Trichome's 118g NPS Project
- Thread starter Trichome
- Start date
MarineSniper
Member
I had an aiptasia explosion in my old nps tank. Got the last of Uhuru's nps before he moved back to Cali and he was also raising berghia...I got both. The berghia did a great job and multiplied like crazy: too crazy, they crashed and the aiptasia returned unchecked. I quickly found that AiptasiaX did nothing but spread one into 20. When I got the larger tank, I nuked all the rock but had several carryovers in my terrazoanthids that began to quickly spread. I purchased 6 peppermint shrimp and have had a 99% reversal. I know it's the shrimp controlling them because my overflows are filled with aiptasia yet the few that do show up in the tank are quickly consumed. Every now and then, one will get overlooked and I'll have to kalk it but that's a very rare occasion. These shrimp have given me the ultimate scenario; a pest free tank and a greatly enhanced filtration system with them in the overflows. I don't know if they'll work as well for you; I got then from our local saltwater only lfs and they're guaranteed to be the aiptasia eating strain, but it's probably worth a shot, especially since they're only about 5 bucks apiece
Thanks for the pics and info! I'm also planning an auto feeder this year and you've given me some good...great, really, ideas. I was planning on using my old kalk reactor to feed the tank. Don't know why I didn't think to just pump it straight from the fridge but your post gave me one of those slap forehead moments! There's also some line out there that's a little larger than 1/4 but still fits 1/4" connections. I got it with a tank purchase and use it on my atos. It reduces kalk buildup removal time and is extremely flexible. If I can find out what kind it is and where it's sold, I'll let you know; in case you're interested
Thanks for the pics and info! I'm also planning an auto feeder this year and you've given me some good...great, really, ideas. I was planning on using my old kalk reactor to feed the tank. Don't know why I didn't think to just pump it straight from the fridge but your post gave me one of those slap forehead moments! There's also some line out there that's a little larger than 1/4 but still fits 1/4" connections. I got it with a tank purchase and use it on my atos. It reduces kalk buildup removal time and is extremely flexible. If I can find out what kind it is and where it's sold, I'll let you know; in case you're interested
Hey what do you know couple Ohioans! I got a ton of information from this thread....its a LONG read. I have stayed away from shrimp so far because i dont want them picking at the coral while its eating. I will have to try some in my 180g tank right below the NPS tank.
That line your talking about that is a little bigger than 1/4 inch must have a thin wall to increase the inner dimension. I think it would help with the larger size food i would like to use in my feeder.
That line your talking about that is a little bigger than 1/4 inch must have a thin wall to increase the inner dimension. I think it would help with the larger size food i would like to use in my feeder.
stunreefer
Reef Hugger
+1
Spoiling of food is the main reason I haven't ventured into "dosing food" of any kind. Love this idea!
Think we need some updated pics for this thread
Great job so far :thumbsup:This is one of the most impressive collections of sun corals i've seen!
Definitely posts up photo updates.
I find its practically impossible to tell the different species within Tubastrea. But the coral with big yellow polyp looks like a Tubastrea aurea and you just have a overgrown polyp. I have the colonies where one polyp seems to domintate the others.
The orange and white one looks like a tubastrea colormorph - they are quite rare.
You are very lucky to have Rhizotrochus typus corals in your collection.
If you ever want to part with any of them - i would literally drive to ohio to pick them up!
Definitely posts up photo updates.
I find its practically impossible to tell the different species within Tubastrea. But the coral with big yellow polyp looks like a Tubastrea aurea and you just have a overgrown polyp. I have the colonies where one polyp seems to domintate the others.
The orange and white one looks like a tubastrea colormorph - they are quite rare.
You are very lucky to have Rhizotrochus typus corals in your collection.
If you ever want to part with any of them - i would literally drive to ohio to pick them up!
Big update!
Big update!
Hello and thanks for sticking with me on my lack of updates. Also a big thanks to Stunreefer, Noy, Edzo, and Coltrref on your comments. The Guild Wars 2 servers went down so i did a pretty big photo shoot today.
My photography skills are lacking. I took some of these pictures with the normal 10w T5 actinic lighting i use and some of them with the closet light on. Some have a flash and some dont. I took all these pictures after feeding the tank 1 cube of brine shrimp and a snow globe worth of cyclopeze.
Notice the bigger bristle worms out savaging.
The branching dendro colony in the back is dying off and i cant figure out why.
Anyone know the scientific name of this coral?
Anyone know the scientific name of the white coral in the left hand upper corner? I don't even know if its non photosynthetic but its doing well in my tank.
I have had this coral for a couple years and the growth has been great!
I got this little frag disk of little pieces of branching dendro i bought at LFS. I hope to bring them back to life.
