View Full Version : My Blue Gigantea Anemone Under LEDs
jonnybravo22
03/06/2010, 06:35 PM
Hello Everyone!
I have been looking forward to this thread for a long time. I spend most of my time reading the threads in this forum and for years have been fascinated by the threads with gigantea anemones. Today I am finally able to share some pictures of my very own Stichodactyla Gigantea!
The anemone has been in my tank for 1 month and seems to be getting happier each day. I have been fairly superstitious and did not want to post any pictures of the nem in my tank until I was more confident that it survived the acclimation period. I read lots of threads about "the jinx" of posting pictures too soon!
I was also very curious about lighting, as my tank is lit with high power LEDs and I don't believe anyone has posted a gigantea under LEDs in this forum before. I wasnt sure how it would respond but I am now of the opinion that these anemones can do very well under LED lighting. I would love to have some conversation about this guy, I'm very happy to have it. Here are some pictures.
This is in the store, a week before I picked it up. Pictures from my phone It is a little bleached and was slightly moreso when I picked it up (many clear tentacles though still with blue tips).
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/photo.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/photo2.jpg
These are pictures from tonight. I didn't take any pictures when I first put it in the tank, so these are the first shots of the nem in my tank, but it has been 1 month. Like I said, I was pretty superstitious. Perhaps you can still tell, however, that it has gained a lot of brown zooxanthellae in its tentacles since first introduced, and it continues to develop more each day.
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4430.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4427.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4405.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4407.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4412.jpg
Foot
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4424.jpg
Clowns still want to host the return pump outlet, but i'm hoping they change their minds. I took the nozzle off to encourage them.
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4440.jpg
Gigantea!!!!!!!!!
garygb
03/06/2010, 07:20 PM
Good job. Glad to see it is coloring up for you and appears healthy.
clowns101
03/06/2010, 07:43 PM
Nice!His color has really improved hasnt it!
jonnybravo22
03/06/2010, 08:43 PM
Good job. Glad to see it is coloring up for you and appears healthy.
Thanks Garygb!
Nice!His color has really improved hasnt it!
Thanks! It certainly seems to be a healthier shade now! I didn't realize how much it had changed but looking at these pictures it is a stark contrast. (my lights are also better than the PC lights they had it under at the LFS though!)
keeping fingers crossed hoping it continues to do well.
Trademark
03/06/2010, 09:12 PM
can u share with us on the info on your leds
jbud2418
03/06/2010, 09:19 PM
Very nice did you buy it online or from a LFS.
jonnybravo22
03/06/2010, 09:20 PM
can u share with us on the info on your leds
yes! I'm using the new version of the AquaIllumination LED lights.
I have 2 72W modules. they are only 2 or 3 inches above the water level. each is 16x White CREE XPG + 8x Blue CREE XPE.
jonnybravo22
03/06/2010, 09:21 PM
Very nice did you buy it online or from a LFS.
It was a rare move for me but I got it from a LFS. I normally do not buy livestock there but this surprisingly looked ok enough to buy and i knew my chances of success would be much improved if i could avoid the stress of shipping.
nanoman31
03/07/2010, 12:03 AM
nice anenome! good luck! i'm still a novice tryin to keep
my bta alive after 3 weeks. mine looks good too
jonnybravo22
03/12/2010, 12:10 AM
not sure what the PAR readings are for my setup, but i have had the max whites going up to 60% in the day for a few hours (approximating the height of the midday sun) couple with max 70% blues. This all with my modules about 2 inches off the water line (tank is only 16 inches deep). I have the blues at a higher percentage for a longer period of the day, but in terms of intensity levels both channels kind of form a bell curve shape throughout the day, hitting the highest intensity at midday. i'll look into getting a screenshot of the profilux lighting overview screen that shows this graphically.
i just raised the LED modules to about 5 inches off the water level (mostly for ease of maintenance) and increased to max 70% white and 75% blue. Still not sure if i should try increasing the intensity more. seems to be responding well to the current setup so don't want to make any big changes too quickly.
jonnybravo22
03/22/2010, 11:10 PM
just a quick update. it's still doing well in under the LEDs. i'll post a pic soon.
it has really picked up a lot of zooxanthellae development which is awesome. i'll show the light setup in the next photos as well, but i'm actually quite surprised (and relieved) that i've noticed such solid improvement under LEDs. granted it was coming from a tank with compact flouresents, but i was a little worried for whatever reason that LEDs "wouldn't work for a gigantea", but they clearly do.
makes me happy. :D
the gigantea is very responsive to the light. it shrinks up as the lights dim down at night and inflates during the day. (though i fed it at night once and noticed it inflated after eating even at night). i normally feed every 2-3 days, small chunks of rods food as i'm feeding my fish.
jonnybravo22
03/25/2010, 11:39 PM
The anemone is finally hosting my clowns! Well at least 1 of them :)
Over the weekend I came up with two strategies to try to help convince the clowns to enter the anemone. Remember they had been "hosted" by the powerhead / return line in the top left corner of the tank.
1) I directed all my powerheads at the corner they hung out in to make it 'less comfortable' there. they then decided to move to the other corner. i have some flow directed at that corner, but less directly than the first.
