Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank - Page 14

karimwassef · 10/07/2014, 11:49 PM

My porites like the conditions

photo 12FC3480-F6AD-4B01-874E-79C0C9919307_zpsqan5ta0u.jpg

karimwassef · 10/07/2014, 11:56 PM

For the algae-o-philes:

photo 87D77C7F-68AB-4227-8760-E07B97E2DD45_zpsfpukqqrz.jpg

photo 12C10112-45BB-4135-B1C4-94F73DD2A274_zpsvxsxzfrd.jpg

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 09:16 AM

Awesome! So glad to hear you're turning the tide, so to speak, on hair algae. Sounds like you may be ready to remove some chaeto, for nutrient export. Two water changes - that must've been fun, as big as your tank is. Thanks for all the pics. It's great to see your fake wall showing through again. Seeing your fish makes me want fish!

You really are dealing with the 'ultimate challenge' for aquarists. I salute you!

I had a thought, that might help with your bug-situation. Filter socks. Maybe put one on the discharge of your overflow into your sump. I wouldn't normally recommend them, because they'd need to be changed daily, but since you get so many 'guests' everyday, you might add it to your daily routine. Have two in rotation, with one working and the other getting cleaned/drying.

It's a thought. You've probably already thought of it. I was just thinking, if you could attack the 'source' of your nutrients, it would help. Will it be an issue in the winter months? If not, you could take a few months off 'sock duty'. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd need to remove some urchins soon, so your herbivorous fish don't run out of 'pasture'.

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 10:03 AM

My Portieria Macro Algae and Cerith snails come today. Looks like the timing will be right, as I'm getting some microalgae, diatoms and cyanobacteria, here and there. I'll add a fighting conch or two, once the tank conditions are more stable.

I've finally decided on a blenny. The Horned Blenny looks like the best caribbean species for my community of mostly small fish. Hopefully I won't have to add one until I get the sunshine chromis, royal grammas and chalk basses in there. The red-lipped blenny was also under consideration, but it gets a little too big and appears to be a little more aggressive than the horned.

I'll keep the mollies as an option as well, but my gut feeling is that they won't 'look right' in my tank. It would be nice to see a fish in the tank though! I wonder how easy to catch they are. I'll see how the snails do…

karimwassef · 10/08/2014, 01:02 PM

I have a side sump (aux) that absorbs the 30-60gal surges in my system. The surge run during the day but not at night (similar to the skimmer). So at night, I have an 100gal reservoir that I can disconnect from the main tank and sump with a valve.

So, after the surge stops and the reservoir is full, I open a valve that drains directly into my garage sink drain and close the main tank return. In a few minutes, 100gal of the tank will have been flushed out (with the opening and closing of two valves).

I close the valve between the main sump and aux sump and dump 2 bags of salt in the reservoir with a rio pump. My RODI reservoir it over my aux sump, so I open a drain valve and 100gal of fresh water gushes into the aux over my mountains of salt. Start the rio and mix while I watch TV for an hour.

The last step is to open the valve between the sumps and let the freshly mixed SW slowly mingle with the main sump and DT tank.

That's it. The morning surge sucks the bulk of mixed water into the surge reservoir and the skimmer start.

karimwassef · 10/08/2014, 01:06 PM

I tried the filter socks. I accumulated as many amphipods as I did gnats. I spent an hour picking the 100 pods out of the muck. Not including tiny snails and glass shrimp. The second time around, I just dumped the whole sock's contents into my Chaeto and walked away...

I turn off the surge, pheads, and skimmer at night to create a quiet calm flow. It's done wonders for my plankton population. So... No socks or sponges or any other obstruction. Only the Chaeto functions as a mechanical filter now.

karimwassef · 10/08/2014, 01:07 PM

Surge:

photo 8630DE49-26FE-447C-8F30-FCE903408693_zpsfzzy5muk.jpg

Aux:

photo 16D5B714-53E5-462B-9625-9F48E1B99915_zpse2wxeol7.jpg

karimwassef · 10/08/2014, 01:09 PM

Skimmer and sink

photo BBC3548B-3CF2-44DF-9B5C-65B388EAFB33_zpshpfnzb51.jpg

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 01:27 PM

Wow, you've got quite a system going there! Is your surge setup based on the 'Carlson' surge devise? Does the tank sit in your garage with a 'window' into your house?

Must be nice, having all that room for your laboratory!

Wish I had a laboratory…

karimwassef · 10/08/2014, 04:05 PM

Yes. The tank is in the garage with a window to the house (wife's ask for no floods indoors - bah!!!)

