dahliaheartsyou Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi everybody! After trying to figure out planning a biotope, I was advised to come here(who woulda thought, right?!?!) Anyways, I want to do something different besides having a ton of just the indo-pacific corals(although I do love a wide variety of them, they are all beautiful) but I like the look of natural tanks/biotopes... So, I was thinking doing a Glover’s Atoll tank, which is off the southeast coast of Belize…sorda close to yardboy’s tank… here are some common inhabitants(besides sps that require more aged water and higher lighting...) -CORAL:thin finger leathers, devil's leather, brain corals, pipe organ, sun polyps, orange cap monti, toadstool, colt, black tube coral... -SEA FANS/GORGS etc.:sea rods and sea fans,different Gorgonians -FISH:wrasses, blue chromis,sand divers?, jawfish, barnacle blennies,pipe fish -INVERTS/OTHER:boring sponges and other relates sponges mostly red and yellow in color, fleshy algae like turtle-grass, shaving brush, and red algae,red/dark colored feather dusters/coca worms,clams(non tridacnid), urchins, anemone shrimp, pretty much any inverts, there are thousands... Some more info... "This amazing atoll has 700 coral patches in it's lagoon and is surrounded by 50 miles (80km) of sheer drop-offs from 40ft (12m) which head into the Bartlett Trough to a depth of 2600ft (800m). Glover's Atoll is 45 miles from the mainland. North of the island for 12 miles is a drop-off of 60ft (10m) with sand canyons of the Spur and Grove formation leading to it. At the north end of the reef is 6 miles of shallow drop-off again with wrecks and sharks. The 24 miles of the western reef is a series of 50ft drop-offs culminating in a 3 mile series of spires rising from 100ft (30m) to 10ft (3m) of the surface at the southern end. There are dolphins, turtles, Manta rays and Nurse sharks to swim with every day in most locations." here are some links... http://www.glovers.com.bz/gethere.html http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/parkgloversreef.html http://programs.wcs.org/gloversreef/PhotoG...US/Default.aspx and here is what my tank looks like now (the left island isn't touching the glass anymore and has mor rock in the back...but you get the idea) been set up like 1 month and 3 weeks... added cuc(2 turbos, 2 astreas, 3 blue leg hermit and 1 scarlet) at a month parameters: all 0, salinity 1.0255, pH 8.0-8.2 depending on time of day... SO-here are the questions I have(a few...i have MANY) -what should I add first? It is hard because the corals aren't like zoaz and shrooms.... any opinions? -as far as macro algae, do some suck out elements more than others? I was thinking turtle-grass and codium to start off with... - what gorgs would be easiest to start of with? and any special secret techniques anyone have for them? -any specific type of sponges that do well? since I myself cannot collect the species the whole contamination of a diff. area thing is sort of not important(I mean that by sometimes I may get an easier to take care of sponge or gorg/fan that looks like the real one...) -lastly, I have the CUC as I said and 3 mini carpet nems...should I get rid of any of those to make a more natural biotope? THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP IN ADVANCE...and sorry it was long... also, I want to say Yardboy is my inspiration in planning this, FWIW. -dahlia Link to comment
irishtexan Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Looks great so far! Here's a great website that I have(as well as many others here) ordered from many times. They have shaving brush sometimes so you will just have to keep checking. He also gets some awesome sponges, and some of the stuff you have listed. Hope this helps! Sealife Inc. -texx Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 ^link is broken and has too many "http://"s. Link to comment
Zombo Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 You have to have a mantis shrimp. That is my contribution to your biotope plan Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 ^link is broken and has too many "http://"s. if you take away the million http, then it works I figured out the secret all on my own! Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 You have to have a mantis shrimp. That is my contribution to your biotope plan yeah.... that is such a good idea! NOT! cmon, really, that's all you got?!?! it's in the biotope forums FOR A REASON!!!! Link to comment
irishtexan Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 lol sorry! Its fixed now. Link to comment