2) I have begun to introduce food right near the anemone. when they are hungry and see my bringing food they come right away and since i'm introducing it near the anemone now, a) they spend some time near it when they first start eating before the food blows everywhere in the tank and they no longer need to be in that spot to eat and b) they go to that spot to check for food more often.
well after a few days of this combination, out of nowhere my little guy (male clown) just hopped into the anemone! it was amazing. he was in the nem for a while the first night, then i fed the tank and he ended up moving after he ate. that night he slept in the corner (not the original corner though). the following day he spent all day in the anemone and he hasnt left since, he sleeps there now as well he's pretty much there 24/7 like it's the best thing ever! (does he remember that I first introduced the anemone a month and a half ago?)
the female is holding her ground in the second corner. i'm considering changing the flow back to normal and just letting her (hopefully) get the idea from the male clown.
for those having trouble getting clowns to host, you may want to try one of the above strategies. i would think they are pretty safe as the clowns are still choosing when they want to go into the anemone and build up whatever tolerances they need at their own pace, but you sort of give them some incentive as opposed to forcing them.
(BTW I tried attaching a picture of clowns hosting on the side of the tank --- did nothing! :D)
BonsaiNut
03/26/2010, 03:07 PM
Sounds great! Look forward to the photos!!
According to the numbers, some LED systems SHOULD be bright enough for giganteas. But I'd rather see first hand success than rely on LED fixture specs.
juniorjose
03/26/2010, 04:34 PM
thats a nice nem!!!!!! im considering getting a nem also in the future. how long did u wait till u added it?
5h3rW1N
03/26/2010, 05:20 PM
nice tank and nice carpet
jonnybravo22
03/27/2010, 09:56 AM
Sounds great! Look forward to the photos!!
According to the numbers, some LED systems SHOULD be bright enough for giganteas. But I'd rather see first hand success than rely on LED fixture specs.
absolutely. i think you're right to look for real examples over calculations or specs. I'm glad this thread is providing a real example. As far as i know I'm the first to house a gigantea under the latest high quality LEDs as the sole light source. perhaps this will encourage others to try it!
thats a nice nem!!!!!! im considering getting a nem also in the future. how long did u wait till u added it?
thanks! my tank was up for about 8 months before introducing the nem, however it that was setup mostly transferring from my last tank which was up for two years (kept the livestock and liverock during transfer)
i would suggest doing lots of research. these are not easy to keep and particularly difficult to acclimate so do your homework first and have the proper equipment / arrangements for them.
nice tank and nice carpet
thanks!
jonnybravo22
03/27/2010, 10:02 AM
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4461.jpg
Here you can see that the zooxanthellae (brown coloration in the tentacles) is returning. In this picture the top of the nem has regained a lot of color. This was from the beginning of March.
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4464.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4467.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4469.jpg
This next picture is from today. lights are still mostly dim, blue light ("sun" hasn't come out yet) so nem is still a bit contracted in sleep mode. I'll try to get a fresh pic of it fully expanded when the lights are on. Even more of the zooxanthellae has come in. and now my male clown is being hosted!
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4484.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4502.jpg
(with flash off)
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4491.jpg
jupiter
03/27/2010, 01:38 PM
I'm following this thread and hopefully you will keep it updated for the next couple of years. I'd love to see how well the anemone lives under LEDs. I think LED lighting will improve greatly in the coming years, probably making your current lighting obsolete, so hopefully you will upgrade your lighting along with the improvements. Then again, 10 years ago I never thought VHO would lose popularity but I did think MH would.
jonnybravo22
03/27/2010, 04:34 PM
I'm following this thread and hopefully you will keep it updated for the next couple of years. I'd love to see how well the anemone lives under LEDs. I think LED lighting will improve greatly in the coming years, probably making your current lighting obsolete, so hopefully you will upgrade your lighting along with the improvements. Then again, 10 years ago I never thought VHO would lose popularity but I did think MH would.
Glad you're tagging along.
I may stay current with whatever new LEDs come out but I would reconsider your premise that new technology will make existing LEDs obsolete.
That concept holds with computer systems because they have to be fully integrated and new software wont be compatible with old systems, or will require more memory or processing speed than old systems can provide etc. Here we're just talking about lights. There's nothing it necessarily has to integrate with so provided that it meets a threshold that it provides enough light today for the tank, anything that comes out in the future is just potentially a more efficient, more powerful, or more feature laden light. It doesn't make anything obsolete b/c the old version still turns on, still provides light for your system. For instance I have the old version of the AI LEDs as well That's still a good light (that I should find a use for since I only have 1 tank set up at the moment).
Now i do have my AIs hooked up to my Profilux controller, but they work together (and it's not necessary that I use both together --though i would always try to do that).
anyways -- people have gotten very used to saying "the technology is improving" -- and it is! but that doesnt mean that the right system cant do the job already.
The cool thing about LEDs is that they are so easy to control digitally... which makes for lots of possibilities. Many of those I already take advantage of with the Profilux controller, but who knows maybe someone will come out with something in the future that is a feature i just have to have! Outside of that, I think the only thing I would get a new light for is a different color spectrum with more purple. AI chose 470 nm for their blue. I would like it if i could get something closer to 420 nm.
