My 37g Macro - Florida Biotope

Mike4284m · 10/07/2006, 10:02 PM

I've had this set up for about 5 weeks now so I thought I'd finally share it with everybody.

Center:

Right:

Left:

Side view:

Full tank:

I'm growing out some mangroves, boths reds and blacks, so that is why the tank it not filled completely. I plan to keep them shaped up to grow within the tank itself. Right now I have six general groups of macros with some groups havings a couple different species. Some were collected by myself while others I purchased from a diver in the keys.

bluenassarius · 10/07/2006, 10:45 PM

absolutely gorgeous! did you get the sandbed from florida also?

Mike4284m · 10/07/2006, 11:08 PM

Thanks

Yep. I could barely carry the cooler full of sand to the car, much less not look like a creep in the process! I'd love to use nsw from here but I wouldn't trust it right off the beach.

graveyardworm · 10/08/2006, 07:56 AM

Very nice, have you started dosing anything yet? Can you give us a description, lighting, filtration?

Mike4284m · 10/08/2006, 10:33 AM

The lighting is just a 130w PC fixture, which includes 65w actinic. The bulbs are actually getting old and will need to be replaced soon. Filtration is a Eheim ecco 2236 canister filter. I know that many people with sw aquaria say these are just nitrate factories, so I thought that would be perfect.

I've also added a Maxijet 600 for additional water movement.

The sand for the sandbed was locally collected and ranges from about 3"-5", with the bottom inch being a combination of "mud" and sand. I was thinking about adding some low light seagrasses later on, so thats the reason for the "mud" and depth. I'm also planning on adding two yellowhead jawfish in the future, which would also appreciate the depth.

As far as livestock, I have a bunch of nassarius and ceriths, and a few astreas. I used to have a rough gang of blue leg hermits but they were far too destructive, so they were booted. I have a small queen conch who basically rules the roost now. I just added a small crown conch that I came across at the beach and it does a great job mixing up the sandbed. When these guys get too large they'll be moved out. I've also got a small sea cuc as well for the sand. There are several patches of Zoanthus and Palythoa in there too. These were collected by the diver and aren't the "domesticated?" types that people tend to keep.

For macros, I have two types of Halimeda, two types of Penicillus, two of Udotea, Bataphora, Acetobularia, and some unknown red. Everything but the Acetobularia is doing well, which is not a suprise. My plan was to just through a bunch of things in there and then stick with what does well. I have tried some Sargassum, but both types practically melted. I have had some Udotea not make it as well.

I dose Kent Liq. Ca as per the instructions of the bottle but will have to slow down since I measured it last night at 500 mg/L. I also dose iron, but only at half the amount that is suggested, since I have no way of testing for it. I'm trying to keep this tank as low maintenance as possible, so I'll probably stop there. My thinking is if something doesn't do well with what I'm doing, I'll just not use it. I don't really plan on modifying anything in the future to accommodate anything different.

mr. bojangsjang · 10/08/2006, 11:18 AM

Looks great!

Do you wanna ship me some florida mud? jk

Samala · 10/08/2006, 10:00 PM

Interesting. You have a bunch of what I would call slow-growers.. plants that wont take up nutrients very quickly. That might be why its working well without much dosing other than Ca and Fe at the moment. Which is, as I said, very interesting.

Are you doing a lot of scraping for algae? Or any other troubles in that line? I've been thinking on the old freshwater lines that you need fast growers and slow growers in a balanced plant tank, so there's always something to outcompete the nuisance algaes.

>Sarah

Mike4284m · 10/09/2006, 09:39 PM

Although it been going strong for about 5 weeks I would still consider it pretty young, so who knows what will happen down the line. I've been very lucky with scraping so far and actually only do it once a week, but that doesn't mean it could use it more often.

I have yet to have a problem with nuisance algae on the sandbed or macros.

I think a big part of it comes down to my low bioload, since I don't even have any large inverts or any vertebrates for that matter. Again, things may change when I add a pair of fish.

Although they certainly don't grow as fast as chaeto or some other macros, I've actually been surprised by their growth. I've got a great picture of some Udotea that are slowly fading but putting out a profuse amount of offsets, I'll have to dig it up.

