3 h.mag, 2 gigantea, a crispa, hadoni, and more..

[Rod Buehler]

Forgive the cross posting if you happen to see these pics on other forums. I finally got around to uploading some pics and thought that I would share..

I will attempt to separate the pics into a few different posts so its likely that it will take me a few..

First my purple footed mag with a pair of nigripes. I have had this one for about a year. better looking in person.. About 12"

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5170.jpg

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5356.jpg

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5339.jpg

Next up is a clone that I received from a local.. Had it about 8 months. The guy couldnt hardly give it away so I had to make room..

The foot is cream color.. Oral disc is purpleish with yellowish tipped tentacles.. about 18".. Houses skunks



http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5485.jpg

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5490.jpg

The next mag I have had for 3-4 years.. Kinda plain,, about 24". Hard to get pictures.. Houses percs

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5507.jpg


http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5504.jpg




Next the giganteas...

[Rod Buehler]

My purple gigantea I have had for about 4 years.. about 22"

http://www.rods-reef.com/purple3.jpg

the brown one for 14+ years. Usually opened a bit more that what it is in these pics (normally about 22"

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5498.jpg

My Crispa

With a pair of polymnus about 16" when open completely

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5361.jpg

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5494.jpg

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5496.jpg

[Rod Buehler]

a few BTA's..

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5183.jpg

Some hosting shrooms

http://www.rods-reef.com/DSCN5305.jpg

[Rod Buehler]

I guess I dont have any of the hadoni.. Maybe someday (soon?)..

[rastarainy]

wow! that purple footed mag and purple gigantea are amazing. how much has the gigantea grown since you purchased it?

[OrionN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14663080#post14663080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rod Buehler
I guess I dont have any of the hadoni.. Maybe someday (soon?)..
I trade you my Haddoni for your Gigantea:p
Nice anemones. You do have them in separate tanks right? or all in one tank?

[Rod Buehler]

I have a hadoni, but I guess I didnt feel that it was worthy of pics just like the other BTA's :D (Actually I guess I forgot).

They are all on the same system but most are in separate tanks. I have kept some of them together though.

Ras.. I guess the gigantea was about 7-8" 3-4 years ago.. now about 22"

[adtravels]

awesome rod, I hope my purple gig gets to be as big as that, its so nice.

[Dragonlady]

Thank you for sharing pictures of your anemones. They appear to be in excellent health!

[GSMguy]

Great collection you have Rod, very nice.

Hope all is well

Nick

[tp5056]

Wow, I remember when that purple gigantae was smaller. Great to see that it's still doing good along with everything else!

[Gig 'em]

amazing. Thanks for the pics!

[Rod Buehler]

Thanks everyone.

Adtravels: It doesnt take long :).

Dragon Lady: Yes, I have been fortunate to find some "good ones"

Hey Nick, Yes, all is well. With you too, I hope! Are you doing MACNA this year?

TP: yep it was probably 6-8" when you saw it

Gig: thanks and youre welcome!

[JamesJR]

That is so ridiculously awesome.

[Gator Pit]

Thanks for sharing. They look great. My favorite critters in the ocean, clown fish and anemones. I's nice to know, with proper care, an anemone can be kept over 14 years ! Love to see them some time.

[gemmasicolo]

Rod, those anemones are amazing!!

What kind of shrooms are those? I'm trying to find something my WC true perc can host since my tank is too small for any of their natural anemones. I'm hearing the BTA will discolor their black.

Gemma

[Rod Buehler]

just some green fuzzy shrooms.. Rhodactus sp. I have seen BTAs cause color loss on some fish, but not all.. I have a pair of onyx in BTAs that are nearly as dark as the one in the shrooms.. OTOH, I have seen some that were that black (siblings), and lose all black within 3 weeks of being introduced to a BTA. Hit and miss..

Gator.. I am available on some weekends..

[Rod Buehler]

I am getting a few questions via PM or phone. These are questions that should be asked in the forum and not in PVT. Thats what the forums are all about.. sharing information. Asking in a forum would allow all of the others with the same questions to see what is said. In private, the same question may have to be answered 50 times. PVT messaging is for personal matters IMO. Not for basic questions that others may have, too. Not ranting.. just wanting to save a lil time :D.

Here is one question that sums up a few that I have had.