If i continue to see good results though, I would not be in any rush to change my lights if new ones come out. the only thing i'm wondering now that the nem seems to do well w/ LEDs is is there a way to get my Pearlberry to color up -- which may be more related to the tank owner's inexperience with SPS, considering it's my first, but who knows!
jonnybravo22
03/27/2010, 05:39 PM
in other words: 400W MH didn't make 250W MH obsolete b/c 250W is capable of providing adequate light to a system. :D
jonnybravo22
03/29/2010, 11:28 PM
the male clown has been doing some great posing now that he's doing so from the comfort of the anemone. thought i'd post. you can also see the nem's color.
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4657.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4672.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4676.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/100_4666.jpg
Rossini
03/30/2010, 03:53 AM
Stunning! :bounce3:
Good luck with it.
jupiter
03/30/2010, 05:05 AM
Glad you're tagging along.
I may stay current with whatever new LEDs come out but I would reconsider your premise that new technology will make existing LEDs obsolete.
That concept holds with computer systems because they have to be fully integrated and new software wont be compatible with old systems, or will require more memory or processing speed than old systems can provide etc. Here we're just talking about lights. There's nothing it necessarily has to integrate with so provided that it meets a threshold that it provides enough light today for the tank, anything that comes out in the future is just potentially a more efficient, more powerful, or more feature laden light. It doesn't make anything obsolete b/c the old version still turns on, still provides light for your system. For instance I have the old version of the AI LEDs as well That's still a good light (that I should find a use for since I only have 1 tank set up at the moment).
Now i do have my AIs hooked up to my Profilux controller, but they work together (and it's not necessary that I use both together --though i would always try to do that).
anyways -- people have gotten very used to saying "the technology is improving" -- and it is! but that doesnt mean that the right system cant do the job already.
The cool thing about LEDs is that they are so easy to control digitally... which makes for lots of possibilities. Many of those I already take advantage of with the Profilux controller, but who knows maybe someone will come out with something in the future that is a feature i just have to have! Outside of that, I think the only thing I would get a new light for is a different color spectrum with more purple. AI chose 470 nm for their blue. I would like it if i could get something closer to 420 nm.
If i continue to see good results though, I would not be in any rush to change my lights if new ones come out. the only thing i'm wondering now that the nem seems to do well w/ LEDs is is there a way to get my Pearlberry to color up -- which may be more related to the tank owner's inexperience with SPS, considering it's my first, but who knows!
I actually meant technology with LEDs will improve. I wouldn't be tagging along if you switched to new technology ;)
jupiter
03/30/2010, 07:23 AM
I actually meant technology with LEDs will improve. I wouldn't be tagging along if you switched to new technology ;)
I didn't fully read what you wrote before I posted.
I was actually referring to the associated fixtures, reflectors, etc., not the LED light. But ...
I don't know what the future holds for LED lighting. A few decades ago some thought computers couldn't get faster without getting larger. Perhaps smaller LEDs with brighter lights are next. I don't know. As of now, I'm not confident LEDs penetrate deep enough for a strongly photophilic anemone but I'm not closed to the idea that they are. I am following along to see how things turn out. There is already some question as to whether LED is really that much more efficient than T5s.
And technology upgrade doesn't just apply to the LED light itself - which again, is not what I was actually referring to when I posted. The fixture might improve. We may find that 100 LEDs in a fixture just aren't enough, that we need to move up to 1000 for proper lighting, or that there are "special reflectors" to make light better. This would drive up the inefficiency. I'm ignorant in that I don't know the future and can only base what I know on what exists today. But I'm still following to see how things progress. Of course, with anemones something unrelated could kill it in a matter of days completely unrelated to the lighting.
The anemone still looks good. We may find they don't need as much light as we originally thought, or that LED light provides the "right light" vs fluorescent or MH. It may take another decade. I'm relatively new to the hobby (since 1991, I think) but things have changed a lot since then. Even things we thought were a given have completely changed.
Just keep us updated :love2:
Rosengrant826
03/30/2010, 10:37 AM
thats amazing i love the color. I also love your male clown.
keep us posted with more pictures please.
:-)
nanotank
03/31/2010, 10:57 PM
Use your hands to shoo your female into the nem. I have done this 3 seperate times with 100% success. My black percs have not strayed more then 8" from there rbta in over 2.5 yrs in a 240. They lay Clutches of eggs on the rocks. Maybe someday I will get motivated and try to raise some of them. Good luck its gorgeous. I rock AI and profilux on my 60 cube.
jonnybravo22
04/02/2010, 02:44 PM
Stunning! :bounce3:
Good luck with it.
Thanks Rossini! I dont have a great camera yet but a few of the pics came out decent. this nem is very cool! :dance:
thats amazing i love the color. I also love your male clown.
keep us posted with more pictures please.
:-)
thanks Rosengrant. i will certainly try to keep the thread fresh with images as long as i see people are interested. if anyone has questions etc. about lighting setup (LEDs!!) or acclimation or anything i'm happy to offer my experience / thoughts in hopes they might be helpful.
