zack85's 3g Sea Apple Pico

[zack85]

My former username was Friedrichs85, but for some reason I cannot login with that id anymore :confused: This is a continuation of my former thread under my new username.

[zack85]

For those who didnt see my former thread, this is a journal of my 3g Tom Deco pico project. I am eventually planning on keeping a Sea Apple in this setup.

To make a long story short, I have done extensive research on Sea Apples and filter feeding invertebrates, and believe they can be housed comfortably in this small a tank, providing water quality is maintained and appropriate food is provided.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/169715boxopen.jpg

Tank is a Tom Deco 3. I purchased the tank at DrsFosterSmith and paid about 60$ for the tank, a minijet404, coralife digital thermometer, and shipping.

Tank is currently cycling with 4.5# Carribsea Livesand, and a 3# piece of Tonga Branch.

[Bluesop7]

Sounds cool, keep us updated with pics and whatnot...

[zack85]

(From former thread)
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11044998#post11044998 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aninjaatemyshoe
Really cool idea. I'm looking into keeping a sea apple myself. It would be part of a tank dedicated to filter feeders and soft corals.

I just have one suggestion. Why not go with a closed loop? The tank is acrylic, so you don't have to worry about drilling it so long as you're careful. You can use a couple of uniseals. Then just have a good sized pump constantly pumping the water from one side to the other. If done right, this could create a strong, uni-directional laminar flow, which is perfect for filter feeders. You could section off the intake with some egg crating.

Thats a great idea - i'm brainstorming how to do it...

[zack85]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11045762#post11045762 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bluesop7
Sounds cool, keep us updated with pics and whatnot...

Thanks :) will do.

[Rosseau]

If you really want your old username back I'm sure some of the admins would love to deal with it :)

[zack85]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11045924#post11045924 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rosseau
If you really want your old username back I'm sure some of the admins would love to deal with it :)

I only had 15 posts, and I have already uploaded photos on this id, so its not a huge deal...

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Hmm, I hope the admins don't boot you for having two usernames. Did you post something you're not supposed to?

Basically, to illustrate my idea a little better, the closed loop would have a feed on one end of the tank and the return on the other. You could section off the feed by making a cage out of eggcrate and have it surround the outlet. You will definitely want to do something to prevent your sea apple from being sucked in. For the return, you might want to create a manifold out of PVC to distribute the flow more. What I'm envisioning is a square made of PVC piping with small holes drilled all along it. The basic idea is to distribute the flow so you get a gentle current but overall high flow instead of one small fast jetstream.

[zack85]

idk whats up with it but if a mod reads this, please delete the friedrichs85 id and i'll keep this one :cool:

I see what your saying. I am thinking return on the left side, intake on the right, and run it around the back of the tank where it will meet at a pump in the middle...

Im going to the plumbing supply store tomorrow, and if I have time, i'll post some pics of the setup.

[zack85]

Here is a plan for the closed loop system.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/169715closedloop.JPG

I have the plumbing, waiting on a quietone pump from FosterSmith (wasnt going to pay 40$ for it at Petsmart!)

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Yep, just what I had in mind.

[zack85]

illus. doesnt show a spray bar at return, but thats planned too

[InsaneClownFish]

Waiting to see more. I luv the initial blog on this setup! :)

[Caleb Kruse]

Hey, this sounds like a very cool tank! Just thought I would let you know that you about the Southern Colorado Marine Aquarists Society, our website is thescmas.com Hope to see you there!

[rabidcrab]

sea apple tank... way rad i wanna see!

[zack85]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11053692#post11053692 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Caleb Kruse
Hey, this sounds like a very cool tank! Just thought I would let you know that you about the Southern Colorado Marine Aquarists Society, our website is thescmas.com Hope to see you there!

Cool, Ill check it out. GO ROCKIES! :cool:

[zack85]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11053909#post11053909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rabidcrab
sea apple tank... way rad i wanna see!

Thanks! Ill keep it all documented here!

[smoney]

Hey zach, I put a Sea Apple in my 12 gallon Nano and Its been in there with a pink and green cucumber and 3 tiger cucumbers. I barely do anything with that nano cube. I add brine shrimp in the tank 3 times a week, cyclops once a week, and some phytoplankton. The Sea Apple has been in the tank for almost a year now.

Heres an old pic of it, back in December 06':

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/smoneyspad/NanoCube12-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[zack85]

awesome tank! how much phyto do you put in?

[smoney]

I use that kent marine expert series phytomax 3 times a week. I put just one drop everyother day or so and the sea apple and cucumbers are flourishing.

[zack85]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11059311#post11059311 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smoney
I use that kent marine expert series phytomax 3 times a week. I put just one drop everyother day or so and the sea apple and cucumbers are flourishing.

Thanks for the great advice... I am considering phytomax or Dt's phyto... Do you have any experience with Dt's?

And do you keep your phyto in the fridge?

[InsaneClownFish]

smoney- nice little tank...get up some updated pics..:)

[smoney]

Thanks for the great advice... I am considering phytomax or Dt's phyto... Do you have any experience with Dt's?

And do you keep your phyto in the fridge?

I have never tried Dt's, but I am sure its the same thing. And there is no Refridgeration required for the phytoplex, I just keep it in my aduarium stand, at like room temp.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11061171#post11061171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by InsaneClownFish
smoney- nice little tank...get up some updated pics..:)

Thanks. Yeah, I'll try to take some pics soon and post them up here.

[zack85]

Well cool... maybe feeding will be easier than I thought :D

I have all the plumbing for the linear flow cls ready - just waiting for the pump to arrive... Added some cheato to the tank. Im not going to bother taking readings for another week (using store-mixed water for the cycle) until I get a new refractometer.

[zack85]

I got an idea for the heater... build it inline!

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-85300140756196_1973_20660256

Im not going to pay 40$ for the pentair one, rather build it out of pvc, and attach to the return before it hits the pump! Then I can relocate the themometer back there as well... The back of the tank may look frankenstein, but I want to keep as much traffic out of the actual tank as possible

[zack85]

here is a layout of the system (box = tank)

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/169715layout.JPG

Pump will be here on 10-31...

[zack85]

Oh man, I wish I started this project a few weeks earlier! Check out the sea apples in the LiveAquaria Divers Den:

http://liveaquaria.com/images/diversden/approved/102407-201a.jpg
http://liveaquaria.com/images/diversden/approved/101207-232a.jpg

Hopefully one will still be there when the tank is ready :sad1:

[cherubfish pair]

smoney,

How big are your tiger tails? You know they get to be 5 foot long?

[smoney]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11072646#post11072646 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cherubfish pair
smoney,

How big are your tiger tails? You know they get to be 5 foot long?


Well, I have 3 tiger cucumbers, and realistically you probably need a really really huge tank, which goes pretty much with everything in the hobby. But our tanks are just so limited.


Originally my friend was taking down his tank so I took them off his hands. I was trying to sell them here (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=10946649#post10946649), but no takers, so I kept them. My friend had bought one tiger tail and he said that over two years they pinched off in the center and multiplied to 3 of them. I'm sure they may get to a really big size in the wild, but I highly highly highly doubt that it will get more than like 12-16". The biggest one I have is maybe about 8 inches. The other two are like 6 inches or so.

[zack85]

Yeah they can grow to 6' after several years of open grazing in the ocean, but like most captive aquaria, they wont come anywhere close to that in a home aquarium

[zack85]

this project is on hold. I am building a more conventional nano for our family room, so ill pick up on this in January or so...