Chucktown BC 29 Mixed Reef

[spanko]

Hey Dive, too old and lazy to go back through the thread so I have a couple of questions.

When you got your Sunpod was it right at the start or was the tank already up and running?

If up and running did you have any life in the tank that would have been affected by the change?

If you had life, did you do anything special to acclimate them to the new lighting?

[divecj5]

Awwwwww--puppy!

 

Oh, uh, yeah, the other pics are nice, too.

 

I'm really intrigued by that brilliant little Euphyllia and I love the toupee's progress!

 

--Diane

 

Thanks Diane....I knew I shouldn't have posted the pics of our puppy I knew she would outshine the corals. I am really intrigued as well by the octospawn frag as well. I have never dealt with Euphyllia of this size so it will put my husbandry skills to the test. I hope that I will be able to grow it nice and big.

 

Hey Dive, too old and lazy to go back through the thread so I have a couple of questions.

When you got your Sunpod was it right at the start or was the tank already up and running?

If up and running did you have any life in the tank that would have been affected by the change?

If you had life, did you do anything special to acclimate them to the new lighting?

 

When I bought the BC29, I went ahead and bought the 4.36 upgrade from NanoCustoms although I never did install it. When the tank was cycling and just doing its thing for the first month or so, I just ran the stock bulbs. After doing some reading and being able to sell the upgrade, it pretty much paid for the Sunpod. So no, I didn't have it on there from the start. By the time I got the halides, I did have some rics and a couple of zoas in the tank. The only change that I noticed were good changes, ie coloration and overall size of the rics.

 

The way that I ended up acclimating the corals was by using window screening that I had laying around. I just cut two pieces of window screening (this was the thick kind that cuts down on UV and glare) and just draped them over the top of the tank and held them down with the legs of the fixture. I also shortened my photoperiod to about 6 hours a day I believe. So this is how I acclimated:

• First week - Two sheets of screening (increased time from 6 to 8 in 30 minute increments each day)
  
• 2nd week - one sheet of screening at 8 hours a day
  
• 3rd week - no screening and increased lighting to 9 hours total
  

I had no bleaching or ill effects to the corals or the fish. The fish obviously didn't care all that much to begin with...they probably just thought they looked better to each other

 

Hope that answers your questions. Did you get the fixture in yet?

[spanko]

Should be here tomorrow. Anticipation like a little kid at Christmas.

You did answer my questions and thank you very much for that.

I have a Porites worm rock, two Monti-caps, a Superman Monti, a Green Slimer Acro for coral in the tank right now and want to ensure that I don't screw them up. They are doing well under the 4.36 upgrade but I don't think long term they will keep it up and give me good growth, so on to the Sunpod...............

[divecj5]

I know what you mean about waiting for the light....I remember when mine was shipping to me. I just wanted to drive wherever it was and grab it from them early You will really be amazed with the light if this is the first halide that you will have.

 

Oh yeah, and those SPS will love you for the new light. I'm sure they're doing fine under the 4.36, but they should thrive under the 150w MH. Congrats again on the new light....looking forward to seeing the pics.

[diggman08]

wow .. sweet update bro.. nice dog too... Tudd has some nice frags... those purple ones are sweet..loooks like hee hooked u up dude... the ones he sent me like that are actually colormorphing into a neon green and blue colors,, iTS NUTS Loooking.... ne way glad to see your tanking moving right along.. your approching the big 6month mark..

[divecj5]

Thanks for the compliments bud...yeah, Tudd really did hook me up with some really nice frags. The purple ones hadn't all opened up yet but like he said, sometimes the ones from Zoanuts take a while to open. I think that's because the majority of his stuff are wild and not aquacultured. I'm assuming they react a lot differently to stress and changes in the environment.

 

I know, I can't believe it's almost been 6 months since I've had this one up and going.

[divecj5]

As I know have two nice little clumps of chaeto happily chugging along in a soap dish thanks to Tudd, I started searching around to find out the best way to keep it and how I should go about trimming it and overall husbandry. I am just planning on using it as a form of nutrient export and a nice place to pods to make safe haven in.

 

So on to my question. I found a really nice article in ReefKeeping.com (Macro Algae) and I found some great info. about all of the different types and some of the ways to keep them happy. I read in the article that the best way to keep chaeto going strong is to swish it around to get detritus out every once in a while, turn it sort of inside out (not quite all the way) to make sure that new strands get light, and also to trim it.

 

So my question is: how often and what is the best way to go about trimming the ball of spaghetti? I would think it's pretty self explanatory but I thought I'd ask. I obviously don't have to do it now but I'm sure I will in the future.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

[spanko]

When it is falling over the side of the soap dish as an unsightly mess, trim it. Mostly you want water flow through it. If it becomes too dense and the water cannot flow through, trim it. It will really never hurt to trim. All you are doing is to give it better room to grow and to get it thinned out so the light and the flow can get to it.

 

On a lighter note UPS just dropped off my light....................

[divecj5]

Thanks for the advice Spanko....it is no where near time to trim it but I just wanted to get some idea before that time comes.

 

Congrats on the light....nothing beats UPS knocking on the door with new toys Looking forward to seeing your tank with the new SUN over top.

[c est ma]

I learned to be a little careful manipulating my chaeto when I tore a leg off a brittle star... They really love to hang out in the stuff!

