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The 40B Caribbean gorgonian forest!


zooman72

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I have been keeping gorgonians for several years, progressing from a 20H to a 29g, and recently decided that the 29g looked crowded, plus it was a relative pain to service compared to my 40B BTA aquarium I set up last year. So, with a juicy tax return in hand, I decided to upgrade the 29g Caribbean tank to a 40B.

It started with a new stand from Joe's Woodworks in Buffalo, NY (same stand as I used for the other 40B), but this time I was using LEDs right from the start (of course), and I was able to score a relatively new pair of 27"/ 16K Maxspect Razors for not much more than the cost of a single new one - one for this tank, and one for the other 40B.

I was able to use the sump and all other equipment from the 29g, except I was going to give one of the Jebao WP10's a try instead of using the 4 Koralia's I was using for the flow in the 29g. Turns out I needed just a bit more flow than the single WP10, so I added an older Koralia 1 with the added directional nozzle so that it wouldn't kick up too much sand with it near the bottom. All fish and gorgs from the 29g were moving into the 40B, with the exception of pest anthelia I was scrubbing off the live rock before making the new rock stacks. I also planned to add a few more gorgs from KP Aquatics, as well as a trio of chalk bass. Tank transfer started 3/18/14, and took about 6 hours for everything.

 

Equipment list:

  • Aqueon standard 40B aquarium with custom-cut glass top
  • Aqueon standard 20L used as sump, with 1/8" glass baffles (sanded edges) at 8" and 7.5" height
  • Custom stand finished in black gloss from Joe's Woodwork in Buffalo, NY
  • Maxspect Razor - 27", 16000K, maxing out at 75% channel A, 65% channel B, hung 12" above tank rim
  • Bubble Magus Curve 5 skimmer
  • CPR 4" Sock-It filter sock holder with 8" long 200 micron socks
  • Rio Hyperflow 6HF return pump
  • Eshopps Nano Overflow
  • Aqua Medic phosphate filter with MaxiJet 900 pump
  • BoostLED Par30 lighting the refugium area of sump
  • Jebao WP10 and Koralia 1 used for flow within aquarium

Pics of the tank, sump, light and stand prior to moving it into position...
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Light stand is simply 1/2" metal conduit painted black, same as used on my prior 40B build...
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In place with a mix of old and new sand...
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Stacking the rock took some time to get right as some of the gorgs were securely attached in place and I did not want to damage them by removing them...
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All done, with a mix of old and new water, and obviously the gorgs and fish are none too happy. Some of the gorgs are temporarily placed so that I can determine what looks good where, and also to leave room for the future additions...
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More to come in the next post...

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Here is what I started with, before the move - the 29g lit with 3 Ledtric Par38's, and a poor pic...

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Here is the same tank, from last year, with a couple of Muricea gorgs dying back from senescence I believe...

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Even older, and only lit with 2 Ledtric Par38's - pics really poor here, sorry...

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Only pic I can find of the 20H from many years ago...

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Almost there - what it now looks like in the next post...

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Couple of weeks later after the move to the 40B, gorgs and fish are happy...
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Couple of days ago, some new gorgs came in from KP Aquatics...
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Quick pic of everyone in place and fish out and about, except for the tiny trio of chalk bass...
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Five royal grammas, pair of cherub angles, trio of chalk bass, four rock anemones, two large emerald crabs, 2 small blue-legged hermits, one large Stenopus cleaner shrimp, one large turbo snail, one large astrea snail, colony of blue ricordea (and some other scattered mushrooms) and about 14 different species of Caribbean gorgonians...

Front pic...
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Left island...
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Right island...
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Left side view...
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Right side view...
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As one can see, lots more room for water flow, and also easier to service...

Final pics with reduced exposure...
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Thanks for looking, and feel free to ask any questions. I will post the occasional update as needed as well. :)

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I LOVE this! I don't understand why more people don't have tons of photosynthetic gorgonians. They're so pretty and easy to care for :)

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Nicely done! Beautiful tank.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

I LOVE this! I don't understand why more people don't have tons of photosynthetic gorgonians. They're so pretty and easy to care for :)

 

Thanks - I don't know why more don't keep them either, but I do think that more keep them now than even just a few years ago. You are right - most of the photosynthetic gorgs are really easy to keep and quite interesting-looking, which is the reason for the aquarium here, plus it reminds me of snorkeling/ diving in the Keys...