DCG1286 Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I was going to suggest those pages...i just read through them...lots of good insight into your biotope...fish wise...i mean it's a 29G can't keep Queen Angels in there hahahahahahaha! Blue Chromis...some wrasse species...sorry i don't know specifics. I try to go snorkeling everytime i hit the Caribbean for concerts...but most of the fish i see won't be suitable for your tank...however i wanted to bring home a French Angel i could have caught...he was chilling out in my hand for a little bit...picking at my skin...along with some fish on the sandbed...hahahahahaha...I once had a butterfly fish pick at my goggles... Link to comment
yardboy Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Wow Dalhlia, you honor me. Unfortunately for you, choosing a caribbean atoll biotope is tough because there are lots of hard corals there, but few or none that you can buy or collect and bring home. Gorgonians are present in very large populations so I'd suggest starting with those. The link to Sealife would be a great starting point. Few of the things Ken has would not be found in Belize. Purple sea fans and sea blades are very easy to raise (given good light, which is less intense than I once thought it needed to be) along with flower anemones (condy's and haitian pink tipped are there, but grow so fast that they'd probably outgrow your tank quickly). I'd suggest getting at least a few pieces of Haitian liverock (none available that I am aware of from Belize) as the closest place to there, or just going with Ken's rock which will have more biodiverity on it than Indo-Pacific rock ever has. I've looked over your thread writing and think you can pull this off with no problems. Waiting on a cycle is always a good sign of patience! You really can't wait too long. I once saw a tank where a guy took a couple of pieces of the type rock that Ken sells and watched it over a year to see what happened. It made a beautiful setup. You'd be surprised what will appear when you keep predators (usually fish) out of a tank! Siiiiigh. I do so love Belize. A week after I got my divers license in.............................................1979, I went there for a week. So very beautiful and I had little appreciation for much besides fish and the huge Acropora palmata corals. I spent all my time on Ambergris Caye and the Blue Hole I suggest you go there to see what it's like before setting up the tank. Easy to say anyway. Thanks again for the positive comments on my jetties nano and good luck with yours. I'll be watching it closely. I already like the aquascaping! Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 I was going to suggest those pages...i just read through them...lots of good insight into your biotope...fish wise...i mean it's a 29G can't keep Queen Angels in there hahahahahahaha! Blue Chromis...some wrasse species...sorry i don't know specifics. I try to go snorkeling everytime i hit the Caribbean for concerts...but most of the fish i see won't be suitable for your tank...however i wanted to bring home a French Angel i could have caught...he was chilling out in my hand for a little bit...picking at my skin...along with some fish on the sandbed...hahahahahaha...I once had a butterfly fish pick at my goggles... yeah, fish will be interesting... I am def. going to get a barnacle/tube blenny from the caribbean (Acanthemblemaria spinosa, A. aspera, A. greenfieldi and A. paula whichever I can find...) although Emblemariopsis pricei and E. bahamenis are found specifically at glover's atoll... then the rest I could get is stuff like jawfish, Serranus basses, horseface blenny... I dunno yet... Link to comment
yardboy Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I just read the links. A really cool thing would be a Corkscrew anemone and Pederson's anemone shrimps. Maybe not quite as cool as a clownfish but they have their own interesting lives too, and a corkscrew doesn't grow as fast. Should be no problem to get nearly any type fish you want. Most places allow the collection of fish and there are just as many cool ones in the Caribbean as the Pacific.When I was in the Philippines last month I saw another species of anemone shrimp (I guess, looked just like a Pederson's) on carpet anemone. As many as six on one anemone would be too cool. Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Wow Dalhlia, you honor me. Unfortunately for you, choosing a caribbean atoll biotope is tough because there are lots of hard corals there, but few or none that you can buy or collect and bring home. Gorgonians are present in very large populations so I'd suggest starting with those. The link to Sealife would be a great starting point. Few of the things Ken has would not be found in Belize. Purple sea fans and sea blades are very easy to raise (given good light, which is less intense than I once thought it needed to be) along with flower anemones (condy's and haitian pink tipped are there, but grow so fast that they'd probably outgrow your tank quickly). I'd suggest getting at least a few pieces of Haitian liverock (none available that I am