 

But by remembering they're there I can usually avoid harming them. If I really want to clean/trim the chaeto, I just hold the ball of chaeto mostly out of a little tub of tank water till they evacuate the unimmersed clump. I've also found bristle worms & snails in it...

 

Once you're sure you're not maiming critters, I've preferred to sort of pull it apart a ways in directions it sort of naturally flows, and try to do as little actual cutting as possible. If I just trim the whole ball when it's still wadded up I end up with a lot more tiny little sections that drift around and might try to take up residence elsewhere...

 

I also find this stuff absolutely bullet-proof...

 

--Diane

[spanko]

Good point on the trimming. Every once in a while I am pulling a loose strand out of the Koralia. Might be due to cutting. I will try the stretch and pull method next time. Thanx Diane.

[divecj5]

I learned to be a little careful manipulating my chaeto when I tore a leg off a brittle star... They really love to hang out in the stuff!

 

But by remembering they're there I can usually avoid harming them. If I really want to clean/trim the chaeto, I just hold the ball of chaeto mostly out of a little tub of tank water till they evacuate the unimmersed clump. I've also found bristle worms & snails in it...

 

Once you're sure you're not maiming critters, I've preferred to sort of pull it apart a ways in directions it sort of naturally flows, and try to do as little actual cutting as possible. If I just trim the whole ball when it's still wadded up I end up with a lot more tiny little sections that drift around and might try to take up residence elsewhere...

 

I also find this stuff absolutely bullet-proof...

 

--Diane

 

Thanks for the advice and suggestions Diane. I always appreciate it. I think that I will definitely go with the stretch and pull method as well whenever it comes to that point. Right now, I've just been giving them a good swish around when I'm messing with the tank. Just want to make sure they stay somewhat detritus free

[TUDIZZLE]

how did you like using the putty and the discs to mount frags? What exactly did you use?

[divecj5]

Hey man, first off all of the frags are doing great and the euphyllia now fully expands and is surprisingly pretty big. I will snag a pic of it today once the lights turn on. All of the zoas are doing great of course and the dark purple ones that you said you got from Zoanuts are finally opening as well....just took them a while

 

As far as the putty and mounting frag discs, I have found it really pretty easy to do and I've done it now quite a few times. I use Aquamend Aquamend that you can get in one of paint aisles at Home Depot. I'm not sure if Lowe's carries this specific product so I just have gotten it from Home Depot since I knew it wouldn't harm the tank. It is a stick that the inner part is white and the outside is green, your basic two part putty that you need to mix together to incorporate. I usually use about an inch's worth or a little more when I putty something down to rocks. I usually wet my hands pretty good before I start mixing it together and have found this to be pretty helpful. After it is mixed and depending on the rock I am going to epoxy to, you can either take the frag and the rock out or you can just epoxy things when they are still in the tank.

 

I have found it really easy to do so you shouldn't have any problems doing it. Let me know if that explains it alright

[TUDIZZLE]

Thanks for the 411 on the putty.

 

My LRS has some neon candy canes that are mounted on disc's that way. Just was not sure how it was done.

 

 

A trip about that micro frag of frogspawn octopus and how big it actually gets. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to develop a mouth.

 

I think your right about zoanuts and that frag being from wild stock. It seems super sensative even after a hermit crab or shrimp walks across it. Sometimes it will close for days after a simple bump.

[divecj5]

Your welcome on the putty info. I have found it easy to use and it seems to hold really well.

 

I am looking forward to watching the little frogspawn octo grow as well....it gets pretty big actually. I have been really surprised.

 

I will try and grab a couple more pics tonight but it's been really hectic lately getting the last minute wedding plans together. It's 12 days away We are both really really excited about it.

[nUgZ]

You only have 11 days to leave the country!! You better hurry up.

[c est ma]

It's never occurred to me to wet my hands before using the epoxy! That doesn't hurt the mixing process, eh? Does it make it easier to clean your hands afterwards?

 

--Diane

[divecj5]

You only have 11 days to leave the country!! You better hurry up.

 

Haha....does anyone want to dip out of the country for a little while Just kidding...we are really excited.

 

 

It's never occurred to me to wet my hands before using the epoxy! That doesn't hurt the mixing process, eh? Does it make it easier to clean your hands afterwards?

 

--Diane

 

Hey Diane. It is SO much easier to work with when your hands are wet. I just get a good piece of it, dip my hands in water, and then mix it together. It doesn't have any effect on the effectiveness of the epoxy and you don't even really have to clean your hands afterwards....well you have to get the stink off at least

 

Try it the next time and you will be hooked.

[c est ma]

That is so good to know! Would you believe I've even tried to mix it wearing plastic gloves? Sorta ends up sticking all your fingers together...with the glove all mixed into the epoxy...

 

--Diane

[nUgZ]

Yeah...congrats. It'll be good for you. I'm going on 2 years now. She keeps me in line.

[divecj5]

Thanks for the congrats....she definitely if anything keeps me more than level headed about things.

[spanko]

32 years here. Would not have it any other way.

[divecj5]

^^That's awesome...congratulations.

[Alias1]

I have known a few people who've developed skin sensitivity to epoxy, you can always look up the MSDS to confirm this. I know it's one of those things most people don't pay attention to, because it is kind of a remote occurance. I think mixing with a thick metal spoon or spachula on a peice of scrap glass (i think you'll be able to scrape it clean - but it's scrap anyway) would be better. Anyway read your whole thread, and am starting a BC 29 over the next couple weeks.