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Unread 08/17/2018, 09:33 PM   #226
cksss
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Finally splurged on actual Aquarium lighting 3.5 years after this tank was started! The colourations of the macros and anemone are more appealing now! Also added blue and yellow sponges recently. The previous blue sponge didn't make it and I've decided to try again with a slightly different approach.



Yep, I'm reconstituting Silica into the tank! Another chemical compound most people are removing. Hopefully, the sponges thrive with this supplement.




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Unread 08/17/2018, 10:08 PM   #227
Michael Hoaster
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Dazzling! Great plantscape! Love the blue sponge. Is that a photosynthetic one? I had good results dosing silica. I also fed nannochloropsis, the smallest size phytoplankton.


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Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 08/17/2018, 10:23 PM   #228
cksss
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Thank you Michael!

These are shallow water sponges I believe so they can produce mucus to protect against exposure to air. But i've no idea if they're photosynthetic. Anyway, they're getting light (naturally) and ive been dosing nannochloropsis every day too on-top of the Silica

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Dazzling! Great plantscape! Love the blue sponge. Is that a photosynthetic one? I had good results dosing silica. I also fed nannochloropsis, the smallest size phytoplankton.



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Unread 08/17/2018, 10:41 PM   #229
Michael Hoaster
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Wow that's awesome! Everyday? You're going to have some happy sponges!


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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
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Unread 08/20/2018, 06:37 PM   #230
cksss
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Made a 'harness' with a laser cutter to elevate the height of the LED and also to hold the mangrove in place. This also provides more flexibility for the placement of the light.






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Unread 08/20/2018, 09:22 PM   #231
Michael Hoaster
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Cool design! It looks like it works well too. Your tank is looking great!


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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
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Unread 08/23/2018, 07:17 AM   #232
cksss
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Cool design! It looks like it works well too. Your tank is looking great!
Thank you Michael!


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Unread 08/23/2018, 07:18 AM   #233
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Can't believe the positive effect the colour of the light has on the macros, I think my old cheapo LED could be the reason why the purple macro was turning yellow. Should have invested in aquarium rated light long ago






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Unread 08/23/2018, 07:31 AM   #234
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Your tank is amazing, thanks for sharing your pics.


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Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump
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Unread 08/23/2018, 11:33 PM   #235
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Your tank is amazing, thanks for sharing your pics.
Thank you for your kind words Chasmodes!


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Unread 09/29/2018, 01:54 AM   #236
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are you still sunlit but with accent lighting or are you conventional lighting now?


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Unread 10/27/2018, 08:26 AM   #237
cksss
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Its still sunlit! The tank is still located in the balcony hence they get plenty of sun. The LED are turned on only in the morning during feeding and evening after sunset.

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are you still sunlit but with accent lighting or are you conventional lighting now?



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Unread 10/27/2018, 06:58 PM   #238
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Very lucky to find these two different kindof Gracilaria! I've tied them up together, hopefully, can figure out how to grow them this round.
I've read somewhere that they do better in lower salinity setup, might just give that a try. My tank's salinity has been in the higher range of ~1.027




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Unread 10/27/2018, 07:53 PM   #239
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Your tank is amazing. I love the texture and colors!


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Unread 10/27/2018, 10:09 PM   #240
Michael Hoaster
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Those look nice! Good luck with them!

I've had great luck with lower salinity. Since my manatee grass prefers 25ppt, that's what I've been running, and the macros did great. My sponges and anemone did too. It also benefits fish. They don't have to work as hard to osmoregulate. And you save on salt. Everybody wins!


__________________
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
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Unread 10/28/2018, 05:29 AM   #241
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I run my tanks at .023 and they seem to do fine.


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Unread 11/06/2018, 06:11 PM   #242
cksss
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Thanks guys for sharing your experience. The tank's salinity is now 1.024

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I run my tanks at .023 and they seem to do fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster View Post
Those look nice! Good luck with them!

I've had great luck with lower salinity. Since my manatee grass prefers 25ppt, that's what I've been running, and the macros did great. My sponges and anemone did too. It also benefits fish. They don't have to work as hard to osmoregulate. And you save on salt. Everybody wins!



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Unread 11/06/2018, 06:16 PM   #243
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Here are the photos update for the month of Nov.





And so I have jumped into the dark side of coral keeping. No idea how it will work out in this warm tropical tank without a chiller. A rock of hitchhiker mushrooms that have been in my tank since the beginning seems to be doing well. So I thought why not grow a Yuma/Ricordea garden on top of the seaweed garden. The Yuma/Ricordeas were added about 2 months ago and the Pulsing Xenia was introduced recently. So far so good, except for one of the Yuma which has 'turned white'.





Gotten a beautiful new orange sponge recently, didnt have much luck with the blue, the yellow sponge which has been in the tank for over 3-months is still alive and doing well!



The Mangrove is finally able to stand on its own without any artificial support, thanks to its overgrown roots and the Blue Ochtodes.





The C.Prolifera is occupying the sandbed fast as well. And this Banggai cardinal has decided to make this leafy forest its shelter.



Some more photos of the inhabitants






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Unread 11/06/2018, 06:32 PM   #244
Michael Hoaster
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More awesome pics of your awesome tank!

Careful with the xenia. It can completely take over your tank, and like aiptasia, they are very difficult to eradicate.

Great update!


__________________
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
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Unread 11/09/2018, 07:44 AM   #245
Chasmodes
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Wow, your tank continues to amaze me. Such beautiful colors, exemplary gardening, and nice complimentary fish and coral choices. Thank you for sharing with us!


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Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump
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Unread 11/09/2018, 11:46 AM   #246
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I agree with the above 2 posts! Words like awesome, amazing, beautiful, exemplary, nice and complimentary are fitting descriptions.


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Unread 11/11/2018, 12:35 AM   #247
cksss
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Thank you! You are all too kind!
I took many inspirations from the folks and posts here

Besides the colours, I'm very pleased with the amount of natural food generated and the rate some of the critters are multiplying in this environment.

Found at least 5 mini brittle starfishes while replanting the Ochtodes macros to spread their growth.



They are now in the Mini stars husbandry ready for sale




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Unread 11/15/2018, 10:37 AM   #248
socalRW
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Beautiful tank. I love the colors and am looking to do something similar to my new tank.

Question though -- which light is that?

It looks like a beamswork -- but is that the 0.5W or 1W model?


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Unread 11/16/2018, 08:51 AM   #249
Michael Hoaster
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You are selling micro brittle stars? I'm interested! Can you ship to the US?


__________________
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
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Unread 11/16/2018, 10:56 PM   #250
cksss
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Quote:
Originally Posted by socalRW View Post
Beautiful tank. I love the colors and am looking to do something similar to my new tank.

Question though -- which light is that?

It looks like a beamswork -- but is that the 0.5W or 1W model?
Thank you! It was sold as "Odyssea EVO LED 36" 3ft 72W - Skyblue 10000K & Actinic Blue", which i believe is the same as Beamswork with just a different branding. It is the 3W model.

Quote:
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You are selling micro brittle stars? I'm interested! Can you ship to the US?
Yep and i've sold over 100+ micro brittle stars, and i'm afraid sending to halfway around the world will be quite complicated


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