aware of from Belize) as the closest place to there, or just going with Ken's rock which will have more biodiverity on it than Indo-Pacific rock ever has. I've looked over your thread writing and think you can pull this off with no problems. Waiting on a cycle is always a good sign of patience! You really can't wait too long. I once saw a tank where a guy took a couple of pieces of the type rock that Ken sells and watched it over a year to see what happened. It made a beautiful setup. You'd be surprised what will appear when you keep predators (usually fish) out of a tank! Siiiiigh. I do so love Belize. A week after I got my divers license in.............................................1979, I went there for a week. So very beautiful and I had little appreciation for much besides fish and the huge Acropora palmata corals. I spent all my time on Ambergris Caye and the Blue Hole I suggest you go there to see what it's like before setting up the tank. Easy to say anyway. Thanks again for the positive comments on my jetties nano and good luck with yours. I'll be watching it closely. I already like the aquascaping! I AM NOT WORTHY! your tank is my main inspiration!!!! ok, so I have (as of now) 72 watts of pc, is that gunna be ok for the gorgs? I am upgrading to 144 watts for x-mas... do you have any tips as far as feeding/housing them? I am def, going to get some anemone shrimps, they are so dang cute!!! FWIW, I have marshall island, fiji, bali, and tonga live rock... Also, I planned on going to my LFS this weekend, anything you think is common enough I could pick up there to start with? Or...should I just wait and order things...I really wanted to try and support them so maybe I will order through them... also, I will look up the nem species and see if any are do-able with my lights/size THANKS AGAIN!!!! Link to comment
dshnarw Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 A week after I got my divers license in.............................................1979 WOW YOU'RE OLD!!! Link to comment
yardboy Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 WOW YOU'RE OLD!!! I'm so old I saw an Ichthyosaur on my first dive! Dahlia, believe it or not (and I sometimes still don't) I've got 2-36W PC bulbs (10000 & 50-50_) over my 10 gallon, but since my yellow sea whip(Pterogorgia citrina) has slowly declined (and it's supposed to need more light) I probably don't have enough. Everything else has grown very well though. (which includes Purple Plume Gorgonia- Muriceopsis flavida, Spiny Orange Sea Rod- Muricea elongata and Knobby Sea Rod - Eunicea sp. I can respect your desire to give your lfs the business. Just use Ken's site as a good reference point on what to get your lfs to order. I'm looking for a pistol shrimp/goby pair to use as I know there are such pairs in the Caribbean, but have not been able to determine what the exact species and availability are. When I find out I'll let you know, you might find them interesting also. I'm still in the throes of trying to raise phytoplankton and rotifers. Caring for a reef tank turns out to be childs play in comparison. Pure cultures, sterilization, it's more that I bargained for, but when I've fed my tank with the results (both the phyto and rotifers) the feeding response has been very positive. You could either try growing them yourself or use some of the commercially available materials. GARF.org claims they feed their gorgs flake food ground up with Seachem Reefplus. I've not tried it but have the ingredient so I'll likely try it soon. I'm just paranoid about nutrient overload. I've never been a big fan of cyano or hair algae. Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 I'm so old I saw an Ichthyosaur on my first dive! Dahlia, believe it or not (and I sometimes still don't) I've got 2-36W PC bulbs (10000 & 50-50_) over my 10 gallon, but since my yellow sea whip(Pterogorgia citrina) has slowly declined (and it's supposed to need more light) I probably don't have enough. Everything else has grown very well though. (which includes Purple Plume Gorgonia- Muriceopsis flavida, Spiny Orange Sea Rod- Muricea elongata and Knobby Sea Rod - Eunicea sp. I can respect your desire to give your lfs the business. Just use Ken's site as a good reference point on what to get your lfs to order. I'm looking for a pistol shrimp/goby pair to use as I know there are such pairs in the Caribbean, but have not been able to determine what the exact species and availability are. When I find out I'll let you know, you might find them interesting also. I'm still in the throes of trying to raise phytoplankton and rotifers. Caring for a reef tank turns out to be childs play in comparison. Pure cultures, sterilization, it's more that I bargained for, but when I've fed my tank with the results (both the phyto and rotifers) the feeding response has been very positive. You could