Tashayar's 30- FL/Carib biotope, sunlight-only

[SeeDemTails]

Thats awesome. I got a R. Komaii in my LR from sealifeinc. I sold him for half what I paid for the LR lol.

[Captain]

as long as you dont start getting algae issues, I say stick to the natural sunlight. Someone else on here did a ten gallon sunlight only tank...I can't remember who. I think they took it down, but it was a really cool tank.

 

+1 on the sun coral idea. =)

[ddr_phish]

What a beautiful tank, such an interesting idea with the natural lighting. How many hours of sun does the tank get and have you noticed any ill-effects on your coral or colors fading?

[nanoty]

Wow, great pics of the mantis. Room service indeed. Great looking tank, I hope the sunlight thing works out.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

What a beautiful tank, such an interesting idea with the natural lighting. How many hours of sun does the tank get and have you noticed any ill-effects on your coral or colors fading?

 

I haven't noticed anything fading out, including the macroalgae. I'm seeing lots of merman's shaving brushes and halimeda appearing where it didn't before. It's getting about 4-5 hours a day of sunlight right now.

 

I went on vacation for 2 weeks leaving it sunlight only, and plainrt from this site took care of it. He said I had some RSA that he cleaned up, but the corals and everything else were fine when I returned. I'm seeing if putting the T5s on for a few hours will help my rics to expand a little more, the last couple of days I've been putting them on in the afternoon for awhile.

 

Wow, great pics of the mantis. Room service indeed. Great looking tank, I hope the sunlight thing works out.

 

thanks!

[Mr. Fosi]

So... Any new pics?

[BustytheSnowMaam]

So... Any new pics?

 

I haven't added anything lately-pretty much looks the same- but I bought a Brazilian Flameback Angel from Foster and Smith and will be putting it in later today. I also got a new gorg from plainrt, I'll upload pics later tonight or tomorrow when the new fishy comes.

[Nick Fr.]

Wow! that is an awesome keep it up

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Here are some pics I took today both of my new fish and the tank with the lights on. I kind of like it both ways- with sunlight and with the T5 light, but I really believe the sunlight offers something the artificial light can't, my reasoning is kind of nebulous I'm sure. I lift the light on from about 1-5 in the afternoon, after the sun has moved to the south. Anyway, pics:

 

 

New fishy, Brazilian Flameback Angel- southern Carib fish. I introduced it and it was swimming around the tank, eating things from the rock in no time. Gets along well with the other fish:

 

 

Part of my ric garden, and the gorgonian from plainrt:

 

 

I'm going to post this in the ID forum, but is this just coralline, or is it a type of coral? It seems to have a regular pattern to it so I wondered if it could be a coral of some kind.

 

[travisurfer]

tank looks great tashayar

[S.I.C.]

Looking good as usual

[Mr. Fosi]

Pretty with the actinics on.

 

That red looks like a coralline algae. Does it have any polyps/tentacles?

[Zombo]

Tashayar, your "mansion" has inspired me - I'm going to order a O. havanensis for my 9 gallon (Unless my LFS can get one for me)

[Sexy Shrimp]

Looks lovely! I have never seen so much coralline!!!!!

[Roc!]

Tank looks great, and what a wonderful idea a LR with just a tank and no TV...........Kudos

[dtfleming]

Looks great, I have a couple purple sea plume's if your interested.

[SPS20]

It looks very nice, tasha. Very clean, and I dig the aquascaping.

 

The dwarf angel is adorable too. There is something about them that is just so endearing.

[LaceySaysMeow]

you're tank is gorgeous. I've wanted to try a sunlit tank for awhile now, I think it'd be awesome, and yours has really inspired me to.

and you have so much coralline! I might order the LR for my 30 from sealife. you got awesome hitchhikers too.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

you're tank is gorgeous. I've wanted to try a sunlit tank for awhile now, I think it'd be awesome, and yours has really inspired me to.

and you have so much coralline! I might order the LR for my 30 from sealife. you got awesome hitchhikers too.