The surge is actuated. I use my Apex, a DIY control box, and linear actuators acting on PVC DIY valves. Two outlets opposing flow for maximum chaos.

I also have an alternating flow return (motorized) at opposite corners.

X out 1 -------------- X surge 1
X surge 2 ------------ X out 2

So the two outlets are on a sine wave interplay. The surges are on 3 min and 4 min timers with level sensors to ensure no bubbles.

The corals like it.

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 05:23 PM

Sweet! You and I are at opposite ends of the spectrum, aren't we? Compared to your system, mine may as well be a bucket and spoon!

It's funny how our wives keep us in check. Boys and their toys…

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 07:05 PM

Full tank shot. The Ulva is doing well up there in the field of dreams, the chaeto, not so much. Hopefully, it will adapt. It was happy on the sandbed.

I'm just happy the whole thing hasn't collapsed! Fake wall: check, fake root: check!

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 07:10 PM

A red trespasser on the green side. A medium sized extra piece of the Portieria, that came today, from Gulf Coast Ecosystems, along with twenty snails.

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 07:12 PM

The seagrasses look great!

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 07:14 PM

Another Red Monster! The Portieria is stunning. The color…

saltwater sam · 10/08/2014, 07:20 PM

Wow they all look great!

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 07:28 PM

Got the Cerith snails in the tank. Welcome home, little guys! Help yourself to the salad bar…

Only twenty, for now. It's cool to add another slice to the microcosm. Time to sit back and observe, see how they do.

Michael Hoaster · 10/08/2014, 10:48 PM

Well thanks, Sam! All in all, the tanks doing well.

I just went back to figure out my 'start date' for the tank. September 24th was the day I introduced the plants and the pods. So it's only been 15 days.

I'm getting some algae, so the snails are right on time today. I haven't seen a lot of pod action. Hopefully they are happy and multiplying. Maybe the algae will help! The seagrasses are taking hold, growing new green growth faster than the diatoms can coat them now.

I added one glutamic acid pill to the DSB on October 4th. It took 2 weeks to see its effects in my old, freshwater tank.

Early days!

Michael Hoaster · 10/09/2014, 01:32 PM

The snails are doing their thing. One of them has a small 'thing' on its shell. At first I thought it was a limpet, but I got the magnifying glass on it, and it's a barnacle. And it's alive. Pretty cool!

While I was playing around with the magnifying glass, I noticed that I do in fact have pods. I had added two mixed pod bags from Florida Pets when I added the plants at startup. I hadn't seen many since, until today.

karimwassef · 10/09/2014, 02:38 PM

Flashlight in the night.. That's the best way to see them.

Hey- I saw what appears to be flatworms on my Chaeto? I don't see them in the DT - just in the refugium and only at the very top of the Chaeto.

I'm going to try to take a picture but they are very small. Thinner than a strand of Chaeto and only 1mm long. They look like small brown stubby worms slowly crawling like snails on the Chaeto.

karimwassef · 10/09/2014, 05:51 PM

Here's my weird plant borne intruder. Have you found anything on your vegetation?

photo 5B41CB48-2CEF-4F6B-A41A-039657022BA5_zpsl5vemdwo.jpg

Michael Hoaster · 10/09/2014, 06:20 PM

Looks like a flatworm. Karim, you know I think I saw one too, when I was checking for pods with the magnifier. I'm pretty sure they're harmless though. Kinda nasty when you get a ton of big ones. Maybe they eat gnats!

I had an outbreak once upon a time. I think there's a wrass or basslet that eats them-google it. Now I'm curious…

Michael Hoaster · 10/09/2014, 06:26 PM

Sorry about the gnat thing. It was a cheap shot…

Good 'ol Reef Central:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1520200

JLynn · 10/10/2014, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Full tank shot. The Ulva is doing well up there in the field of dreams, the chaeto, not so much. Hopefully, it will adapt. It was happy on the sandbed.

I'm just happy the whole thing hasn't collapsed! Fake wall: check, fake root: check!

Very nice! The lighting looks great, and the red macros are incredibly vivid.