either try growing them yourself or use some of the commercially available materials. GARF.org claims they feed their gorgs flake food ground up with Seachem Reefplus. I've not tried it but have the ingredient so I'll likely try it soon. I'm just paranoid about nutrient overload. I've never been a big fan of cyano or hair algae. HAHA- really, I LOVE gha and cyano! NOT! I too am very careful and scared with too much nutrients, that is why I have a very very small cuc and wanted to wait a while to add fish...and then add really small ones...LOL yeah, i have that much over my BC 29! freakin sucks...but I am upgrading to 144 watts...hopefully that will help and make things look better... Oh, yes I will use Ken's site, and may order from him, depending on shipping...getting anything through the mail scares me! I am VERY interested in the shrimp/goby pair when you find it! yeah, I've heard making that stuff is pretty much equal to figuring out the meaning of life LOL so... what commercially available product do you suggest? Link to comment
yardboy Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 ...yeah, I've heard making that stuff is pretty much equal to figuring out the meaning of life LOL so...what commercially available product do you suggest? Hey Great idea, I'll try and apply the number 42 next batch! I've got no experience with any commercially available products. Keep in mind that gorgonians eat phyto (which most other corals do not do) so a "fresh as possible" source of phyto would likely work. I'v been tempted to try Oyster eggs and see how all my corals respond to them, but they are quite pricey, and my lfs seems to have had theirs for awhile, so I was hesitant to purchase it. Sorry,, not much help in that dept. Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 more. more what?!?!?! you want more links or... or wait, you are a man of few words...hm. I AM GETTING CORALS THIS WEEKEND!!!!! my lfs has everything pretty much on my list coral wise... what do you think I should go for first...? tube coral(Tubastre) either color, brain (Lobophyllia), Brain worm (Platygyra), favites, pipe organ (Tubipora musica), devil's hand leather/rose leather/thin finger(Lobophytum), tree coral (nepthea), any gorgonians/sea fans, or sponges? any of those...or...? and any food recommendations, as far as brand and what not? Link to comment
travisurfer Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 You have to have a mantis shrimp. That is my contribution to your biotope plan I second this motion Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 I second this motion ain't gunna happen... they scare the sh$t outta me!!! and I enjoy having other inverts and fish... I am getting coral tomorrow, a leather, sun coral, brain, possibly a gorg, a sponge... and a skunk cleaner... any advice is welcome! Link to comment
yardboy Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 In your research, did you see any mention of soft corals (leathers) at Glover's Reef. I can't recall seeing any softies in the Caribbean, I think gorgonian's occupy their niche. I may be wrong though. You are aware that you will become a slave to the feeding of the Tubastrea, eh? I once bought one from Seacrop that was only 1 polyp and by the time it had six (what I considered somewhat of a success) I had to sell it as I couldn't take the time to feed it any more. Reminded me of a baby parrot, that never grows up. But then, maybe my technique was not the best. I fed each individual polyp a mysis shrimp every 2-3 days. I think it amused my wife, seeing me hunched over the tank with a pair of long tweezers and a teacup of thawed mysis! I'm glad you're not listening to the "mantis chant" as I personaly think they should be relegated to a species tank. Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I think I was reading something about arrow crabs, or another crustacean, that they only live in the Atlantic and they are a major reason for the absence of soft corals in tropical atlantic reefs. Link to comment
dahliaheartsyou Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 I think I was reading something about arrow crabs, or another crustacean, that they only live in the Atlantic and they are a major reason for the absence of soft corals in tropical atlantic reefs. yeah, they had mostly rose leathers and devil's hand, but large pieces instead of a lot of little ones... anyways, it doesn't matter, I am bailing on this plan... The coral for this would be too expensive and wouldn't even look good under my lights... sorry guys... but I am going to get frags now, I'll update when I get back... I still am going to have some gorgs/sun polyps thought! Link to comment
Zombo Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 [whisper] You neeeeeeed a mantissssssss[/whisper] Link to comment
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