Durso's 180 gallon in wall tank. - Page 37

original-reefland · #**901** 05/12/2006, 11:34 PM

I finally netted the yellow headed jawfish from the overflow chamber. Added it back to the display side, and it wasn't very happy with the attention it got from the tangs. Not sure where it darted off to.

Samples from Reed Mariculture arrived. They were very generous in the samples they sent. I wish I know how much it was all worth. I'll be giving a many of the bottles to Reef & Fin (personal favorite LFS) to hopefully get them to stock it.

I got samples of Arcti-Pods, a very large orange copepod. Fish really enjoy it once they figure out its food. Not sure what kind of water they are soaked in, but they tend to float to the surface. need to turn off your return pump but leave the intank circulation going.

Roti-Feast. marine rotifers and eggs for carnivorius reef organisims. Falls into the water in a gel like blob. Breaks apart easily in fast moving current.

Phyto-Feast. Live Marine Microalgae Concentrate. Mix of most of the popular species.

Tigger Pods (they called them Tiger Pods at IMAC I think, but its spelled Tigger as in the Pooh character). There are live copepods, I'd say under 100 in the bottle. Says to add directly to display or refugium. I think I'll try to grow them out a little in something else like a 2 litter bottle. Says to feed them Phyto-Feast.

original-reefland · #**902** 05/12/2006, 11:35 PM

Here is an updated tank shot as of this month. Tank is 13 months old. Still looks pretty empty.

Larger Picture HERE.

original-reefland · #**903** 05/13/2006, 12:13 AM

Acropora picture I just added to my website. Not the most colorful coral, but healthy looking.

Hop · #**904** 05/13/2006, 12:26 AM

Very clean looking! Thanks for the inspirational full tank shot!

original-reefland · #**905** 05/13/2006, 12:53 AM

Here is another section of the A. millipora. I broke the original frag in half. This is the other half.

original-reefland · #**906** 05/13/2006, 01:20 AM

Last pictures for tonight... this is an Allen's Damsel which I purchased in late April. This is a very fast moving open water fish that really doesn't want to get its picture taken.

This one took about 50 shots before I got one I was happy with. He moves way to fast to use a tripod. Needed a steady hand and this is with a 105mm macro lens and flash.

original-reefland · #**907** 05/13/2006, 01:58 AM

Dang nabbit!

That yellow headed jawfish is already back in the overflow chamber. Not even 2 hours.

hdtvguy · #**908** 05/13/2006, 06:03 AM

Rich,

Put some gutter guard (black) around your overflow teeth. I did this with my overflow did the trick when I added some small chromis to the tank.

original-reefland · #**909** 05/13/2006, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hdtvguy
Rich,

Put some gutter guard (black) around your overflow teeth. I did this with my overflow did the trick when I added some small chromis to the tank.

I have some of that handy. I'm worried if I block that, he'll try the other direction which is out of the tank. Is the rest of your tank open top as well?

240-Reefer · #**910** 05/13/2006, 08:16 AM

Comming Along Nicely

Cprowler · #**911** 05/13/2006, 09:16 AM

Looks good Rich! I can't believe it's been a year already, I guess mine will be 6 months in a week or so. Now I know what parents mean when they say they grow up so fast.

hdtvguy · #**912** 05/13/2006, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by original-reefland
I have some of that handy. I'm worried if I block that, he'll try the other direction which is out of the tank. Is the rest of your tank open top as well?

I say put it on the overflow! Yes my tank is all open as well.

melev · #**913** 05/14/2006, 05:01 PM

Has it really been 13 months, or does that count when you first cut the hole in the wall?

Looks good, but has room for lots of growth.

I see you've got a Goniopora and a clown hosting in it. Very cute.

original-reefland · #**914** 05/14/2006, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Has it really been 13 months, or does that count when you first cut the hole in the wall? Looks good, but has room for lots of growth.

I see you've got a Goniopora and a clown hosting in it. Very cute.

It's been about 3.5 years since the hole was cut in the wall. Only a year since livestock was moved in.

Yeah, I'm trying my first goniopora. I spent a lot of time with that fellow at IMAC (his name escapes me right now) presenting his findings on his research with them. Now that I think they can be kept using his ideas, I'm willing to try it.

melev · #**915** 05/14/2006, 08:15 PM

I'm looking forward to seeing your progress with the coral. I had a feeling that is why you got it, and I'd love to see your personal experience / documentation of the husbandry involved.

original-reefland · #**916** 05/15/2006, 10:53 AM

So far so good. The biggest issue are the tangs. They are just short of attacking that coral during target feedings. Perhaps with the clowns in they'll back off a little. Target feeding selcon soaked cyclopeze at the moment and testing some of the Arcti-Pods. There is plenty around the tank, they have a nori clip, and frozen mush mix in the tank and they are just more interested in what the magical feeding device is offering.

I'd like to be able to say I have seen tentacles consume food, but with the fish getting in the way and the tentacles retracting once they get in contact with food its hard to say.

The only visual cue I have is the length and shape of the tentacles. They have gotten longer and thinner which is a good sign. Short and stubby tend to be a sign of underfeeding.

