Our Tbs - Page 36

krajacich · #**876** 06/13/2006, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffyguy
I have skimmed the thread from the beginning. Looks like really nice stuff. Couple questions.

1. do you find that most of the life on the rocks survives or a year or so? Or does it tend to die off as the tnak matures?

2. Is it worth it? With all the bad hitch hikers in the end does it come out?

3. The sand with the package looks rather large. Anyone have a good close up? WOuld creatures like conchs and Nassauris snails be able to sift through this?

I am plotting, don't tell me wife, a 120 gallon with an 8 bubl t-5 rig. I think some TBS would be just excellent for it.

1) Most of the life on my rock has survived. I lost some feather dusters and my tunicates.

2) For me it was well worth it. I didn't get any mantis shrimp and the gorilla population was manageable (although I think I still have a few that have eluded me)

3) My current inverts have no problem burrowing around in the sand. Here's the best close-up I could find in my photobucket account:

HTH....if you get rock please take & post TONS of pictures!

Red_Six · #**877** 06/13/2006, 10:15 PM

Following jmait769 advice I managed to capture two mantis. Time will tell if I have more. I hope to find local homes for them. In the process I also caught a gorilla crab. I was pretty surprised when I lifted the rock and saw this guy underneath.

He is about 1 ½ inches across the shell. He and the two mantis are in my fuge until they find homes. The mantis are both about 2 ½ inches long. They don't seem to be interested in trying to eat the monster gorilla.

skippy2 · #**878** 06/13/2006, 10:20 PM

Speaking of crabs, here's my decorator crab!!!! Stupidest impulse buy yet!!!

Red_Six · #**879** 06/13/2006, 10:32 PM

He is a walking garbage heap.

skippy2 · #**880** 06/14/2006, 08:28 AM

Never looked at it that way but your right!!!

Grand Wazoo · #**881** 06/14/2006, 11:50 AM

How much evaporation in NORMAL

I have a 20g with a 10g refugium. The tank is in central air conditioning set to about 75 degrees. The water temperature is maintained at 79-80.

I am losing a gallon a day--there are no leaks. Is this normal?

BrianPlankis · #**882** 06/14/2006, 11:56 AM

That is rather on the high side for evaporation, but not unheard of for a 30 gallon system. I keep my house at 77, tank at 80-82 and I evaporate about 1.5 gallons a day from my 90 gallon system. Does your house have low humidity? That could easily cause more evaporation.

Brian

jezzeaepi · #**883** 06/14/2006, 01:45 PM

How long did you guys wait before adding a fish? I haven't added any yet ebcause I worried about them hurting ym pod population. How do you know when you have enough pods? I see them on every surface.

BrianPlankis · #**884** 06/14/2006, 02:31 PM

Well, I waited a LONG time because I had a isopod problem. Eric Borneman and Dr Shimek suggest waiting 3-6 months to allow your tank to stabilize and let the pods get good and plentiful. Corals (easier to keep ones) can be added during this period after your nitrogen cycle has been done for 4-6 weeks. This gives you something to add while waiting for fish.

If I hadn't had my isopod problem I would have tired to wait 6 months, but not sure my patience would let me

B.

jmait769 · #**885** 06/15/2006, 09:13 PM

Brian – Berghia were packaged and sent overnight to breeder. Everything went well and she is sending me something back for my tank.

I will post some pictures when they come in. I’m very excited!! Thanks!!!!!

skippy2 - that is a cool crab!!!

Here is an update for my tank. Well, we waited since March when I first added salt, sand and some rock from the LFS. It has been a little over a month since we put the TBS rock in and all water parameters have been very stable. So we went ahead and got our first fish. We had been watching this one for a month and hoped no one would buy him. He is great!!

Can somebody identify what this is:

I’m telling my wife I have a better garden then she does!!

My attempt at the MJ modification. This really puts a flow in the tank. Probably a little to much with the large prop. But was fun to make!!

And the best for last – my wife and kids surprised me with an early Fathers Day gift - this new 80 gallon tank!!

I’ve got a mile long list of things I need so have been cruising RC for ideas!!

Thanks!!

Jay

Red_Six · #**886** 06/15/2006, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Can somebody identify what this is:

Happy Fathers Day.

I have those is my tank as well. I assumed they are tunicates.

Safir · #**887** 06/15/2006, 10:56 PM

that's what i was told they are, i have blue, purple, orange, and just found a colony of red - anyone know any way to move them from a rock to another without kiling them? i'd like to propegate my red ones so i can put some in another tank - their color is excellent, and there are a bunch of them

BrianPlankis · #**888** 06/15/2006, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jmait769
Brian – Berghia were packaged and sent overnight to breeder. Everything went well and she is sending me something back for my tank. I will post some pictures when they come in. I’m very excited!! Thanks!!!!!

