Experimental Macroalgae Troubleshooting Thread

[johnmaloney]

Do it! I say clean the glass before pics though!

 

nonsense! water gets splashed around quite a bit going into that tank. Ever pull a few gallons of algae out of a live well? you spill a few drops here and there. lol...good point though, I guess a towel wouldn't have hurt.

[Zepo.]

Well I have it laying here doing nothing so I might aswell use it. I have to wait a little to raise the money to pay for them and overnight shipping though, just bought a macbook and it made me broke.

[johnmaloney]

oh cool thread weetie, i was hopping back in and out before so didnt have a chance to check it out - that was from awhile back..

 

i really want to see that tank, if you find a pic somewhere/somehow let me know

[Weetabix7]

oh cool thread weetie, i was hopping back in and out before so didnt have a chance to check it out - that was from awhile back..

 

i really want to see that tank, if you find a pic somewhere/somehow let me know

 

Yeah, it's an old thread, but looked like it had some good info in it.

 

I was thinking of changing the lighting over my big tank (30g) like this--

I have a 2x36" T5HO retro, and a 2x24" T5HO retro.

I was thinking of moving that so that the 24" bulbs are all over to the extreme left side, and then instead of using 36" reflectors on the 36" bulbs, I could use 24" reflectors, also moved over the left side of the bulbs.

This would change it so that the left side of the tank would have 4 bulbs with reflectors over them, and the last 12" of the tank would just have 2 bulbs over it with no reflectors.

From what I understand, T5 bulbs without reflectors are similar to PC bulbs in PAR.

I could put all the low light Macros on the right side under the lower lighting of course.

I was trying to brainstorm how to make this work, and that was the best I could come up with.

 

Cool pics btw, John.

Thanks for posting them.

[got2envy]

Ok set this 5.5g yestreday...I used cured LR and filled 2g water from the macro tank and the rest fresh NSW.

 

5.5g with T8 PowerGlo bulb, HOB, 3lbs LR, 5Lbs carribsea sand and a 50w heater

 

 

I hope this works for my next batch

temp is 78. I am sure it will stay at that since it is a Flourescent bulb and the central AC in my house stays at 74 all day.

watcha guys and gals think of the experimental macro/sponge 5.5g tank Muahahahahaha

[Weetabix7]

I think that looks good Maria.

I had thought of using that kind of lighting myself.

Believe it or not I used two lights just like that over my very first 10g Reef way back in the mid 90's!

That was before PC lighting was available.

[got2envy]

Thanks Weets! It hurt seeing my neat macros melt away

I have never used this type of light on a SW tank haha this is a real experiment for me.

here is a link to bulb

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/prod...amp;pcatid=3816

 

Nice pix John

[johnmaloney]

Yeah, it's an old thread, but looked like it had some good info in it.

 

I was thinking of changing the lighting over my big tank (30g) like this--

I have a 2x36" T5HO retro, and a 2x24" T5HO retro.

I was thinking of moving that so that the 24" bulbs are all over to the extreme left side, and then instead of using 36" reflectors on the 36" bulbs, I could use 24" reflectors, also moved over the left side of the bulbs.

This would change it so that the left side of the tank would have 4 bulbs with reflectors over them, and the last 12" of the tank would just have 2 bulbs over it with no reflectors.

From what I understand, T5 bulbs without reflectors are similar to PC bulbs in PAR.

I could put all the low light Macros on the right side under the lower lighting of course.

I was trying to brainstorm how to make this work, and that was the best I could come up with.

 

Cool pics btw, John.

Thanks for posting them.

 

I think he actually posted his tank in another post that was about lighting minimums on the same forum. Really nice tank, you should see it, very lush. I will try to find it, but I having been striking out so far...

[Jacobnano]

Wow you guys got John to take pictures, that is a feat in its own

[johnmaloney]

lol....right? i think the thread was a success right there

[Jacobnano]

I think so! Take some underwater pictures now please

[got2envy]

I found his forum...plantfest sounds cool

http://www.barrreport.com/forumdisplay.php...ants-Macroalgae

[Lalani]

I approve of this thread.

[Shyla8]

It hurt seeing my neat macros melt away

 

 

Sure does, I am watching it now with my Sciania. Not exactly sure why tho and thats the worst part!

[johnmaloney]

I approve of this thread.

 

 

Now it is official! Speaking of needing good pics...hey Lalani can you accept any packages this week?

 

Let not push it jacob. lol... I might get one, it costs me a day of collecting things though...hmmm....okay but no comments on shots with my thumb in them.

[Jacobnano]

Now it is official! Speaking of needing good pics...hey Lalani can you accept any packages this week?

 

Let not push it jacob. lol... I might get one, it costs me a day of collecting things though...hmmm....okay but not comments on shots with my thumb in them.

 

Yay! I promise no comments, hey are you still looking for that thing I wanted haha?

[johnmaloney]

jacobnano-

hmm...yes? I am always looking, but what did you want again? I am pretty sure I have more than one item from you....

 

I did find some neat little porcelain crabs... I have them in my frag tank at the moment, I think the one is tops 1 cm total, that is the big guy. A pic of them too in the future should i get them...it is one of those stock 110 rubbermaids so it might be hard.

 

The small micro decorators are coming back too...these guys top out at the size of a pencil eraser, cool critters. I had one once that was as bright an orange as imaginable, found him on one of those massive encrusting sponges I was telling you about, and a small sample of which is pictured.

 

update-

day 3ish? (morning for me now, so I don't know), and the sponge and coralline both look the same. all macros stable and looking better, the yellow one pictured is more yellow than cream now, so I think it will be orange and then red in a matter of days I am hoping.