I also just replaced the halides bulbs. I removed the XM 10K and went back to AB 10Ks. Lighting changes are significant issues with these corals.

original-reefland · #**917** 05/15/2006, 02:36 PM

As stated above, this weekend I removed the XM 10k 250w DE bulbs and went back to AB 10k 250w DE bulbs. To my eye they are clearly brighter and much whiter. These new bulbs still have to complete the burn in process however.

But what I see now is that the water looks cloudy with these lights. I don't know if its something in the water reflecting more light back now.... If you look at some of the pictures I posted above, the water is spotless. Nothing cloudy or hazed.

It kind of looks like a bacterial bloom in the water column, but I haven't seen that related to a lighting change before.

original-reefland · #**918** 05/15/2006, 09:21 PM

Updated Copperbanded Butterfly picture:

I've had him for about 5 months now. Doing very well. Not sure exactly what it eats. I never see it directly eating anything offered.

original-reefland · #**919** 05/16/2006, 07:14 PM

Hey melev, here are some pictures of the goniopora for you.

240-Reefer · #**920** 05/16/2006, 07:16 PM

SWEET

Send a copy to John Kelly

original-reefland · #**921** 05/16/2006, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 240-Reefer
SWEET
Send a copy to John Kelly

Already done.

NexDog · #**922** 05/16/2006, 11:44 PM

So what's the new secret?

GreshamH · #**923** 05/17/2006, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by original-reefland
I finally netted the yellow headed jawfish from the overflow chamber. Added it back to the display side, and it wasn't very happy with the attention it got from the tangs. Not sure where it darted off to.

Samples from Reed Mariculture arrived. They were very generous in the samples they sent. I wish I know how much it was all worth. I'll be giving a many of the bottles to Reef & Fin (personal favorite LFS) to hopefully get them to stock it.

I got samples of Arcti-Pods, a very large orange copepod. Fish really enjoy it once they figure out its food. Not sure what kind of water they are soaked in, but they tend to float to the surface. need to turn off your return pump but leave the intank circulation going.

Roti-Feast. marine rotifers and eggs for carnivorius reef organisims. Falls into the water in a gel like blob. Breaks apart easily in fast moving current.

Phyto-Feast. Live Marine Microalgae Concentrate. Mix of most of the popular species.

Tigger Pods (they called them Tiger Pods at IMAC I think, but its spelled Tigger as in the Pooh character). There are live copepods, I'd say under 100 in the bottle. Says to add directly to display or refugium. I think I'll try to grow them out a little in something else like a 2 litter bottle. Says to feed them Phyto-Feast.

The Artci-Pods, being a true marine copepod, have ernourmous amount of oils in them. IIRC, the oil has many functions for them, one being bouyancy when needed. They're in the same solution basicly as Roti-Feast. When it's released, the ingredients will be listed.

You must have miss heard me at IMAC as people calling them Tiger pods is a pet peave of mine

If your going to culture them, use somthing with a higher surface to depth ratio. I like plastic shoe boxes 2/3 full, and a Aquaclear70 foam replacement. They need some substate for the benthic babies. Send me an email about the count, that greatly differs from what they were sent with. In cases like this, we'd replace your bottle typically

original-reefland · #**924** 05/17/2006, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NexDog
So what's the new secret?

It's a combination of getting the right kind, knowing how to avoid Brown Jelly infection, how to treat them if it happens. How to adapt to lighting and flow rates. And getting them to feed. Smashed frozen cyclop-eeze soaked in selcon is a great first food. If its a species that normally has a large mouth you can move onto larger foods. I'd like to see if Arcti-Pods could be it, but at the the rate they float not many get a chance to settle on the polyps. John Kelly has gotten his eating shaved frozen shrimp to create bite sized chunks.

original-reefland · #**925** 05/17/2006, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GreshamH
The Artci-Pods, being a true marine copepod, have ernourmous amount of oils in them. IIRC, the oil has many functions for them, one being bouyancy when needed. They're in the same solution basicly as Roti-Feast. When it's released, the ingredients will be listed.

I'm getting excellent feeding response from them. Looks to be an ideal anthias food as well. My Copperbanded butterfly which ignoes everything added to the tank was checking them out. I can't tell however if it actually eats it that quick and spits out the shell or if it is rejecting it. But it is trying them. Clowns, Tangs, Chromis, etc they all go nuts for them. Gorgonians and SPS with larger polyps seems to like them as well.

Quote:

You must have miss heard me at IMAC as people calling them Tiger pods is a pet peave of mine If your going to culture them, use somthing with a higher surface to depth ratio. I like plastic shoe boxes 2/3 full, and a Aquaclear70 foam replacement. They need some substate for the benthic babies. Send me an email about the count, that greatly differs from what they were sent with. In cases like this, we'd replace your bottle typically

OK, "Tee, Eye, Double Grr, Err" it is

How do you keep them out of the foam filter? As to substrate, you thinking crush coral, typical live sand, oolite (sugar sized).

I'll try to make a better count. The bottle looked better a day after feeding. Thanks again.