 

Thanks. After coming home from vacation and putting the light on for a week, I've decided to leave it off. When I leave it off, everything looks much happier for some reason, and I don't get any RSA or other nuisance algae. I'm still finding all the hitchhikers! I found a baby pencil urchin the size of my thumbnail the other day, and last night I saw several more serpent stars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks very nice, tasha. Very clean, and I dig the aquascaping.

 

The dwarf angel is adorable too. There is something about them that is just so endearing.

 

Thank-you. I was afraid he'd be aggressive but he's just a nice, peaceful little fish. He'll eat flake but prefers frozen brine and Rod's Food.

 

I am taking an extended hiatus from this site as it used to be a lot of fun here but it has become too negative. If I don't respond right away, that's why.

[Mr. Fosi]

I'm really excited to hear that the tank does so well with even a limited amount of sunlight.

 

I set my system up near our sliding glass door and it get's an hour of direct sun in the morning followed by several hours of good indirect light before before I turn on the MH around 4PM.

[BibleSue]

It is looking good! I had to catch up on your tank now that I'm back home. I love the pictures you posted.

 

It's been negative around here? I guess I didn't miss much the last 3 1/2 weeks then. Let's see if we can turn baby back around. Let the good times roll!

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Ok, since returning from vacation (went all vacation-2 wks- with sunlight only)- I put the lights on in the afternoon for about a week. This resulted in a lot of RSA and GSA, even though it was only on for 4-5 hours. Also, there was a thick algal film on top of the tank that even the splashdown from a HOB filter didn't remedy.

 

I never really liked the "artificial" look with the lights on, even though I have a really nice light with bulbs that definitely make the colors pop. The yellow gorgonian that plainrt gave me stopped extending its polyps, and then I read that they prefer low light. I also worried about all the macroalgaes that came on the LR but so far they're all fine (and more keep popping out each day).

 

So now, officially, I am sunlight-only. My $700 light lies ignomiously unused beside the tank . We'll see when winter comes. Everything is doing MUCH better, and looks so clean and healthy. It's relaxing, and it's quiet.

 

Pics:

 

In the morning:

 

FTS (sorry they're blurry, it was taken w/out flash or tripod). You can see both my fish in the "cave" to the right:

 

 

 

Yellow gorgonian with polyps extended:

 

 

Macroalgaes- first pic is halimeda along with some kind of sargassum (?), second is a merman's shaving brush.

 

 

 

Baby pencil urchin, about the size of my thumbnail :

 

 

Sue- I think a lot of the negative on here has turned around- I'm trying to do my part too . Thanks everyone for looking. My next purchase may be a mated pair of neon gobies and possibly more gorgonians.

[dtfleming]

Cool, looks great, neon gobies will be a nice addition. I have the following gorgs in my frag tank that need a home, purple sea plume, yellow sea plume, and red spiney sea rod. LMK

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Cool, looks great, neon gobies will be a nice addition. I have the following gorgs in my frag tank that need a home, purple sea plume, yellow sea plume, and red spiney sea rod. LMK

 

I'm sorry I didn't get back to you on this- I would be happy to give them a home. Send me a pm.

[tinyreef]

i didn't realize this was a sunlit tank?!?! i don't remember you mentioning that on your blog but i remember you mentioning setting up the tank. so i always assumed it was a mantis-only tank (when i saw it flash across on the forum).

 

i'm glad you opted for natural light, join the movement!

 

i think you like the shimmer and lighting effects, right? it's a cool effect. very mh but the different angles throughout the day really give it naturalism/realism.

 

you mentioned a "nebulous" benefit, but i think the benefit is the supercharging of phytoplankton. it powers the rest of the food pyramid (if the ecosystem is complete enough). i'd be curious is the tunicates are doing well or not. i would hope they are from easier plankton (phyto-micro-zoo-etc.).

 

btw, it looks gorgeous! the rics look ginormous!