Use your hands to shoo your female into the nem. I have done this 3 seperate times with 100% success. My black percs have not strayed more then 8" from there rbta in over 2.5 yrs in a 240. They lay Clutches of eggs on the rocks. Maybe someday I will get motivated and try to raise some of them. Good luck its gorgeous. I rock AI and profilux on my 60 cube.
thanks a lot nanotank. yeah i like the AIs and the Profilux. I'm a little hesitant to shoo the fish into the nem just because of stories i've heard but i'm still hopeful she'll eventually go in. she has been hanging out in that area for a few seconds at a time then swimming away -- kinda like she's testing it out now. the male is there 24/7 so it's a constant reminder to her now that that's where she should be hehe. i have a bit more patience left in me now that the male is being hosted. hope she enters soon though! ;)
jonnybravo22
09/15/2010, 01:30 AM
some updates:
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7504.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7500.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_6303.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7495.jpg
greech
09/15/2010, 07:12 AM
Really spectacular stuff! Congrats on your success. I am trying to locate a haddoni at the moment and am fortuante to have a good LFS hunting one down for me. Keep up the good work.
2Addicted
09/15/2010, 09:28 AM
Wow! Its awesome to see a success story and thanks for updating pics. I think this nem is my favorite! I wish my lfs brought in cool nems. How much did you pay if you dont mind me asking?
garygb
09/15/2010, 01:20 PM
Looks in the peak of health Johnny, thank you for the updated pics. What kind of growth have you observed over the 6 or 7 months that you've had the anemone now?
Also, I noticed your tank bottom has a very thin sand layer. What do your nitrates run? What do you do for nitrate control?
drtrash
09/15/2010, 04:19 PM
What size tank?
jonnybravo22
09/15/2010, 07:28 PM
Really spectacular stuff! Congrats on your success. I am trying to locate a haddoni at the moment and am fortuante to have a good LFS hunting one down for me. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Good luck with the search.
Wow! Its awesome to see a success story and thanks for updating pics. I think this nem is my favorite! I wish my lfs brought in cool nems. How much did you pay if you dont mind me asking?
Thanks! I'm very happy that it has responded well in my tank. it was around $150.
Looks in the peak of health Johnny, thank you for the updated pics. What kind of growth have you observed over the 6 or 7 months that you've had the anemone now?
Also, I noticed your tank bottom has a very thin sand layer. What do your nitrates run? What do you do for nitrate control?
Thanks.
It hasnt grownt much. I actually dont feed it anymore, maybe once a month. I've let it feed mainly off of the lighting and whatever scraps it catches when i feed the fish. Tonight i feed it directly a piece of scallop.
It does seem to be in good health. The only thing i'm trying to get improved on this guy right now is that his mouth / oral disc needs more color. The mouth should be yellower, now it's more translucent w/ yellow tinge and i'm trying to figure out what it needs -- light ? food? not sure.
Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0. I dont do anything special -- skimmer, water changes... that's it.
What size tank?
Elos System 70. Roughly 55 gallon display, ~10 gallon sump.
garygb
09/15/2010, 09:49 PM
Thanks for the info. Really looks like it's thriving. You said you'd like the mouth to have more color. Just wondering if the mouth is always shaded. Looks shaded in the pics. Was thinking if the oral disc in proximity to the mouth were exposed to your lights perhaps the tissue would color up.
Gary Majchrzak
09/16/2010, 07:58 PM
very nice.
JMO: I would feed this gigantea and it will grow larger.
Krill and/or HUFA enriched mysids would be a good choice.
jonnybravo22
09/16/2010, 08:07 PM
very nice.
JMO: I would feed this gigantea and it will grow larger.
Krill and/or HUFA enriched mysids would be a good choice.
Thanks Gary! that means a lot coming from the guy with what's probably been the most influential gigantea on the internet! certainly was for me, and i still aspire to have such success.
I realized only recently that I hadn't fed the anemone in a while so I started doing that again. I am certainly happy with it not getting too big for now though :) it has grown some so far, but i like that it's a manageable size :)
Gary, do you have any thoughts on what contributes to the mouth of the anemone being yellow? Are lights responsible for the color of the oral disc tissue or is that food / nutrient driven?
Gary Majchrzak
09/16/2010, 08:17 PM
IME foods and lighting can affect anemone coloration but I wouldn't be extremely concerned about the yellow tint around any gigantea's mouth. It's natural.
Your anemone is doing quite a stretch (look at it's column) and I wouldn't be surprised if it moved someday soon. In the meantime, I wouldn't change much because it looks like you have a keeper!
5Starreef
09/22/2010, 09:48 PM
Really nice , please keep posting!!!:love1:
jonnybravo22
10/08/2010, 08:50 PM
just a few updates
In this first pic, check out how the anemone sticks to the glass to keep itself outstretched during the day. interesting. i think the purple "bumps" or verrucae are actually the sticky parts, but haven't confirmed.seems like it sticks at tiny points though, i've noticed this on several occasions.