JLynn · 10/10/2014, 05:51 AM

Hmmm... I was browsing WetWebMedia today and found their page on Carangids (Jacks, Trevallies, Lookdowns, etc). According to them, 300-500 is the minimum these fish should be kept in, and they are primarily subtropical (68-72 F). I am pretty sure your tank is 250g, so that is pushing it, but I think that at such a large size you can get away with it in the long term, and you may be onto something about the vigorous current compensating for lack of space. We'll see. But make sure your lookdowns are collected in the Caribbean, if you haven't already, as those ones should be fine in tropical temps. I mean, you seem to have covered all your bases here, but just FYI, in case you haven't. You might find it interesting it to chat with the folks over at wet web media about your plans, too. I am sure they would have some good advice for you.

10/08/2014, 09:16 AM	#328
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Awesome! So glad to hear you're turning the tide, so to speak, on hair algae. Sounds like you may be ready to remove some chaeto, for nutrient export. Two water changes - that must've been fun, as big as your tank is. Thanks for all the pics. It's great to see your fake wall showing through again. Seeing your fish makes me want fish! You really are dealing with the 'ultimate challenge' for aquarists. I salute you! I had a thought, that might help with your bug-situation. Filter socks. Maybe put one on the discharge of your overflow into your sump. I wouldn't normally recommend them, because they'd need to be changed daily, but since you get so many 'guests' everyday, you might add it to your daily routine. Have two in rotation, with one working and the other getting cleaned/drying. It's a thought. You've probably already thought of it. I was just thinking, if you could attack the 'source' of your nutrients, it would help. Will it be an issue in the winter months? If not, you could take a few months off 'sock duty'. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd need to remove some urchins soon, so your herbivorous fish don't run out of 'pasture'. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/08/2014, 10:03 AM	#329
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	My Portieria Macro Algae and Cerith snails come today. Looks like the timing will be right, as I'm getting some microalgae, diatoms and cyanobacteria, here and there. I'll add a fighting conch or two, once the tank conditions are more stable. I've finally decided on a blenny. The Horned Blenny looks like the best caribbean species for my community of mostly small fish. Hopefully I won't have to add one until I get the sunshine chromis, royal grammas and chalk basses in there. The red-lipped blenny was also under consideration, but it gets a little too big and appears to be a little more aggressive than the horned. I'll keep the mollies as an option as well, but my gut feeling is that they won't 'look right' in my tank. It would be nice to see a fish in the tank though! I wonder how easy to catch they are. I'll see how the snails do… __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/08/2014, 01:07 PM	#332
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	Surge: Aux:

10/08/2014, 01:27 PM	#334
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Wow, you've got quite a system going there! Is your surge setup based on the 'Carlson' surge devise? Does the tank sit in your garage with a 'window' into your house? Must be nice, having all that room for your laboratory! Wish I had a laboratory… __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 Last edited by Michael Hoaster; 10/08/2014 at 01:42 PM.

10/08/2014, 05:23 PM	#336
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Sweet! You and I are at opposite ends of the spectrum, aren't we? Compared to your system, mine may as well be a bucket and spoon! It's funny how our wives keep us in check. Boys and their toys… __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/07/2014, 11:49 PM	#326
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	My porites like the conditions

10/07/2014, 11:56 PM	#327
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	For the algae-o-philes:

10/08/2014, 01:02 PM	#330
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	I have a side sump (aux) that absorbs the 30-60gal surges in my system. The surge run during the day but not at night (similar to the skimmer). So at night, I have an 100gal reservoir that I can disconnect from the main tank and sump with a valve. So, after the surge stops and the reservoir is full, I open a valve that drains directly into my garage sink drain and close the main tank return. In a few minutes, 100gal of the tank will have been flushed out (with the opening and closing of two valves). I close the valve between the main sump and aux sump and dump 2 bags of salt in the reservoir with a rio pump. My RODI reservoir it over my aux sump, so I open a drain valve and 100gal of fresh water gushes into the aux over my mountains of salt. Start the rio and mix while I watch TV for an hour. The last step is to open the valve between the sumps and let the freshly mixed SW slowly mingle with the main sump and DT tank. That's it. The morning surge sucks the bulk of mixed water into the surge reservoir and the skimmer start.

10/08/2014, 01:06 PM	#331
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	I tried the filter socks. I accumulated as many amphipods as I did gnats. I spent an hour picking the 100 pods out of the muck. Not including tiny snails and glass shrimp. The second time around, I just dumped the whole sock's contents into my Chaeto and walked away... I turn off the surge, pheads, and skimmer at night to create a quiet calm flow. It's done wonders for my plankton population. So... No socks or sponges or any other obstruction. Only the Chaeto functions as a mechanical filter now.

