40g Long Naturally sun-lit tank

[addo]

The anemones are probably Majano, they are considered pests since they burn corals and multiply fairly quickly. But in your tank they probably wont do any harm. You deal with them the same way you treat Aptaisia, if they get out of hand.

[cksss]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Great pics! So natural. No idea on the anemone.

Thank you Michael! I really like your barnacle blennies playing hide & seek in the lagoon

[cksss]

Originally Posted by addo

The anemones are probably Majano, they are considered pests since they burn corals and multiply fairly quickly. But in your tank they probably wont do any harm. You deal with them the same way you treat Aptaisia, if they get out of hand.

Oh no! I've been feeding them deliberately because i thought they're harmless. They look beautiful though Thank you for the ID!

[cksss]

And 2-months from the last updates, the C.Prolifera and the purple Ochtodes have grown quite abit.

The clownfish has also taken a liking for the C.Prolifera next to its nest (the glass bottle). It likes to stay motionless in that patch of C.Prolifera as if it is an anemone



No idea why some of the Ochtodes are 'browning' though

[Michael Hoaster]

Nice, cksss!

It's cool how planted tanks evolve over time, and with our adjustments.

It looks like the browning is happening where the plant gets the most light. This may suggest that plant prefers lower light, or it is photosynthesizing so well in those parts, that it's is using up a needed nutrient there. Since it has grown well there in the past, I suspect the latter.

[karimwassef]

Gorgeous...

What do you think it limiting them? What are you feeding? What's your Alk, Ca and Mg at?

[cksss]

Oh nooo i'm not measuring those as my testkit covers only the basic parameters for fish-only setup (pH, NO2, NO3, PO4)

I have been fighting to get NO3 to stay above 10ppm though, i know the NO3 got dangerously low when some of the macro started fading. So likely the 'browning' as suggested is the lack of nutrient.

I dose the water with these twice a week

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Nice, cksss!

It's cool how planted tanks evolve over time, and with our adjustments.

It looks like the browning is happening where the plant gets the most light. This may suggest that plant prefers lower light, or it is photosynthesizing so well in those parts, that it's is using up a needed nutrient there. Since it has grown well there in the past, I suspect the latter.

Originally Posted by karimwassef

Gorgeous...

What do you think it limiting them? What are you feeding? What's your Alk, Ca and Mg at?

[karimwassef]

Ochtodes are common wherever there are stony corals when I dive. I don't know if that implies that they need Alk and Ca.

[cksss]

Look at how much the Ochtodes has recovered! woohooo





And new favorite spot for the filefish


No anemone no problem

[HuskerBioProf]

Loving this tank

[Michael Hoaster]

Fantastic color combination with the blue/purple and green! Beautiful!

[cksss]

Thank you )

[cksss]

Here are the updates since June of the 'Ochtodes Lagoon'

Added quite a number of Cerith snails and also a Starry blenny



The full tank shot in July


The full tank shot in September (All the fishes are still alive, they went into hiding!!)



Transplanted lots of macros and mini sea-fan from the over-flow



Recused lots of inverts (fanworms, fireworm, pods, mini-stars) when I was cleaning up the sump. Almost discarded them if I did not inspect the overgrown macros carefully.





The main tank is still largely lighted by natural sunlight while the sump is on 24/7 plant light. Here's the kind of view the habitats in the tank get to enjoy.

[Michael Hoaster]

Nice to see a progression. Great pics! Your overflow and sump are a goldmine! Love the penthouse view too!

[cksss]

Oct updates on the 'Ochtodes Lagoon'

[karimwassef]

Wow... plastic baggie with a clump - express mail

Think about it.

[cksss]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

Wow... plastic baggie with a clump - express mail

Think about it.

i've been wanting to do that, but had a hard time securing them to rocks. The chances of loss pieces surviving are lower under in-experienced hands. Also driven by the fact that they need high-flow. I tried binding them to rocks with strings and they took very long to attach naturally Tried superglue but critters living in the Ochtodes didnt like the approach.. maybe will try again

[karimwassef]

I'm good at securing things to rock.

[cksss]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

I'm good at securing things to rock.

haha thats great! would love more suggestion on securing the Ochtodes

[karimwassef]

I'd need to see and touch it first. Personally, I'm a big fan of hole anchors and zip ties around short spans.

For example, I'll drill a small hole and fill it with epoxy putty and and superglue with an opening in the middle of that mess for the branch... once it's in, I apply more superglue so the base is packed.

Also, the same idea but horizontal works too + zip ties around branches so it's basically tied down at multiple points at once and superglued at the base and head in a hole.

I use this for stubborn sea fans that need to be blasted with flow but anchored down like the dickens!

[phobos2deimos]

I've had fantastic luck with ochtodes and Hypnea Pannosa by simply stuffing little chunks into the nooks of my rock, or by rubberbanding it to chunks of rubble. It roots in just a bit and holds fine. That stuff grew like weeds in my "prop fuge" and IIRC shipped surprisingly well.



Pretty cool to see it react differently to different light colors and intensity.

[cksss]

omg! thanks for the tips!
I am sure selling these 'weeds' r very profitable

Originally Posted by phobos2deimos

I've had fantastic luck with ochtodes and Hypnea Pannosa by simply stuffing little chunks into the nooks of my rock, or by rubberbanding it to chunks of rubble. It roots in just a bit and holds fine. That stuff grew like weeds in my "prop fuge" and IIRC shipped surprisingly well.



Pretty cool to see it react differently to different light colors and intensity.

[cksss]

Photos of the tank inhabitants taken early in the morning before feeding time when the fishes are most hungry and ironically most active.

One of the mandarin pair hunting for pods in the macros forest



Added an Koran Angelfish recently



The most elusive fish to photography, the starry blenny





The green macros here get snapped up by the tang and angelfish real fast! Fortunately they grow fast in the sump too

[psidriven]

Any tips for growing ochotodes? I have some and can't seem to grow it. Its in a sps tank so should be enough light and flow.

[cksss]

Originally Posted by psidriven

Any tips for growing ochotodes? I have some and can't seem to grow it. Its in a sps tank so should be enough light and flow.

It could be lack of certain nutrient? My macros wont be happy (stops growing or starts dying) if the NO3 is below 5ppm, and these are what i've been dosing twice weekly