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7778.jpg
I fed the anemone and took a pic of her eating. (think i have identified it as a female)
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7711.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7651.jpg
garygb
10/08/2010, 10:13 PM
Just curious, how can you tell the anemone is a female?
jonnybravo22
10/09/2010, 01:07 PM
well i read on another thread that one way to identify is by the presence of eggs in the column. if so, its a female. if not, you cant's say for sure b/c it could be a female w/ no eggs at the moment. but looking at it the other day i felt pretty confident that i saw a bunch of eggs in the column.
that's why i'd guess it's a female.
jonnybravo22
01/05/2011, 07:05 PM
decided to move the anemone so it could get better light instead of being under the rock. i felt like it was losing a little color in places that were mostly under the rock. also wanted to have my clowns more center in the tank than hiding under that rock. the process went well. i tried all the standard recommendations -- directing a powerhead at its foot, a few minutes of that just made it contract and hold on tighter, tried putting frozen food on it's foot (substitute for ice since i didnt want to make RODI ice cubes or introduce tap water), didnt move from that. i really just irritated it for like 3 hours and still nothing except contracting a lot and holding on tighter. so eventually i settled on using a card to gently remove the foot from the rock it was attached to. the good thing i think i did was use a soft thin "metrocard" subway card in NY. it's super thin so i was able to get under the foot easily and it isnt stiff, but flexible, so i think it was easier on the foot and less likely to cause damage. in all after just a few minutes it released and i just put him on this island where i wanted it, and he attached right away. hasnt moved in a few weeks so hoping he likes it. i get the ability here now to give it more light, and it's directly under it so i like that. gets great flow being more exposed to water column.
clowns followed instantly. and today they found a few spot and layed eggs on the island!!! yay!!
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9310.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9394.jpg
with flash (finally can get a shot of the verrucae)
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9318.jpg
BonsaiNut
01/05/2011, 10:10 PM
Great job. I agree that the part that was being shaded was getting a little bleached. However all in all you deserve kudos for keeping this creature alive under LED's.
jonnybravo22
01/06/2011, 10:23 PM
Great job. I agree that the part that was being shaded was getting a little bleached. However all in all you deserve kudos for keeping this creature alive under LED's.
thanks very much. i should add that the LEDs have really done great. no issue whatsoever, I'm very confident that the fixtures I'm using are perfectly able to keep these anemones.
the only issue i have had is that after about 6 months having the anemone, i made a venture into SPS corals. initially i burned them all from having too much light. so i reduced the light and the color began to return in the corals. but the light was lowered so much that the anemone was getting much less light than it was used to in my tank, and that's when some of the tentacles that were usually shaded on the underside lost a little color. (lights went from 100% down to ~20% white, 80% blue)
that's part of the reason i moved it to it's own island, and now that it's under an LED fixture by itself i have 1 for the corals and 1 for the gigantea, and can set them each to different intensities. it's already getting that color back so seems like the strategy is paying off.
garygb
01/06/2011, 11:17 PM
Thanks for the information about your anemone under LEDs. It looks very healthy. I read that post by BonsaiNut and got the sense that it's especially challenging to keep gigantea under an LED system. I don't have LEDs, but have a curiosity about them and how well they work for light demanding species. From what I have read, I'm under the impression that some of the available systems produce huge quantities of light and exceptionally high PAR--which your last post seems to corroborate. I hope you continue to keep us posted.
jonnybravo22
01/07/2011, 08:01 AM
Made a short video. Flow was on high.
<object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=18521956&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00A DEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=18521956&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00A DEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object>
BonsaiNut
01/07/2011, 08:52 AM
I read that post by BonsaiNut and got the sense that it's especially challenging to keep gigantea under an LED system.
Just to clarify what I was saying - giganteas are extremely high light loving creatures. NOT ALL LED systems being built nowadays are strong enough to keep them healthy. Clearly this particular system (Aquaillumination) is one of those systems that is. The intense blue coloration is proof (at least to me) that the intensity is plenty bright - especially considering this anemone is near the bottom of the tank.
I am wholly convinced that within a few years LED systems will dominate aquarium lighting. You won't see another metal halide, T5, or other lighting system again - similar to how LCD technology has dominated television screens. The only thing holding them back right now is light intensity and price. LED technology improvement is currently following a similar curve as microtechnology; prices are falling 50% every 3 years while intensity is increasing.
Within a decade LED lighting will probably replace all household lighting as well. It is just a question of time and watching costs fall.
garygb
01/07/2011, 10:37 AM
I agree with you BonsaiNut, I believe LEDs will be as common place as cfs are currently. I know some of the 3 watt fixtures are exceptionally bright. Now the question is, should I buy a fixture now or wait a little longer for the prices to go down.
BonsaiNut
01/07/2011, 01:07 PM
I think the question comes down to efficiency and heat. Getting comparable results from LED's is cheaper (on a per kW/hr basis) than any other lighting technology. Additionally, the low heat is a consideration (depending on setup). Toss in the much longer running lifetime of the unit (versus having to swap out bulbs every 12 months) and it may make sense despite the high upfront cost.
It probably comes down to you current cost of electricity. It costs 4x as much per kW/hr at my house (in Orange County, CA) than at my parent's house outside of Knoxville, Tn. I know for a fact that reefers in southern california have been driven out of the hobby because of the cost of electricity. My hope is that LED technology and other energy-saving options will lower the operating costs of reef tanks so they become more affordable...
Maximus
01/07/2011, 02:47 PM
While I agree that LED's are the future, there is nothing like seeing a huge Gig under halides. I went to see Shu-Tin's Gig dominated tank and let's just say her monster sized Gig's under 1,000 watt halides were amazing. I can't believe I forgot to take pics.