10/08/2014, 01:09 PM	#333
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	Skimmer and sink

10/08/2014, 04:05 PM	#335
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	Yes. The tank is in the garage with a window to the house (wife's ask for no floods indoors - bah!!!) The surge is actuated. I use my Apex, a DIY control box, and linear actuators acting on PVC DIY valves. Two outlets opposing flow for maximum chaos. I also have an alternating flow return (motorized) at opposite corners. X out 1 -------------- X surge 1 X surge 2 ------------ X out 2 So the two outlets are on a sine wave interplay. The surges are on 3 min and 4 min timers with level sensors to ensure no bubbles. The corals like it.

10/08/2014, 07:05 PM	#337
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Snapped some pics… Full tank shot. The Ulva is doing well up there in the field of dreams, the chaeto, not so much. Hopefully, it will adapt. It was happy on the sandbed. I'm just happy the whole thing hasn't collapsed! Fake wall: check, fake root: check! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/08/2014, 07:10 PM	#338
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	A red trespasser on the green side. A medium sized extra piece of the Portieria, that came today, from Gulf Coast Ecosystems, along with twenty snails. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/08/2014, 07:12 PM	#339
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	The seagrasses look great! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/08/2014, 07:14 PM	#340
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Another Red Monster! The Portieria is stunning. The color… __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/08/2014, 07:20 PM	#341
saltwater sam Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota Posts: 553	Wow they all look great! __________________ It's not too much to brag about if your fish can eat someone else's fish, but if your fish can eat somebody's dog, now thats an accomplishment! Current Tank Info: 40 gallon SW mangrove/macro planted tank

10/08/2014, 07:28 PM	#342
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Got the Cerith snails in the tank. Welcome home, little guys! Help yourself to the salad bar… Only twenty, for now. It's cool to add another slice to the microcosm. Time to sit back and observe, see how they do. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/08/2014, 10:48 PM	#343
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Well thanks, Sam! All in all, the tanks doing well. I just went back to figure out my 'start date' for the tank. September 24th was the day I introduced the plants and the pods. So it's only been 15 days. I'm getting some algae, so the snails are right on time today. I haven't seen a lot of pod action. Hopefully they are happy and multiplying. Maybe the algae will help! The seagrasses are taking hold, growing new green growth faster than the diatoms can coat them now. I added one glutamic acid pill to the DSB on October 4th. It took 2 weeks to see its effects in my old, freshwater tank. Early days! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/09/2014, 01:32 PM	#344
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	The snails are doing their thing. One of them has a small 'thing' on its shell. At first I thought it was a limpet, but I got the magnifying glass on it, and it's a barnacle. And it's alive. Pretty cool! While I was playing around with the magnifying glass, I noticed that I do in fact have pods. I had added two mixed pod bags from Florida Pets when I added the plants at startup. I hadn't seen many since, until today. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/09/2014, 02:38 PM	#345
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	Flashlight in the night.. That's the best way to see them. Hey- I saw what appears to be flatworms on my Chaeto? I don't see them in the DT - just in the refugium and only at the very top of the Chaeto. I'm going to try to take a picture but they are very small. Thinner than a strand of Chaeto and only 1mm long. They look like small brown stubby worms slowly crawling like snails on the Chaeto.

10/09/2014, 05:51 PM	#346
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	Here's my weird plant borne intruder. Have you found anything on your vegetation?

10/09/2014, 06:20 PM	#347
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Looks like a flatworm. Karim, you know I think I saw one too, when I was checking for pods with the magnifier. I'm pretty sure they're harmless though. Kinda nasty when you get a ton of big ones. Maybe they eat gnats! I had an outbreak once upon a time. I think there's a wrass or basslet that eats them-google it. Now I'm curious… __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/09/2014, 06:26 PM	#348
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Sorry about the gnat thing. It was a cheap shot… Good 'ol Reef Central: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1520200 __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/10/2014, 05:51 AM	#350
JLynn Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 291	Hmmm... I was browsing WetWebMedia today and found their page on Carangids (Jacks, Trevallies, Lookdowns, etc). According to them, 300-500 is the minimum these fish should be kept in, and they are primarily subtropical (68-72 F). I am pretty sure your tank is 250g, so that is pushing it, but I think that at such a large size you can get away with it in the long term, and you may be onto something about the vigorous current compensating for lack of space. We'll see. But make sure your lookdowns are collected in the Caribbean, if you haven't already, as those ones should be fine in tropical temps. I mean, you seem to have covered all your bases here, but just FYI, in case you haven't. You might find it interesting it to chat with the folks over at wet web media about your plans, too. I am sure they would have some good advice for you.