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Looks awesome.....love everything about this.

 

Thank you sir!

 

 

 

nice looks great! Love species dedicated tanks!

Thank you, so do I...

 

 

 

 

Wonderful tank! Look at all those Grammas!

Thanks - grammas are one of my favorites, and have been for years!

 

 

 

 

Nice work looks great.

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

SUPERRRR.

 

How are you liking the razor?

Thanks, and I love the Razor!

 

 

 

 

Wow, this is great. I'd love to have some gorgs myself but they just aren't available around here.

Thanks! Check out KP Aquatics - seriously awesome vendor, and can't say enough good things about them.

 

 

 

 

Looks fantastic! I love gorgs. Also, I had no idea you could keep that many grammas together!

 

Thanks, me too! Royal grammas are actually quite social in the wild and in the right tank - introduce them together if possible, provide them plenty of places to hide, and the only thing I see occasionally is the "open-mouth threat" when one pisses off his neighbor... :o

 

what are some of the easier kept gorgs?

 

Most of the photosynthetic species do very well in captivity when provided with enough light and water flow, although there are some that seem to do better if they are occasionally fed with small zooplankton.

 

Check out the species listed for sale at KP Aquatics - the only ones I personally have ever had much trouble with are the sea blades - they need a bunch of flow to keep them clear of algae growth on their flat surfaces, and they decline quickly if their husbandry is not very good.

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Your tank is really beautiful! Love it! Following along!

 

Thank you - now if I could just get the little chalk basses to come out of hiding... :(

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Looks like you found some time! :D

 

It' looks fantastic and I learned a new word today...senescence. Had to look that one up :lol:.

 

Looking forward to following this one. I absolutely LOVE what you have stocked!!!!!!

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Looks like you found some time! :D

 

It' looks fantastic and I learned a new word today...senescence. Had to look that one up :lol:.

 

Looking forward to following this one. I absolutely LOVE what you have stocked!!!!!!

 

Yeah, instead of grading papers, I decided to throw something together quickly!

 

Thank you, and sorry about that... :happy:

 

Not sure what else will be going in here, since there is not a bunch of room left, but maybe some additional rock anemones or ricordeas. I would love to have the chalk bass out and about, but they just went in the other day and are really tiny - they have only been out at night so far... :wacko:

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Yeah, instead of grading papers, I decided to throw something together quickly!

 

Thank you, and sorry about that... :happy:

 

Not sure what else will be going in here, since there is not a bunch of room left, but maybe some additional rock anemones or ricordeas. I would love to have the chalk bass out and about, but they just went in the other day and are really tiny - they have only been out at night so far... :wacko:

Definitely ricordeas :)

 

I like learning new words. Actually, I'm sure I heard that one before but just forgot about it :).

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awesome tank! i love all the royal grammas. how are all they all getting along? I always thought they were aggressive towards conspecifics.

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Definitely ricordeas :)

 

I like learning new words. Actually, I'm sure I heard that one before but just forgot about it :).

 

I like ricordeas, but I remember when they were not as expensive as they are today, and I have trouble spending $100+ for a small colony, but might break down and do it anyway... :bling:

 

As for learning (or remembering) something new - I always tell my students (college freshmen and sophomores) to try and learn something new everyday, as it is good for the brain and makes life more interesting! :)

 

 

 

awesome tank! i love all the royal grammas. how are all they all getting along? I always thought they were aggressive towards conspecifics.

 

They get along without issue (only the occasional "mouth flare" at each other), and they are actually social in the wild, so as long as they are not crowded in too small of an aquarium (something that happens quite a bit when dealing with nanos) they have always done well for me. Same thing often applies to other fish like damsels for example. The grammas do use the same "bolt hole" for escape/ retreat and sleeping, and they will defend it, so as long as they all have their own "hole" they tend to do well in small groups. I remember many years ago seeing a large reef (~180g) in a LFS outside Pittsburgh (where I am originally from) and the owner had it stocked with about 20 grammas - loved that tank just because of the grammas.

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