BonsaiNut
01/07/2011, 02:53 PM
let's just say her monster sized Gig's under 1,000 watt halides were amazing.
At $.30 per hour PER LIGHT, I don't doubt that her electricity bill was amazing too... 12 hour photoperiod would mean over $100 per month per light. There comes a point when it is cheaper just to travel to see the real thing :)
Maximus
01/07/2011, 03:13 PM
At $.30 per hour PER LIGHT, I don't doubt that her electricity bill was amazing too... 12 hour photoperiod would mean over $100 per month per light. There comes a point when it is cheaper just to travel to see the real thing :)
Very true but if you have the means then why not?:lol2:
jonnybravo22
01/07/2011, 03:19 PM
Made a short video. Flow was on high.
<object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=18521956&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00A DEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=18521956&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00A DEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object>
I'm also going to be direct-feeding this anemone a bit more . i'll update with progress.
BonsaiNut
01/08/2011, 10:17 AM
Very true but if you have the means then why not?:lol2:
Maybe... hard to say for me. I might spend that money doing something else a little greener. I don't mean this as a knock on her or her setup (which I am sure is amazing) but there is something that really bugs me about sending that much money to a utility. For that kind of money you could setup a greenhouse, or buy solar panels.
I've seen some large, deep aquariums in my day, and there are some setups that pretty much require 1000 watt MH to get corals down deep. I tend to lean more in the direction of large surface area / shallow water setups because they are so much more practical and easy to maintain.
But as you pointed out, I would LOVE to see her setup :)
jonnybravo22
02/12/2011, 06:28 PM
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9531.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9457.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9450.jpg
:)
when they lay eggs they bite the anemone so he reveals a spot underneath where they have cleaned off the rock. seems like the nem is sticky b/c they have little anemone mustaches for a day or so after :)
this is me
02/12/2011, 06:35 PM
Nice gig and clowns! Wow, your clowns are laying already? If I remember right, you asked me about my clowns the same time you got yours. Mine are still flirting around and kicking up sand and cleaning the rock. They've been doing this for the past year or so. It's strage, but mine are the same size too!
Your gig is doing well under the LED, what kind of LED you got(sorry if missed it somewhere in the thread)? I supposed to get my eStripes from Elos last month but only the whites arrived and still waiting on the blue. I hope my gig will react well with the transition of MH to LED.
jonnybravo22
02/13/2011, 01:23 PM
thanks Nick.
yeah you remember correctly about the clowns. they have been spawning for about 6 months now. havent raised any of the clutches yet but i would like to one day.
Aquaillumination LEDs since i had this anemone. IME gigs like LEDs just fine.
Rotknee
02/18/2011, 02:03 PM
I have a very simular setup in as far as I recently got a pair of ORA naked clowns and a ~4" Hadoni. I've had the nem for about a week now and everything is going well.
Given the similarities in our setup I had a few questions. How deep is your tank and what is the max intensity of your Ai lighting?
My nem is attached to a rock very near the sand bed. I believe he is doing well and has taken a small piece of shrimp (less the shell). I have the Ai Sol Blue modules and they max out at 86% for less than 3 hours a day. My lights are mounted 9" above the waterline. Like you, I am just hoping my Hadoni is getting everything he needs.
One other thing. I was fortunate enough to speak with the wholesaler/importer when I picked the Hadoni up. He told me they drip acclimate their nems for up to 5 hours when they get them. I had never heard that before but I'll admit I did the same and my little guy is doing very well.
jonnybravo22
02/18/2011, 04:17 PM
Thanks.
Just to correct you -- my anemone is a stichodactyla gigantea, not a stichodactyla haddoni.
my tank is an elos system 70, it's ~20 inches tall. My max intensity on the AI LED lights is currently 85% blue 25% white.
giganteas can take 100% on both at even closer to water line than i have it, as that's what i had running for the first few months i had the anemone. i dont know about haddoni's light tolerance.
good luck with your anemone.
Rotknee
02/18/2011, 06:00 PM
Thanks for the clarification. I hope my clowns will be as amorous as yours and decide to make a family one day.
Congrats again on your success.:thumbsup: I will be following this thread and looking forward to your updates.
jonnybravo22
02/25/2011, 01:05 PM
Hello everyone! I am happy to celebrate 1 YEAR of having this beautiful anemone! attached are some updated pictures. Thanks for interest over the last year!!
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9888.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9745.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9682-1.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9739-1.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_9723-1.jpg
BonsaiNut
02/25/2011, 01:15 PM
Nice as always! I like to see the bleached areas darkening up again. It's also great to see that it hasn't moved from that rock :)
5Starreef
03/03/2011, 10:47 AM
How far are they lights off the water line?:rollface:
szatquo
03/03/2011, 01:00 PM
Great progress! I want to make the switch over to LEDs...this helps encourage that forsure :)
Greg 45
03/03/2011, 01:18 PM
How much flow is the power head.
Do you always keep it full blast.