Big update!
Hello and thanks for sticking with me on my lack of updates. Also a big thanks to Stunreefer, Noy, Edzo, and Coltrref on your comments. The Guild Wars 2 servers went down so i did a pretty big photo shoot today.
My photography skills are lacking. I took some of these pictures with the normal 10w T5 actinic lighting i use and some of them with the closet light on. Some have a flash and some dont. I took all these pictures after feeding the tank 1 cube of brine shrimp and a snow globe worth of cyclopeze.
Notice the bigger bristle worms out savaging.
The branching dendro colony in the back is dying off and i cant figure out why.
Anyone know the scientific name of this coral?
Anyone know the scientific name of the white coral in the left hand upper corner? I don't even know if its non photosynthetic but its doing well in my tank.
I have had this coral for a couple years and the growth has been great!
I got this little frag disk of little pieces of branching dendro i bought at LFS. I hope to bring them back to life.
Here is the whole slide show:
http://s583.photobucket.com/user/Tr...r System/118g Non-photosynthetic/118g 5-16-13
http://s583.photobucket.com/user/Tr...r System/118g Non-photosynthetic/118g 5-16-13
aquavista99
Member
Wow, absolutely stunning, Eric! :thumbsup:
http://s583.photobucket.com/user/Trichome01/media/118gtank11112013.mp4.html
I really don't think my pictures do my tank justice so i tried taking my first video footage. I was inspired by the rhizotrochus flopping in the water. At one point in the video i get pretty close up on a white and red sea fan. There is a little sea star that has been living on it since i got it. I tried to get a close up of a really small fathead dendro i am growing out.
Since my last update i have added a lot of livestock. Here is the current list:
Fish:
Copperband butterfly fish - This guy was put into my tank to eat aptasia, and that is just what he did. Once he cleared all the aptasia he decided he liked PE mysis shrimp (just not the head) and all had been great. Some kind of butterfly fish to eat aptasia is almost a must for a NPS tank.
Red Saddled Anthias (Pseudanthias flavoguttatus) - Currently eating like a pig.
2x Purple Queen Anthias - These guys have been in my tank for just about 3 weeks. They are being feed 5 times a day or more. One of the two has been seen regularly eating APBreed small size pellet.
Randall's Anthias (Pseudanthias randalli) - This guy is the boss of the anthias. It eats like a pig.
Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis) - Doing great eats like a pig.
2x ORA Gold Assessor Basslet (Assessor flavissimus) - These guys are pretty neat. They do great in my dim tank and have been eating enriched brine shrimp and APBreed small size pellet.
ORA Randall's Assessor (Assessor randalli) - This little guy is new from ORA. ORA is the only place you can get this fish in the USA that i know of. As of right now mine still has some growing to do and i hope to see some hints of orange on him. Currently is looks like a black assessor.
I really don't think my pictures do my tank justice so i tried taking my first video footage. I was inspired by the rhizotrochus flopping in the water. At one point in the video i get pretty close up on a white and red sea fan. There is a little sea star that has been living on it since i got it. I tried to get a close up of a really small fathead dendro i am growing out.
Since my last update i have added a lot of livestock. Here is the current list:
Fish:
Copperband butterfly fish - This guy was put into my tank to eat aptasia, and that is just what he did. Once he cleared all the aptasia he decided he liked PE mysis shrimp (just not the head) and all had been great. Some kind of butterfly fish to eat aptasia is almost a must for a NPS tank.
Red Saddled Anthias (Pseudanthias flavoguttatus) - Currently eating like a pig.
2x Purple Queen Anthias - These guys have been in my tank for just about 3 weeks. They are being feed 5 times a day or more. One of the two has been seen regularly eating APBreed small size pellet.
Randall's Anthias (Pseudanthias randalli) - This guy is the boss of the anthias. It eats like a pig.
Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis) - Doing great eats like a pig.
2x ORA Gold Assessor Basslet (Assessor flavissimus) - These guys are pretty neat. They do great in my dim tank and have been eating enriched brine shrimp and APBreed small size pellet.
ORA Randall's Assessor (Assessor randalli) - This little guy is new from ORA. ORA is the only place you can get this fish in the USA that i know of. As of right now mine still has some growing to do and i hope to see some hints of orange on him. Currently is looks like a black assessor.
richardhao
New member
May i know your water parameters and water temp? Great tank and nice collection you got there.
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Very nice rhizo's
Thank you for the compliment. I am not sure what my water parameters are right now. I had it all checked at the LFS and it all checked out fine. Currently my water temperature is at its winter level of 72 during the summer it gets up to 76-78. I noticed a lot of my corals do better in the 72 degree range.
Thanks SantaMonica.