Mike4284m · 10/09/2006, 09:44 PM

Samala · 10/09/2006, 09:57 PM

Whoa! Nice photo!

>Sarah

Mike4284m · 10/18/2006, 09:14 PM

At first I thought the one I saw in the tank was kind of interesting, now they are becoming a bit of a problem. I have manually removed about five of these guys so far and I know of at least one more. One is flattened out in this pic and the other is folded, as they tend to stay. They range from about 2-4 mm in length.

bluenassarius · 10/19/2006, 03:10 AM

thanks for sharing the pix.

graveyardworm · 10/19/2006, 05:15 AM

Are they munching on the macros?

Mike4284m · 10/19/2006, 09:32 AM

Can't say I've definitively caught them in the act but I'm pretty sure. They are always on the macros, usually Penecillus. Also, after seeing one on a new Udotea growth the expanding tip is gone. Enough evidence for me. Plus the fact that they are in various shades of green, so I'm pretty sure they are stealing chloroplasts.

Reefer421 · 10/19/2006, 01:38 PM

Where did you get the plants? I am looking to get basically the same ones you have. Thanks in advance.

Mike4284m · 10/19/2006, 02:10 PM

Some I collected myself, but you can get most of these from Tom at divertom.com. They are incredibly cheap but I'm not sure about shipping.

Samala · 10/19/2006, 02:36 PM

Sounds a lot like the other thread we had on a macroalgae tank that became overrun with all sorts of nudibranch. They kinda look like Elysia members. Where did I put that bookmark..

>Sarah

Mike4284m · 10/19/2006, 03:17 PM

Don't they? Thats why I held off on removing them. I thought they were immature Elysia crispata.

graveyardworm · 10/19/2006, 03:51 PM

Looking for a thread? I think this is the member in question. However I dont think its the thread you are thinking of. I'll keep looking.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ghlight=codium

Got it!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...highlight=nudi

10/07/2006, 10:02 PM	#1
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	My 37g Macro - Florida Biotope I've had this set up for about 5 weeks now so I thought I'd finally share it with everybody. Center: Right: Left: Side view: Full tank: I'm growing out some mangroves, boths reds and blacks, so that is why the tank it not filled completely. I plan to keep them shaped up to grow within the tank itself. Right now I have six general groups of macros with some groups havings a couple different species. Some were collected by myself while others I purchased from a diver in the keys.

10/07/2006, 10:45 PM	#2
bluenassarius retired algae slanger Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sac ra men to! Posts: 4,843	absolutely gorgeous! did you get the sandbed from florida also? __________________ half man / half algae ... true story Current Tank Info: tankless, on hiatus until further notice

10/08/2006, 07:56 AM	#4
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,271	Very nice, have you started dosing anything yet? Can you give us a description, lighting, filtration? __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

10/08/2006, 10:00 PM	#7
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Interesting. You have a bunch of what I would call slow-growers.. plants that wont take up nutrients very quickly. That might be why its working well without much dosing other than Ca and Fe at the moment. Which is, as I said, very interesting. Are you doing a lot of scraping for algae? Or any other troubles in that line? I've been thinking on the old freshwater lines that you need fast growers and slow growers in a balanced plant tank, so there's always something to outcompete the nuisance algaes. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

10/09/2006, 09:57 PM	#10
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Whoa! Nice photo! >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

10/07/2006, 11:08 PM	#3
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	Thanks Yep. I could barely carry the cooler full of sand to the car, much less not look like a creep in the process! I'd love to use nsw from here but I wouldn't trust it right off the beach.