My gig seems to like low flow ????
jonnybravo22
03/03/2011, 10:25 PM
How far are they lights off the water line?:rollface:
11.5 inches from the bottom of the module
Great progress! I want to make the switch over to LEDs...this helps encourage that forsure :)
thanks! good luck -- i recommend starting with lower intensity and working your way up, i burned some corals by going full blast because the nem was fine under full blast right away. when i added corals they faded quickly.
How much flow is the power head.
Do you always keep it full blast.
My gig seems to like low flow ????
flow is an eheim 1260 return and an MP40 which i usually have at 100% but in lagoon mode, which means sometimes the flow is high, sometimes it's low, and the return and the MP40 are facing each other so it creates random flow. the video i posted above is just on like "eco clean up mode" where it's full blast designed to kick up detritus, so that's not really representative of the flow i have regularly.
the gig seems to respond to the flow i have well as its tentacles are longer than ever and the oral disk looks so nice swaying back and forth in the flow.
Pinkskunk
03/04/2011, 11:14 AM
very nice.
i have a couple of questions for you.
1) From the day you got it till now, how many inches did it grow, if at all?
2) looking at the tentacles, would you say they are about 3/4" long?
thanks
fazio92
03/05/2011, 12:44 PM
Thought i would tag along to support the evidence of LEDs and Gigantea's.
I acquired this Blue/purple gigantea several months ago from a local store, almost completely bleached, with the exception of the pedal. Since pickup "which was under power compacts", it has since been under 12 LEDS in a portion of a 40 breeder. At first there were just royal blues where all 12 were hitting the nem directly at 50% w/ 20degree optics. I then i upgraded and spread 8 RB and 8CW across the entire tank, now with only about 3 hitting the nem directly (all with 20degree optics); which i believe the CW are really helping with zooanthellea production. As a side note, the original 12 LED and the current 16 LED fixtures sit right on the tank. I also have other LPS, SPS and softies in the tank thriving. Let me mention that the max these LEDs can go is 75% RB and 50% CW, as i set that through the Apex to not fry anything, being so close to the water column. Here's the pics, hope you enjoy!
-Anthony
Before:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii37/fazio92/Bluepurplegiganteabefore.jpg
After LEDs for ~3months:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii37/fazio92/BluepurplegiganteaLED.jpg
this is me
03/05/2011, 12:59 PM
Nice recovery Anthony.
jonnybravo22
03/05/2011, 01:12 PM
very nice.
Thanks!
1) From the day you got it till now, how many inches did it grow, if at all?
in a year it has grown about 2 inches in diameter i would say. i think it's about 9 inches in diameter. now. i have not fed it much directly over the last year, usually a couple of times per month, then whatever it grabs daily from feeding the other fish in the tank. under those conditions it did not grow much at all. in the last 3 months or so i've been feeding it directly a few times a week and it's grown in that time. IME there's a pretty straightforward relationship. the more you direct feed the more it grows, but if you dont want it to grow, it SEEMS to do fine just collecting leftovers and getting good lighting.
2) looking at the tentacles, would you say they are about 3/4" long?
thanks
anywhere from 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches at their longest. they tend to be longest in good alternating flow or after being in such flow when the pumps are all off. if the flow is too much the tentacles contract a bit.
thanks for your interest!
5Starreef
03/05/2011, 06:20 PM
Thank you for your answer, What Salt mix brand are you using?, and how is your salinity?
Thank you
jonnybravo22
03/11/2011, 08:59 PM
thought this pic was cool
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_0173.jpg
quicktater
03/12/2011, 12:51 PM
I have had this pair of Onyx? True Percs for over ten years now. They look a lot like your pair. They hosted in the Sinularia and spawned regularly for the past 8 years. I must have raised 300 of their babies. Two months ago I moved them with the now very large Sinularia colony to a 150 gal. tank. They immediately moved over to a pair of RBTA and have been their ever since. And yes they are spawning again.
Your Blue Anemone is amazing and makes me want to give one of those try. I too have had great results with LEDs. I have 4 MaxSpect G2 160's over the tank and everything is growing including the RBTAs. Thanks for sharing!
http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/8567/percs.jpg
ckaquatics
03/12/2011, 04:42 PM
Any good place online that sells these?
jonnybravo22
03/12/2011, 07:25 PM
onyx clowns or gigantea anemones? there are ocassionally gigantea anemones on the divers den section of liveaquaria.
ckaquatics
03/12/2011, 08:28 PM
Gigantea
Randy Holmes-Farley
03/13/2011, 07:28 AM
Divers Den is where I recently got a nice gigantea. They quarantine through at least a good part of the highest risk period, and do offer a guarantee. But recognize that the odds of 3+ month survival from any mail order place (or LFS) is VERY low. They do not ship well at all, and the trip from ocean to tank is incredibly stressful for them for reasons not fully understood, but possibly relating to bacterial infection.
Munkie
03/13/2011, 08:09 AM
I have a giant green carpet that I have had for 2 months now and seems to be doing very well :)
jonnybravo22
04/13/2011, 06:16 PM
perhaps some pre-tentacle nubs?
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_0426.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_0449.jpg
Neogenocide
04/14/2011, 06:54 AM
Very very impressive. I can't wait until my 180 ages a bit more, and I may give one a try. BTW...it will also be 100% LED. I'm still building them at the moment.