Here is an update for my tank. Well, we waited since March when I first added salt, sand and some rock from the LFS. It has been a little over a month since we put the TBS rock in and all water parameters have been very stable. So we went ahead and got our first fish. We had been watching this one for a month and hoped no one would buy him. He is great!!

Can somebody identify what this is:

Jay

Jay, I'm glad the Berghia found a home! You'll have to post pictures of what she sends you

If I had seen a hawkfish that pretty I don't think i could have waited either

You'll need to get a clearer picture for me to be able to help out with the ID, my eyes can't focus on it.

Brian

drk70 · #**889** 06/16/2006, 09:00 AM

I have a longnose hawkfish like that too! They are pretty cool.

jezzeaepi · #**890** 06/16/2006, 10:56 PM

Keyhole limpets:

Has anyone else noticed these eating their sponges? I think they may be the source of my mysterious sponge deaths. I often see them around areas that my sponges have been dissapearing from.

Then I read this article:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rs/index.htm

It says the the keyhole ones in particular are known to predatory.

Should they stay or should they go? Thers probably around 5 or 6 of them in there.

BrianPlankis · #**891** 06/17/2006, 06:17 AM

My keyhole limpets did eat some of my sponges (I caught one of them plowing right through my favorite green sponge!), left some other ones alone. I eventually evicted them from the main tank and put them in the sump. A few of them are still alive in the sump, but several have passed away.

Brian

Grand Wazoo · #**892** 06/17/2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CirolanidHunter
That is rather on the high side for evaporation, but not unheard of for a 30 gallon system. I keep my house at 77, tank at 80-82 and I evaporate about 1.5 gallons a day from my 90 gallon system. Does your house have low humidity? That could easily cause more evaporation.

Brian

Thanks for the reply, Brian--yes, low humidity. I am in Florida--we have enough humidity outside. Need to get me a RO/DI unit. Can you guys recommend a cheap good one???

Grand Wazoo · #**893** 06/17/2006, 08:30 AM

Had my first casualty--my condy came out of it's spot for the first time since I got it from Richard in March. It was climbing the glass. I know if they move--they are not well--well anyway--I woke up this morning to find it in the intake of a power head. I removed it and let the remains sink to the bottom of the tank--is there any way this thing will come back to life or is it a goner?

elzool · #**894** 06/17/2006, 10:42 AM

Mine has actually climbed up to a power head several times in the last week and always goes back to it's home in the corner. Course, mine has also been spawning this week, so who knows what it's thinking.

Red_Six · #**895** 06/17/2006, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Thanks for the reply, Brian--yes, low humidity. I am in Florida--we have enough humidity outside. Need to get me a RO/DI unit. Can you guys recommend a cheap good one???

A lot of people have recommended Air, Water & Ice. They have quite and assortment.

BrianPlankis · #**896** 06/17/2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Grand Wazoo
Thanks for the reply, Brian--yes, low humidity. I am in Florida--we have enough humidity outside. Need to get me a RO/DI unit. Can you guys recommend a cheap good one???

Well, cheap and good rarely go together

How about quality and reasonable price?

I bought mine from a defunct supplier, but I buy all my RO/DI supplies from http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/

I also am friends with several reefers in Houston that use buckeye and they are very happy with their choice and the support they get from Russ.

I have never bought from any other suppliers, so I don't know. I've just heard to avoid the cheap RO/DIs on ebay.

Brian

jezzeaepi · #**897** 06/18/2006, 12:50 PM

Ugh, almost all my sponges have dissapeared over the last few nights. Whats the best way of removing these things? Maybe like a credit card to pry them off, or some tweezers? They seem to have a good grip.

Red_Six · #**898** 06/18/2006, 02:15 PM

I remember trying to remove one from a rock at the beach when I was a kid. I was curious what the critter under the shell looked like. I used my fingernail and it did not come off until the shell broke.

jezzeaepi · #**899** 06/18/2006, 04:38 PM

Yah thats what I was invisioning Red_Six =\

jmait769 · #**900** 06/18/2006, 09:41 PM

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

jezzeaepi – Did you get the Keyhole Limpet with the rock?

Brian - here is some pics of the coral frags the breeder sent.

Red_Six - I like your new avatar!!

2 zoo's and a blue mushroom:

A sinularia. Not a great picture but the best I could do today:

I don’t know why they all like this rock so much!! The three stooges:

Here is a pic of our new Anemone Crab. Went right to the Anemone as soon as his feet hit the sand!

I switched the tank over to the 80 gallon. Took all day Saturday.
Here is the 55 then the 80.

Do you think I may need some more rock? I do like having the extra room! I have gotten a sump, fuge and a pump. Waiting on an overflow. Hope I don’t flood the house!! Never have done this before!

Happy Fathers Day!!

Jay