 

Oh the coralline species, I am going with Sporolithon sp, (episporum?) range, size, and description match the Littler book, although it isn't as glossy. When I saw it in the book I thought that was it for sure in the wild, it sheds, it has the same growth pattern and all, but now I am far less sure, b/c it doesn;t have that glossiness and there is a lot of coralline algae like that. Oddly enough, I have more coralline info on species from the Pacific, and not much here...but it looks fine.

 

Now if any of you have any secret recipes for a coralline cocktail I was thinking I could do some testing...I have a "clean" tank, that has 0 coralline, and none has been introduced. Maybe just the one species would take over? Anyone else got a tank like that?

 

Also, any newer people too? You can chime in as well...I have shipped to some of you, there are some coralline samples that would probably do better in your tank than others...they are free, just post feedback.

[Jacobnano]

jacobnano-

hmm...yes? I am always looking, but what did you want again? I am pretty sure I have more than one item from you....

 

I did find some neat little porcelain crabs... I have them in my frag tank at the moment, I think the one is tops 1 cm total, that is the big guy. A pic of them too in the future should i get them...it is one of those stock 110 rubbermaids so it might be hard.

 

The small micro decorators are coming back too...these guys top out at the size of a pencil eraser, cool critters. I had one once that was as bright an orange as imaginable, found him on one of those massive encrusting sponges I was telling you about, and a small sample of which is pictured.

 

update-

day 3ish? (morning for me now, so I don't know), and the sponge and coralline both look the same. all macros stable and looking better, the yellow one pictured is more yellow than cream now, so I think it will be orange and then red in a matter of days I am hoping.

 

Oh the coralline species, I am going with Sporolithon sp, (episporum?) range, size, and description match the Littler book, although it isn't as glossy. When I saw it in the book I thought that was it for sure in the wild, it sheds, it has the same growth pattern and all, but now I am far less sure, b/c it doesn;t have that glossiness and there is a lot of coralline algae like that. Oddly enough, I have more coralline info on species from the Pacific, and not much here...but it looks fine.

 

Now if any of you have any secret recipes for a coralline cocktail I was thinking I could do some testing...I have a "clean" tank, that has 0 coralline, and none has been introduced. Maybe just the one species would take over? Anyone else got a tank like that?

 

Also, any newer people too? You can chime in as well...I have shipped to some of you, there are some coralline samples that would probably do better in your tank than others...they are free, just post feedback.

 

Well a big gorgonian (photosynthetic) then basically anything cool you find

 

Ahh very cool! Porcelain crabs are neat critters!

 

Wow neato! I am used to seeing the huge temperate ones, the ones that are head sized haha! I suppose a small one might not be that much of a pest on a reef, then again you never know

 

For keeping coraline I have noticed that weaker light, and bluer light really seem to grow it the best.

[johnmaloney]

you are probably right, i have put the lights off on rocks for a month while i was waiting for a replace fixture...it was fine, i think it spread a bit too just from ambient light. The green coralline faded back but that was fine with me. This stuff though I am guessing is high light because of where I found it, where I see it, and what the book says if I got the id correct.

 

is there any interest in ugly sponges? like pineapple sponges and the like? Those I have kept, and are quite hardy. Very east to propagate too, those things just grow and grow. Move one and another grows in the last spot...Filtration and curiosity I guess would be the only reasons. I never though of feeding it to an angel fish, but that seems like a good idea.

 

oh the gorg....i havent gone out there, maybe this weekend...but for sure, I will find you a winner

[animalmaster6]

This thread is pretty awesome!

[Jacobnano]

you are probably right, i have put the lights off on rocks for a month while i was waiting for a replace fixture...it was fine, i think it spread a bit too just from ambient light. The green coralline faded back but that was fine with me. This stuff though I am guessing is high light because of where I found it, where I see it, and what the book says if I got the id correct.

 

is there any interest in ugly sponges? like pineapple sponges and the like? Those I have kept, and are quite hardy. Very east to propagate too, those things just grow and grow. Move one and another grows in the last spot...Filtration and curiosity I guess would be the only reasons. I never though of feeding it to an angel fish, but that seems like a good idea.

 

oh the gorg....i havent gone out there, maybe this weekend...but for sure, I will find you a winner

 

Ahh you could be right. I know some species like high light, while others do better in low, it is really based on where you find it. I would go with your instinct on this one John.

 

Ugly sponges eh? Maybe, most of us get them as hitchhikers. What I am really interested in is a photosynthetic sponge, there has been one on divers den for a while now, pretty interesting.

 

Yay!

[Lalani]

Now it is official! Speaking of needing good pics...hey Lalani can you accept any packages this week?

Uhhhhhhhh.................. YEAH!

[animalmaster6]

Ugly sponges eh? Maybe, most of us get them as hitchhikers. What I am really interested in is a photosynthetic sponge, there has been one on divers den for a while now, pretty interesting.

IMHO I don't care if a sponge is ugly or not. They are so amazing.

 

I'm interested in a photosynthetic sponge as well.

[johnmaloney]

i need to get a book on sponges, they are everywhere you know...very colorful too. I have tried some already though and had trouble, some success. I think we will do some sponges along with some macros with this. The problem with some sponges, is they can die slowly. Some, you know right away, when they go, they go fast. Some, die over the course of a month, some of the ones in the hobby are like that. Any ids on a photosynthetic sponge that lives in florida?

 

lalani - pm me your address

[Jacobnano]

I don't know of any that live in FL, that is your job man!

 

And yea, there are many creatures that die slowly in our aquariums. It is really a shame