Just as a side note, I've been keeping BTA's and Maxi Mini's under LED's for about 6 months now with great success.
Scott
xtlosx
04/14/2011, 10:40 AM
Very beautiful!! Take good care of it, looks like your Clown is :)
jonnybravo22
05/23/2011, 08:32 PM
like this picture
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_2150.jpg
and this one :)
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_2046.jpg
maxxII
07/31/2011, 10:39 AM
Looking great. How long have you had the anemone total?
Nick
jonnybravo22
07/31/2011, 10:33 PM
Hi Nick. Thanks for the kind swords.
I got this anemone in February 2010. So a year and a half exactly.
this is me
09/17/2011, 07:03 PM
Jonny,
Any update on your gigantea?
jonnybravo22
09/26/2011, 01:11 PM
Some people had asked for updates, here are a few pics i took last night / this AM. used my all purpose lens, not the macro this time.
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7653.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7703.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_7722.jpg
LeLutinBanni
09/26/2011, 01:25 PM
Your giga is so beautiful and look like a hairy rubber ball :P
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/097/915/376/376915097_333.jpg
this is me
09/26/2011, 03:00 PM
Awesomeness Jonny!
madean
03/02/2012, 10:51 PM
Any updates jonny
tvrsir
03/03/2012, 01:50 AM
Wow
OrionN
07/29/2012, 01:20 PM
Great looking anemone. Any update?
jonnybravo22
07/29/2012, 05:39 PM
Thanks guys! I have been lacking on the updates as I moved and had to take down and restart my tank. Made some lighting changes as well as I was not happy with SPS results.
Anyways the Gig is still doing great and made the transition fine as though nothing had changed. I'll post some new pics soon. Thanks for the interest guys, sorry I missed responding to a few of the comments!
OrionN
07/29/2012, 09:57 PM
I saw that your have a Vortech as circulation device for your tank. What model and how do you like it?
I have a new Gigantea in a 30 g cube. I did not think my circulation is adequate and ordered a Vortech MP10w which should be arriving in a few days. Do you think this will be adequate for my Gigantea in a 30 g cube tank?
Thanks
jonnybravo22
08/14/2012, 08:56 PM
Ok so here are a few new pics! But first, take note: I NO LONGER HAVE LED LIGHTING!
I switched to MH + T5s because I was not happy with my CORALS. It is my opinion (as documented in this thread) that giganteas do VERY WELL under LED lighting. My switch was purely related to corals, but the gig did fantastically well under LEDs for 2 full years, so no issues there. By the way he seems to be fine under the new lighting as well and seems generally unmoved by it either way.
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_6776.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_6661.jpg
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_6588.jpg
Clowns laid eggs again tonight as they do every week or so
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_6626.jpg
That's all folks!
http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/jonny_bravo22/IMG_6643.jpg
Reef1589
08/14/2012, 09:15 PM
Love that last picture of the clown haha, ive been trying to capture a pic like that of my Onyx forever now.. :(
and ill say the same thing with you, although i have not had my gig nearly as long as you have had yours, but it would seem my S. Gig LOVES my LeD's, but im having a hard time with some of my SPS.. my gig sits in a par reading of about high 300's low 400's... (both gigs) and my SPS in a par reading anywere from 290 - 340 .. and my sand bed is anywhere from 90-250... (the very rim/corners are the lowest ) ive considered making a change, but idk something about LeD's that keeps me with them..
i have however considered adding a Red LeD to each of my fixtures.. cause ive heard people say adding a red with make a huge difference.. in colors of the color's..
But Needless to say, your clowns and gig look gorgeous :)
dangros
11/21/2015, 02:31 PM
any update?
jonnybravo22
11/21/2015, 03:07 PM
any update?
Hey there. Nem is doing fine. I actually think the coloration was noticeably better under LEDs than it is under T5s and MH. I have been thininking about adding a separate LED cannon to focus on the NEM in addition to the other lighting. If I do that I'll update here.
dangros
11/21/2015, 03:30 PM
I know they are different but have a 3 RBTA's and (as until yesterday) a purple LTA. All did spectacularly under my Kessil 360WE's. I have a 90g and 2 lights, hung 10" above the water. Maybe you can give the kessils a try?
I found this thread b/c I'm considering a blue or green gig to host my ocellaris - if I can find a healthy one that isnt $400! Any recommendations? The more I read, the more I'm scared to buy one online.
nemguy
06/08/2016, 12:50 PM
wow that gig looks amazing i was afraid to try one under a 165 watt full spec led but after reading this i might have a go at it. hope all is well with your gig!
OrionN
06/08/2016, 01:31 PM
Here is my Gigantea under Radion
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6801&pictureid=48111
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=6801&pictureid=48179
jonnybravo22
05/13/2018, 08:07 PM
Revisiting some of my old threads -- seeing this reminds me I have now marked over 8 years with this anemone. It has done exceptionally well through the ups and downs of my tanks over all that time.
I recently added some LEDs as a DIY mod to my MH + T5 setup. I'll snap a pic for an update soon.
this is me
05/16/2018, 10:33 AM
That's quite an accomplishment Johnny!
vBulletin® v3.8.4, Copyright ©2000-2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.