Someone that wants to remain anonymous wrote on 03/24/2009 11:05 AM:
Rod please supply me with some info
Setting up a 180 tank for anemones only Gigantes
Lighting I have three 400 watt mh what kelvin
Flow I have two mp 40 which settings
Flow through tank how much
Any other info would be great
Thank You, anonymous


400 watters will be good. Im not a fan of super blue bulbs. Are they regular 400s (M-59) or HQI ballasts(Son 430) or electronic ballasts? I like the reeflux bulbs. but they burn blue on a regular m-59.. If you have an m-59 Id go reeflux 10KK.. if you have an HQI (son 430) ballast, I would go 12KK

Flow.. I recommend surge tanks that will provide strong flow for a few seconds/minute. then a pause/break that provides calm waters. I am sure there are pumps that can be dialed in to do the same, but I have been using surges so long, that I am not too familiar with some of the newer pumps.

I have no idea what an mp40 is (sorry.. out of the loop I guess.) so I cant help with the settings

Temps at 80+ .. They will tolerate cooler, but thrive more at 82-85, IME.

Salinity should stay a bit on the high side but again will handle huge swings. (think tide-pools that get hot and evaporate.. then flooded with an afternoon rain). My salinity recently crept up to 1.045+.. Most SPS croaked.. even leathers were dropping off of rocks, but the anemones looked good. There were looking a little rough when I noticed it that high but but I would say that they were happy up to about 1.035 + (m I am not really recommending anything higher than NSW (1.026), but if I have to err, I'd err on the high side)

I am a big fan of deep sand beds and the "natural system" . I seek out any and every hitchhiker that I can.. I still like really live rock. all critters are innocent (and highly beneficial) until proven guilty and even if guilty, I weigh the consequences. I am not a fan of UV. I have been against Ozone, but recently been playing with it. Carbon is good. I feed very heavily, but spot feed nothing, especially the anemones (but they do get a little food almost everyday. Small pieces. No fish/silversides .

just my experiences.. 1000s of ways to do this reef tank thing..

[Greg 45]

Where do you keep the alkalinity at also the calcium.
Then it seems that they dont like high flow compared to a SPS tank with 50 plus the turn over.
Thank you in advance.
Tryink to duplicate a tank like your's.
Any full tank pictures,also the sump and skimmer.
HOPE NOT ASKING FOR TO MUCH
ITS A NICE SET UP

[Rod Buehler]

Hi Greg,
They do like the high flow(maybe even more than an SPS tank) just not constantly (IME). My oldest used to get blasted with 2" surges that had about a 4' head on them ( About 8 gallons in 4 seconds.. If they both fired at the same time.. 16 in 4) My calculator broke :D. The surges came over the top of the anemone just off to the side.. bounce off the front glass and back at the gigantea. The purple is set up in the same manner but with only 1" surges and now the brown one has been downgraded to the 1 inchers also.

I have multiple tanks on a common 150 gallon stock tank sump.. Nothing special about it. It has a 4' dual recirculator skimmer. and a few rocks.

Most of my anemones are in DIY cubes that are 24x24x16. All with surges.

Ill see if I can get a few full tank shots but my tanks arent pretty

Ill also get the sumps but talk about ghetto..

No. not asking too much at all.

Thanks

Oh.. Calcium and alk.. I strive for NSW, but never check. I am sure that they are low. .

[Greg 45]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I had a post asking these questions and no one responded. These are amazing and I am trying to keep them as best that anyone can. Do you test for nitrates. My sump is a 100 gal rubber maid if you are talking about ghetto. In NJ a pile of sand is a fortune. My best investment is a Lifereef skimmer.

[Gary Majchrzak]

great thread, Rod. are the polymnus black?
if so... have they ever spawned for you?

[shutiny]

Beautiful giganteas! I am wondering are the tentacles always the same shape as in your pictures? Do they get longer during lighting periods, water current?

[adtravels]

Rod how do you prevent the sand from being washed around with those surges?

[Rod Buehler]

Greg, To be honest, I dont test for much of anything (My bad), but I have been in the hobby for a long long time, and aftera while you start to develop an eye. I dont use a refractometer anymore.. Taste test works for me :D Just kidding ( Sort of :D)

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14685114#post14685114 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
great thread, Rod. are the polymnus black?
if so... have they ever spawned for you?

Thanks Gary. Yes, black.

http://www.rods-reef.com/saddleeggs.jpg

:D

Beautiful giganteas! I am wondering are the tentacles always the same shape as in your pictures? Do they get longer during lighting periods, water current?

Thank you. The brown one usually exhibits longer tentacles than what it shows in the pic that I posted here. The clowns were spawning and had irritaed teh anemone to make it close up a bit. I'll see if I can get a better/more natural pic. They are usually more typical of what you see in toward the center of the purple..

Rod how do you prevent the sand from being washed around with those surges?
It only blows around for the first week or 3.. It eventually settles. Maybe not exactly where I want it, but it does settle. Especially if the sand is really old/coated with bacteria

[adtravels]

..... and how fine is the sand, and how deep? if you dont mind.

