Jump to content
Coral Vue Hydros

My Rockin' Flower Garden!


FlowerMama

Recommended Posts

After I found a baby rock flower hatched in my 34 with a skimmer in it and finding out I have a tax refund coming, my thoughts are completely consumed by wanting to start a breeding tank. In my Maiden's Voyage thread you can see I'm hooked with 13 flowers in my 34 and maybe room for a few more. Where's Maury Povich when you need him 'You ARE the father!!!"

 

I decided this since my 2 LFS here do not have a single rock flower (and I've checked the last year). The nearest LFS are 1 hr 10 min and 2 hrs or more after that and no flowers.

 

Please advise if this sounds doable and what you'd change because I've only been reefing a year and don't consider myself knowledgeable enough. I have read the 2012 article in Coral at least about rock flower breeding. Very little info out there on breeding RFAs.

 

  • 40B w/ premium black aquarium gravel sectioned off by one piece of glass going up 3/4 of the way to hold 1/3 of the left side of tank for spawning purposes. Remainder of tank would be for growing/displaying flowers.
  • Small Koralia for the smaller breeding section (12 x 18) and a WP10 in the remaining section (24 x 18).
  • Life reef overflow again.
  • Water falls to a 20g sump w/ Cobalt heater, skimmer, uncured live rock and caulerpa in the larger left section. The right would have the return pump.
  • I'd use the Live Uncured KPA rock which has plenty of bacteria which should seed the aquarium gravel, right? It'd be the premium gravel, not the cheaper where the color wears off. I would use a gravel cleaner weekly for any detritus. And I'd love to throw a handful of anemone shrimp in there.
  • Full spectrum programmable/dimmable lights. I see the flowers are their happiest w/ medium - med/high.
  • I know Petco is having their gallon sale very soon so now would be my opportunity to get the tanks at least. Please tell me if you think this idea is sound/plausible and if you have any suggestions for a better build. And thanks very much for helping.

 

Current baby and then a rock flower in my tank.

 

003_zpse005503d.jpg

 

011_zps20f36db9.jpg

Link to comment
  • Replies 1.6k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Oh god following!

 

I don't know that I have enough experience to have good input, but I'd think that a shallow tank like a frag tank could work well for this purpose.

Link to comment

Oh god following!

 

I don't know that I have enough experience to have good input, but I'd think that a shallow tank like a frag tank could work well for this purpose.

 

Yeah, that would be REAL nice but I know it'd be expensive. Maybe later I could upgrade to something like that. Actually, it would be an inch shorter than my 34. Anyone know where I can find a shallow that would be reasonable?

Link to comment

Basement where nobody lives and there's a back door there. I also have to save some for a real phone. I have the most basic phone, I don't text even or have a data plan. It only does what it was meant to do. Calls and be my alarm in the morning.

Link to comment

Following this! I wish CoralmorphoLogic was still selling online. I always wanted to pick up some of their beautiful rock nems..... The pink zebra stripped nems were jaw dropping

Link to comment

Hell, it could be a couple years just to grow something and maybe locally the lfs won't want them even, you never know. That's why also I'd rather go on the cheaper side w/ the tanks. I mean, hey, on the color wheel they very conveniently omit the ugly colors!!!.

 

Oh, and I forgot, I NEED to get a water top off system first for my 34 as well.

Link to comment

You could always sell those to fellow reefers on here, elsewhere or locally. Wish you luck & I hope to see a lot of baby nems in near future.

Seems like you have everything figured out but it is going to be a project that's for sure. Btw, Smart phones arent overrated but most people using them are.

Link to comment

Don't worry. If your local LFS's don't buy them - we will!!!! :)

 

I think a 40 would be great. They have a nice large footprint and are shallow enough that they are easy to light.

 

Following....:)

Link to comment

 

You could always sell those to fellow reefers on here, elsewhere or locally. Wish you luck & I hope to see a lot of baby nems in near future. Seems like you have everything figured out but it is going to be a project that's for sure. Btw, Smart phones arent overrated but most people using them are.

 

Ok, like this phone is very ancient. And actually w/ my personality I am an old soul ( I fought off getting a cell phone for a long time). But c'mon, this is prehistoric!!!.

 

012_zps1bc41c86.jpg

Link to comment

This would be the room in the basement, it's like an office space before the 2nd bedroom there. And there's a bathroom, laundry for wet towels, etc. I don't believe that computer desk will hold the weight so it will have to go. A 40 would only be 6 more inches longer than my 34.

 

013_zps4f5895ab.jpg

Link to comment
Ok, like this phone is very ancient. And actually w/ my personality I am an old soul ( I fought off getting a cell phone for a long time). But c'mon, this is prehistoric!!!. http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/1stimereefer/media/012_zps1bc41c86.jpg.html'>012_zps1bc41c86.jpg
Lmao Perhaps you are right. What phone were you looking at as a replacement ?And that place looks great. Desk won't hold that kind of weight so don't even try it lol. But if you gonna go with DIY or similar. Getting it a bit higher might workout better.

 

Btw got to go. Work ttyl

Link to comment

This isn't going to be any fast build, I know that, but that's ok really because that can give me time for the ones in my 34 to grow larger to be a breeding size if I chose to use some of them. Do they make stands for 40B? Or am I better off going to Lowes and buying a basic cabinet and putting a top on it that will house the 20g sump below?

 

I am going to have a garage sale in May or June and get rid of some things so that should pay for that. I'm really having to be practical and as long as it works I'm fine because I grew a flower w/o trying so I feel already ahead of the game! The other route is too expensive for me at this stage- going shallow, buying a custom made sump/fuge, etc. It's only my income involved, no one elses. And I want to have fun most of all. Crap, I may grow them and have a problem adopting them out. You know how people are when their dog has puppies!!! they end up keeping some because they're attached! BUT, hey- I wanna try. And this just sounds like a fun adventure.

Link to comment

Ok, like this phone is very ancient. And actually w/ my personality I am an old soul ( I fought off getting a cell phone for a long time). But c'mon, this is prehistoric!!!.

 

012_zps1bc41c86.jpg

 

Well... it isn't as old as a flip phone!

 

I fought off getting a cell phone for a long time too. I just didn't want to be that accessible. I finally gave in about 2 years ago since I have a lot of on call duties with my job. I do like all the functionality of the phone now that I have one. For example I have a terrible sense of direction, so having GPS mapping aps is a lifesaver. But yeah, I do miss in some ways the simpler times pre-smartphones and pagers.

Link to comment

This isn't going to be any fast build, I know that, but that's ok really because that can give me time for the ones in my 34 to grow larger to be a breeding size if I chose to use some of them. Do they make stands for 40B? Or am I better off going to Lowes and buying a basic cabinet and putting a top on it that will house the 20g sump below?

 

I am going to have a garage sale in May or June and get rid of some things so that should pay for that. I'm really having to be practical and as long as it works I'm fine because I grew a flower w/o trying so I feel already ahead of the game! The other route is too expensive for me at this stage- going shallow, buying a custom made sump/fuge, etc. It's only my income involved, no one elses. And I want to have fun most of all. Crap, I may grow them and have a problem adopting them out. You know how people are when their dog has puppies!!! they end up keeping some because they're attached! BUT, hey- I wanna try. And this just sounds like a fun adventure.

Not sure about the stand..... according to info under 55 g spects, it should fit 40B. Link below:

 

 

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9883

 

 

As long as you can have fun without burning hole in your wallet, then who will dare to stop you. My basement tanks are getting neglected so I will downsize quite a bit. Time is simply not on my side and it turns into a job and that is where the fun stops. I will follow your new ventures as I do your other builds.

keep us posted

Link to comment

Yeah, that would be REAL nice but I know it'd be expensive. Maybe later I could upgrade to something like that. Actually, it would be an inch shorter than my 34. Anyone know where I can find a shallow that would be reasonable?

 

You could always just build a platform to raise up the babies. That way you have the volume of the 40 but depth of a frag tank.

Link to comment

Not sure about the stand..... according to info under 55 g spects, it should fit 40B. Link below:

 

 

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9883

 

 

As long as you can have fun without burning hole in your wallet, then who will dare to stop you. My basement tanks are getting neglected so I will downsize quite a bit. Time is simply not on my side and it turns into a job and that is where the fun stops. I will follow your new ventures as I do your other builds.

keep us posted

 

 

Actually, thank you SO much for the link, I hadn't thought about looking there and this is going to work.

 

Dimensions for 40g 36" L X 18" W X 16" H

65 gallon stand 38.5"L x 18.5"W x 33"H

 

And actually due to whatever skimmer I'd need, would a 20 tall work better for my needs?

 

You could always just build a platform to raise up the babies. That way you have the volume of the 40 but depth of a frag tank.

 

Explain more, draw, whatever, In the article he kept them in 3" deep trays so he could take a whole tray out, feed the tray, let it absorb, and then put the whole tray back down in the tank. I could see that would be cleaner that broadcast feeding the tank Phyto and Oyster feast, and cyclopeeze until they can eat mysis.

 

Are you meaning making levels on the right side and leave the left breeding side alone? Egg crate? and then put the trays on it? smallest babies on the bottom and larger going up since they could handle light better?

Link to comment

So, not sure if I need to do a 20L or 20H for the sump because I'm not sure how high the HOB skimmers fit on the back. Is the bottom of the tank even w/ the bottom of the skimmer? As long as it doesn't sit below it I'm fine, otherwise I'll have to raise the tank off the floor which I prefer not to do.

 

20Long is 13" H
20High is 16" H

 

Here are 2 HOB skimmers I'm thinking about: I want the most room inside for rock filtration. They're both the same price.

 

23" H Eshopps Hang-On Protein Skimmer for 100 PSK-100g

23,8"H The Reefoctopus BH-90

Link to comment

I use an aqua C remora skimmer and love it. It sits perfectly on a 20L but also hangs on a 20h and 40b

 

I didn't realize you had a HOB skimmer. Well, that's one that showed up w/ 5 stars on Dr. Fosters and still is the same price. HMMM. Is yours with or without the drain?

Link to comment

 

Actually, thank you SO much for the link, I hadn't thought about looking there and this is going to work.

 

Dimensions for 40g 36" L X 18" W X 16" H

65 gallon stand 38.5"L x 18.5"W x 33"H

 

And actually due to whatever skimmer I'd need, would a 20 tall work better for my needs?

 

 

 

Explain more, draw, whatever, In the article he kept them in 3" deep trays so he could take a whole tray out, feed the tray, let it absorb, and then put the whole tray back down in the tank. I could see that would be cleaner that broadcast feeding the tank Phyto and Oyster feast, and cyclopeeze until they can eat mysis.

 

Are you meaning making levels on the right side and leave the left breeding side alone? Egg crate? and then put the trays on it? smallest babies on the bottom and larger going up since they could handle light better?

 

I know nothing about those nems but my frag tank plans involve a frame of PVC and egg crate shelves. That way I can slide the shelves back and forth to clean underneath. People do shallow frag tanks for ease of access and to lower lighting requirements so just lifting things up with a fake bottom will accomplish the same thing.

Link to comment

Rock flowers will attach to glass on the bottom of sand tanks, they also stick to rocks, however I figured with gravel it'll be easy to clean gravel around them and move them. Once they're stuck, it's difficult to remove them from a rock or on glass, and I want to just move them in the easiest way possible..that's why I didn't want rocks in the growing area. I can't see putting them on crate, it wouldn't be comfortable for them and I think the small ones would fall through.

Link to comment

 

Actually, thank you SO much for the link, I hadn't thought about looking there and this is going to work.

 

Dimensions for 40g 36" L X 18" W X 16" H

65 gallon stand 38.5"L x 18.5"W x 33"H

 

And actually due to whatever skimmer I'd need, would a 20 tall work better for my needs?

 

 

 

Explain more, draw, whatever, In the article he kept them in 3" deep trays so he could take a whole tray out, feed the tray, let it absorb, and then put the whole tray back down in the tank. I could see that would be cleaner that broadcast feeding the tank Phyto and Oyster feast, and cyclopeeze until they can eat mysis.

 

Are you meaning making levels on the right side and leave the left breeding side alone? Egg crate? and then put the trays on it? smallest babies on the bottom and larger going up since they could handle light better?

 

Glad to hear that this stand might actually work for you. As to sump dimensions ....... Well, from pure practical point of view, I would go for 20H. It is simply easier to accommodate wider variety of skimmers with higher tank then shallower 20L. Just my opinion.

Link to comment

Yeah, I was thinking high would be the best for the sump now too, not just because of the HOB skimmer but I think flow through the rocks will be better.

 

And in regards to the picture of the open space in the basement, I'm going to leave like 2 ft around the wall. I'm not going to put it up against the wall like the computer desk was. This way I can work around it better. I'm not sure about painting the back side black either because this way I can view everything 100% and take pics from any angle. I'm still going to choose clear for the internal overflow box because if it's nasty I'll know it and I can put an astrea in there like I did w/ the 34 and it was cleaned spic/span. And if I don't want to see the sump, I can make some kind of black skirt hanging down from under the stand.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...