230774_65a6fb8da3_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20121220_134840"></a>

Tan Tan is still going strong here you can see him with the other blue that was QT with baby green. I later purchased Baby Green. Tan Tan and Baby Blue are still in the DT at my work. (Some of you might know you i am with this one)

Watch in HD

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hGimtsFiv_U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I took baby green home after QT when baby blue went into the DT with tan tan (who was already in there)

Here you can see him under actinics just to the left of Big Blue.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8599367218/" title="20130107_000508 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8599367218_a37b9211fa_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20130107_000508"></a>

Then i got rid of my fire clowns and picked up 2 Wild Caught A. Ocellaris.
Nothin Fancy, just some regular ole nemo's.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8185722425/" title="20121109_180426_8802 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8346/8185722425_11a1959ae9_b.jpg" width="1024" height="576" alt="20121109_180426_8802"></a>

Well after a few weeks with baby green i decided i was going to need a new tank for these guys but i didnt want to get a new tank. So i barely upgraded to a 40 breeder. The extra 6" of width really helps Big Blue lay flat instead of smashed up in a 20L lol. I cycled my tank with water from our 240G display tank at work which has been setup since 2007. i also used lots of water from my 20L.

After i got big blue and baby green moved in i was totally satisfied with my tank.
BUT THEN

GIGANTEA MANIA spread across Reefcentral and all of a sudden i am seeing thread after thread after thread about people buying TONS of gigs. So i though..ya know.. whats one more gig. SO i found ULTRA BABY GREEN lol

He is almost COMPLETELY bleached. i mean WHITE. the only coloration i can see is a green X going across the middle. He is < 4" in diameter. you can see him at 24 seconds in the youtube video next to the blue gig. VERY WHITE, But never shown any sign of stress. Healthy shape and nice tentacle extension

Here he is at home.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8598313815/" title="20130327_112446 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8598313815_ba6edfca58_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20130327_112446"></a>

Gig proof
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64774673@N08/8598314201/" title="20130327_115832 by Clanman11, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8598314201_c12cb7de71_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="20130327_115832"></a>

My Current Tank is an AGA 40 Breeder
400w 20K XM MH
MP10es
AquaClear 110
AquaClear 70 Powerhead
Same ole BakPak HOB skimmer.

I dont use traditional filtration methods for these anemones because i am unable to utilize a sump setup. I DO however perform 5 gal weekly waterchanges. I dose Daily with alot of stuff. I Follow the NeoZeo method but i dont use Carbon Dosing. AKA i add iodine, trace elements, mag, 2 part ALK and CAL, vitamin-c, coral amino and restore *all by Brightwell - DAILY.

I know this may sound like a lot of maintenance, but what i feel has helped the most is iodine.

So here i am with 3 gigs at home and 2 nice gigs at work.

It feels nice to have been able to help preserve these beautiful animals. I could not have done it without the help of this online community.

Thanks Reef Central

 

[hobbby3]

Awesome thread thanks for sharing!

 

[worm5406]

Nice... Very nice and good that you are still adopting them.

 

[Rotknee]

Looks like Big Blue is now Big P (P as in Purple)? What ever you are doing is working and working well. Congratulations on your success. Please keep us posted as I am curious to see what color the small bleached gig turns after a few months in your tank.

 

[God.]

Thanks for the kind words.

It may appear purple but it may be from my phone.

 

[OrionN]

Nice anemones. I got 2 in my 65 g tank and I think it is too little room. Good luck with your's

 

[sberman]

Wow looking real good
Great job on them

 

[nemoboy1]

Wow... They are doing great and I have always say this ... Learn from others but also impliment your own style because not every two tanks are the same. Have these guess spawn with your temp flux?

 

[God.]

I think big blue stress spawned when I rapidly cooled my tank from almost 90. I didnt see it happen but the next morning my tank was really cloudy and my skimmer was goin crazy. But like I said, there was atleast 5 degree temp swing everyday.. everyday lol

 

[OrionN]

So you got at least one male in there. Gigantea female do not spawn.

 

[krezfil]

sweet pics

 

[Pinkskunk]

I am so super jeolous with everyone have many nice looking gigs.....i have been holding my temptation for new gigantea for too long now........... i am still holding.......