[this is me]

Rod,
That purple gigantea is crazy!! Beautiful!

[Musho3210]

Has anything split for you (besides the BTAs)

[Dave Harms]

Great nems and clowns! Thanks for sharing. :D

[RedClay]

Wow! I am amazed that you've had that anemone for 14 years! Awesome collection of clowns too

[Pacific Reefs]

Wow Rod thank you for posting your collection...simply amazing fish and anemones. My H Mag has similar tenticles as your oldest specimen (longer and more narrow). Why do you think they differ from your newer specimens? I am running a 400w MH 14K bulb. Do you think it may be stretching for light and if I changed to a 10K for more PAR this would help?

[Rod Buehler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14721305#post14721305 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by adtravels
..... and how fine is the sand, and how deep? if you dont mind.

The finest available.. Southdown, carib~sea aragamax )oolitic).. Iusally starts off at a 3-4" depth, but I usually have about 5-6 in areas and very little in others. WHen I had the 2" (x2) surges running, I had no sand in the front corners with 7 in the back.. I added some larger rubble in the front corners.

This is me: Thank you

Musho.. No. One of the mags came to me via a split. As far as I know, there are no records of gigantea splitting naturally.

Dave: thank you and youre welcome.

RedClay, thanks ( it could easily be 15-16 years old but I dont want to stretrch it, so I play conservative with saying 14. :) )

Pacific reefs.. I would guess collection area...

[Greg 45]

Gigantea question. I pick one up on sat. I acclimatd for almost 2 1/2 hour . Looked fine untill today. It was the size of a dinner plate , today looks tense up and some brown poop comming out of mouth. Hasnt eaten yet. Mouth was closed until today . Should I change flow or lighting. Mouth was closed also until today.
ANY IDEAS

[Kmiec123]

Thanks for posting Rod. Very nice pics!
Carl

[Rod Buehler]

Thank you Carl... One of these days soon, I hope to show some "tanks builds"..( at least for the purple gigantea.. ) been a lil busy lately.. (Will I see you at the fest this weekend?)

[delphinus]

Just found this. Wow, nice pictures of your collection. I'm very jealous. :)

[rick12]

you mentiioned keeping them in the same tank as well as separate. i have a sebae in a 40g display, and want to add a green carpet. will this work or should i have a separate system for the carpet?
i was thinking of putting the carpet in my reef display but worried it will move arround and harm corals.
thanks

[ILLiDaN]

Woot and i thought i was the only one


<a href=showthread.php?s=&
postid=14692926#post14692926 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rod Buehler
Greg, To be honest, I dont test for much of anything (My bad), but I have been in the hobby for a long long time, and aftera while you start to develop an eye. I dont use a refractometer anymore.. Taste test works for me :D Just kidding ( Sort of :D)



Thanks Gary. Yes, black.

http://www.rods-reef.com/saddleeggs.jpg

:D



Thank you. The brown one usually exhibits longer tentacles than what it shows in the pic that I posted here. The clowns were spawning and had irritaed teh anemone to make it close up a bit. I'll see if I can get a better/more natural pic. They are usually more typical of what you see in toward the center of the purple..


It only blows around for the first week or 3.. It eventually settles. Maybe not exactly where I want it, but it does settle. Especially if the sand is really old/coated with bacteria

[Greg 45]

Adtravels
What size tank are you keeping your gigs in.
Dimensions.
Thank You

[Fishy_Clown]

I guess I dont have any of the hadoni.. Maybe someday (soon?)..

Hey buddy,

Wow - you have some of the nicest nems I have ever seen. Kudos to you for not only keeping them going for so long, but for making them thrive ! I am in the process of setting up a 3000 liter species tank - S.Gigantea and Hadonni. I am going to try get my giganteas to spawn as I dont believe propagation is the way forward with these amazing creatures.

You sound like you have one heck of a lot of knowledge on the subject so think you and I are gonna become best friends over the next few months and years :thumbsup:

Well done Rod and thanks for sharing with us mate. Looking forward to more nem posts and soem future conversations :)

Cheers

Keith

[Outerbank]

Beautiful anemonees!

[ThunderousTalon]

Unbelievable Rod. I just got a blue gigantea about 3days ago ~20+ inches. I am getting ready to set up a new tank 72x24x12. Trying to keep it really shallow. 2x 150 mh 6500k~10k not sure yet. I'll have to see how they handle the 65k and i like the yellow. Anyways I am really curious about these 1in surges, is there a how-to? Thanx... Again fantastic setup.

[clowns101]

I really like the very last Magnifica!