10/08/2006, 10:33 AM	#5
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	The lighting is just a 130w PC fixture, which includes 65w actinic. The bulbs are actually getting old and will need to be replaced soon. Filtration is a Eheim ecco 2236 canister filter. I know that many people with sw aquaria say these are just nitrate factories, so I thought that would be perfect. I've also added a Maxijet 600 for additional water movement. The sand for the sandbed was locally collected and ranges from about 3"-5", with the bottom inch being a combination of "mud" and sand. I was thinking about adding some low light seagrasses later on, so thats the reason for the "mud" and depth. I'm also planning on adding two yellowhead jawfish in the future, which would also appreciate the depth. As far as livestock, I have a bunch of nassarius and ceriths, and a few astreas. I used to have a rough gang of blue leg hermits but they were far too destructive, so they were booted. I have a small queen conch who basically rules the roost now. I just added a small crown conch that I came across at the beach and it does a great job mixing up the sandbed. When these guys get too large they'll be moved out. I've also got a small sea cuc as well for the sand. There are several patches of Zoanthus and Palythoa in there too. These were collected by the diver and aren't the "domesticated?" types that people tend to keep. For macros, I have two types of Halimeda, two types of Penicillus, two of Udotea, Bataphora, Acetobularia, and some unknown red. Everything but the Acetobularia is doing well, which is not a suprise. My plan was to just through a bunch of things in there and then stick with what does well. I have tried some Sargassum, but both types practically melted. I have had some Udotea not make it as well. I dose Kent Liq. Ca as per the instructions of the bottle but will have to slow down since I measured it last night at 500 mg/L. I also dose iron, but only at half the amount that is suggested, since I have no way of testing for it. I'm trying to keep this tank as low maintenance as possible, so I'll probably stop there. My thinking is if something doesn't do well with what I'm doing, I'll just not use it. I don't really plan on modifying anything in the future to accommodate anything different.

10/08/2006, 11:18 AM	#6
mr. bojangsjang Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 467	Looks great! Do you wanna ship me some florida mud? jk

10/09/2006, 09:39 PM	#8
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	Although it been going strong for about 5 weeks I would still consider it pretty young, so who knows what will happen down the line. I've been very lucky with scraping so far and actually only do it once a week, but that doesn't mean it could use it more often. I have yet to have a problem with nuisance algae on the sandbed or macros. I think a big part of it comes down to my low bioload, since I don't even have any large inverts or any vertebrates for that matter. Again, things may change when I add a pair of fish. Although they certainly don't grow as fast as chaeto or some other macros, I've actually been surprised by their growth. I've got a great picture of some Udotea that are slowly fading but putting out a profuse amount of offsets, I'll have to dig it up.

10/09/2006, 09:44 PM	#9
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262

10/18/2006, 09:14 PM	#11
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	Intruders At first I thought the one I saw in the tank was kind of interesting, now they are becoming a bit of a problem. I have manually removed about five of these guys so far and I know of at least one more. One is flattened out in this pic and the other is folded, as they tend to stay. They range from about 2-4 mm in length.

10/19/2006, 03:10 AM	#12
bluenassarius retired algae slanger Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sac ra men to! Posts: 4,843	thanks for sharing the pix. __________________ half man / half algae ... true story Current Tank Info: tankless, on hiatus until further notice

10/19/2006, 05:15 AM	#13
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,271	Are they munching on the macros? __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

10/19/2006, 09:32 AM	#14
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	Can't say I've definitively caught them in the act but I'm pretty sure. They are always on the macros, usually Penecillus. Also, after seeing one on a new Udotea growth the expanding tip is gone. Enough evidence for me. Plus the fact that they are in various shades of green, so I'm pretty sure they are stealing chloroplasts.

10/19/2006, 01:38 PM	#15
Reefer421 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Spring Hill Posts: 252	Where did you get the plants? I am looking to get basically the same ones you have. Thanks in advance.

10/19/2006, 02:10 PM	#16
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	Some I collected myself, but you can get most of these from Tom at divertom.com. They are incredibly cheap but I'm not sure about shipping.

10/19/2006, 02:36 PM	#17
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Sounds a lot like the other thread we had on a macroalgae tank that became overrun with all sorts of nudibranch. They kinda look like Elysia members. Where did I put that bookmark.. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

10/19/2006, 03:17 PM	#18
Mike4284m Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Davie, FL Posts: 262	Don't they? Thats why I held off on removing them. I thought they were immature Elysia crispata.

10/19/2006, 03:51 PM	#19
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,271	Looking for a thread? I think this is the member in question. However I dont think its the thread you are thinking of. I'll keep looking. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ghlight=codium Got it! http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...highlight=nudi __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress