bimbom Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I got it a few days ago and forgot the name - could anyone identify this? It's in my 10g tank which has no lights. It just receives a lot of filtered sunlight. Is this okay? Also, I'm getting a very light layer of brown algae on top of the sandbed. You can see some in the picture just to the right of the black cerith snail. Is this cyano? Link to comment
BulkRate Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Looks like c. prolifera (one of the caulerpa macroalgaes) to me. Kept pruned and lit sufficiently it's pretty attractive. Edit: yes (as Farkwar pointed out), the brown dusting is likely diatoms. Once ammonia is being processed into nitrates you can add your clean-up crew to deal with it. You might be getting algae growth, but if planning to have photosynthetic corals in it you'll need to provide more both for them to thrive and for aesthetics. Link to comment
bimbom Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 Thanks both for the responses. Yes I do have a CUC already: 2 ceriths, 3 nassarius, 1 trochus. I could get some more but this is what I have so far. I am going to have to get a bigger tank, but wondering the best way to transition. Perhaps this 10g can become a sump tank? I would like a reef tank with peaceful fish. Namely I'd like to get a mandarin goby, 2 firefish, and perhaps 2 small seahorses. Link to comment
gulfsurfer101 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Better hurry, Petco may still be having thier dollar per gallon sale going on still. I'd try for a 29 at least if you want to keep a mandarins goby fat and happy. Lots of live rock and lots of macro like chaeto for pods to grow in. Link to comment
BulkRate Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I wouldn't start out with seahorses & a mandarin... they can be fairly demanding as a first-time fish. Can it be done? Of course... but you'll have an easier time of it starting with the firefish, cultivating the macros & determining which ones you like/do well in your particular tank and then going exotic a year or so down the road. Gulfsurfer101's recommendation is a good one - if you're planning to have that many fish (and messy eaters at that) you'll want the extra water volume and filtration options. That said I do have a mandarin in my 9 gallon tank... but the training process onto prepared foods (for both the fish and my own learning curve despite plenty of forum surfing and book learnin' prior) almost wrecked it with hair algae/cynao blooms. I can't imagine being able succeed (in keeping the fish healthy to date) and fixing the tank if I'd tried keeping that particular fish when I first started in this hobby. Link to comment
bimbom Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 I appreciate all the advice here @gulfsurfer101, thanks for the PETCO tip. I think they may have a sale going on now but I have a feeling they will only be showing the "low-end" tanks. I really need a reef ready tank, and then could use my current 10g as a sump/refugium. I've looked on craigslist for used reef ready tanks, but they all seem to be 90g and up. I have a small apartment and I can probably do no more than 30-40g. I think a 29g tank would be ideal. My tank sits on a one of those crates they use to ship glass. I converted it to a stand and it works well, but I'm not quite sure how much weight it can hold. It's very convenient because its hollow inside makes it great for storing equipment,etc. , and could be a great spot for a sump. Anyway, went a little off topic here. So I don't think I have enough light (since I'm not using a tank light) for the Caulpera P. to grow signficantly. I do notice some leaves have gone "clear". I read that this could mean it's going sexual? It's not happening all over just a few tips here and there. I'll admit I don't know much about marine plants/macroalgae, but I actually like the look of it in a tank. I found this site which seems to have a lot of variety of different species, but only a little information on each: http://www.live-plants.com/ I think a great sticky in this forum would be a list of various marine plants and detailed info, warnings etc. on each one. Link to comment
Boggers Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Reef-cleaners.org has a macro guide as well that can be helpful. Link to comment
Tamberav Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I appreciate all the advice here @gulfsurfer101, thanks for the PETCO tip. I think they may have a sale going on now but I have a feeling they will only be showing the "low-end" tanks. I really need a reef ready tank, and then could use my current 10g as a sump/refugium. I've looked on craigslist for used reef ready tanks, but they all seem to be 90g and up. I have a small apartment and I can probably do no more than 30-40g. I think a 29g tank would be ideal. My tank sits on a one of those crates they use to ship glass. I converted it to a stand and it works well, but I'm not quite sure how much weight it can hold. It's very convenient because its hollow inside makes it great for storing equipment,etc. , and could be a great spot for a sump. Anyway, went a little off topic here. So I don't think I have enough light (since I'm not using a tank light) for the Caulpera P. to grow signficantly. I do notice some leaves have gone "clear". I read that this could mean it's going sexual? It's not happening all over just a few tips here and there. I'll admit I don't know much about marine plants/macroalgae, but I actually like the look of it in a tank. I found this site which seems to have a lot of variety of different species, but only a little information on each: http://www.live-plants.com/ I think a great sticky in this forum would be a list of various marine plants and detailed info, warnings etc. on each one. Tips going clear is normal and not a sign of it going sexual. Link to comment
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