ADA 60-P sumpless, HOBless MACRO experiment

[yoshii]

Hmm ok, thanks I think I'd rather have it be a bit too white than too blue since macros get uglier under too much blue. I can also just supplement some blue, idk if I could add in supplement 10k/whiter light xD

 

Thanks for the link, I was expecting some more expensive like $30-50

 

Thanks for that shot, for the 10g it doesn't matter that much, I was just thinking about my 3gal since it has the mirrors around it, maybe I can just put some screen over the tank and have the light lower

 

Sorry for hijacking your thread!

[tako]

Haha it's not a hijack; I'm a big electronics and lighting nerd. I was reading through some of your tank threads and they seem to get derailed fairly often by your fan club .

 

White could be supplemented with something like an all white Ecoxotic Panorama strip, but that's another $100 and I'm not sure how you'd cleanly mount it with PAR bulbs.

 

 

In other news, I'm starting to see this whitish-green stalk/root? emerging from my sand about an inch from the pencil cap that's growing like crazy. It's about the same diameter as the pencil cap's stalk so maybe it sends runners out under the sand? I know those probably aren't the right terms considering it's an algae not a plant. I'm going to get a picture when I get home tonight.

[yoshii]

Haha it's not a hijack; I'm a big electronics and lighting nerd. I was reading through some of your tank threads and they seem to get derailed fairly often by your fan club .

 

White could be supplemented with something like an all white Ecoxotic Panorama strip, but that's another $100 and I'm not sure how you'd cleanly mount it with PAR bulbs.

 

 

In other news, I'm starting to see this whitish-green stalk/root? emerging from my sand about an inch from the pencil cap that's growing like crazy. It's about the same diameter as the pencil cap's stalk so maybe it sends runners out under the sand? I know those probably aren't the right terms considering it's an algae not a plant. I'm going to get a picture when I get home tonight.

Lol ok I'm not really good with electronic stuff..

 

Yeah, I just think they're probably more options for blue supplement than white supplement

 

Yep, it's just growing

[tako]

New life emerging already. I thought these calciferous algae were supposed to be slow growing?

 

Another shipment from reefcleaners should get here on Wed. with some fauchea, codium, scroll algae, and more!

 

I'm really bummed about the loss of the firefish. I really need to get something else in this tank to bump up the bioload. I also found my first aiptasia hiding in the new purple cloves . I'm deciding how I want to kill it. I felt like a drug addict when I picked up a couple hypodermic needles.

[doppelganger]

wow so much has changed since I last looked. Tank looks great! Love the scape and the macros

[tako]

wow so much has changed since I last looked. Tank looks great! Love the scape and the macros

Thanks! I finally cleaned up the tank enough that I felt it was ready for an update.

 

 

 

Current to do list:

• install the ATO
  
• get a sheet of acrylic cut for the lid
  
• increase the bioload!
  

 

I've been using two scrap sheets of thin acrylic that look like crap, but I haven't had time to make it to TAP plastics during business hours. I also haven't installed the ATO because it's amazing how little evaporation you get when you actually have a lid on the tank.

[JulieR]

Gorgeous. I love tanks that have macros right in the display. I'd like to do that myself when I can get my hands on some good macros. Your deep reds contrast real nice with the white of the rocks and sand.

[yoshii]

I've been using two scrap sheets of thin acrylic that look like crap, but I haven't had time to make it to TAP plastics during business hours. I also haven't installed the ATO because it's amazing how little evaporation you get when you actually have a lid on the tank.

If you do go with TAP(a bit expensive) go with a thicker piece of acrylic, the thinner ones will sag over time

Are you worried about preventing gas exchange?

Also, you could just feed more instead of adding another fish

[tako]

Yeah TAP is a rip off, but it's close to my apartment. Do you know any other places? I was thinking of going with 1/4" (about the same as my tank's 6mm glass). I think gas exchange should be fine considering I leave the skimmer running 24/7 and I haven't had a problem so far with the ugly lid.

 

My clown is nice and fat right now , but the tank feels a little empty. I'd like to get some of the filter feeders that you have, but I like being able to leave my tank with just auto feeder when I'm out of town.

[tako]

Got my shipment from reefcleaners today. No fauchea in this shipment either, I guess it's never meant to be in this tank haha. I received the regular halimeda I ordered, plus some very tiny type of halimeda. It's nothing the like the halimeda monile I already have, either. It's very white from shipping, so it may not survive anyway.

 

The highlight of the shipment is the scroll algae. I was expecting a tiny bit of it, but instead received a clumb bigger than my hand. I love this type of algae, because it feels so nice and squishy under your feet when you're walking on the rocks at the shoreline. The drawback is that it's slippery as hell and small urchins love it too.

[yoshii]

Yeah TAP is a rip off, but it's close to my apartment. Do you know any other places? I was thinking of going with 1/4" (about the same as my tank's 6mm glass). I think gas exchange should be fine considering I leave the skimmer running 24/7 and I haven't had a problem so far with the ugly lid.

 

My clown is nice and fat right now , but the tank feels a little empty. I'd like to get some of the filter feeders that you have, but I like being able to leave my tank with just auto feeder when I'm out of town.

None other ones that will sell something like that locally, sorry :/

I would suggest getting something thicker, I got a piece of 1/4" so serve as a partial cover for my 55, and it warped. My 55 has a large center brace in the middle, but even then, it still warped rather quickly

 

Got my shipment from reefcleaners today. No fauchea in this shipment either, I guess it's never meant to be in this tank haha. I received the regular halimeda I ordered, plus some very tiny type of halimeda. It's nothing the like the halimeda monile I already have, either. It's very white from shipping, so it may not survive anyway.

 

The highlight of the shipment is the scroll algae. I was expecting a tiny bit of it, but instead received a clumb bigger than my hand. I love this type of algae, because it feels so nice and squishy under your feet when you're walking on the rocks at the shoreline. The drawback is that it's slippery as hell and small urchins love it too.

Aww I want to place another order soon, if they have any, I'll order some and give you a piece

could it be h. incrassa (sp?)

 

Nice! But you don't have any urchins in here

[tako]

I would suggest getting something thicker

Hmm, this is getting to be an expensive lid. Some warping may be inevitable because acrylic absorbs water. I might have to see if a glass shop can cut that shape for me.

 

Aww I want to place another order soon, if they have any, I'll order some and give you a piece

could it be h. incrassa (sp?)

Haha, thanks. Assuming, this scroll algae can be cut, I can give you some of it because it's overflowing the rock it's on already. The algae doesn't appear to be that. It's much smaller and limp. It forms a mat, but that might be because it's almost dead lol.

 

Nice! But you don't have any urchins in here

I don't plan on sticking my feet in the tank, but a cleaner shrimp pedicure might feel nice.

[yoshii]

Hmm, this is getting to be an expensive lid. Some warping may be inevitable because acrylic absorbs water. I might have to see if a glass shop can cut that shape for me.

 

Haha, thanks. Assuming, this scroll algae can be cut, I can give you some of it because it's overflowing the rock it's on already. The algae doesn't appear to be that. It's much smaller and limp. It forms a mat, but that might be because it's almost dead lol.

 

 

I don't plan on sticking my feet in the tank, but a cleaner shrimp pedicure might feel nice.

Yeah :/ well maybe you could make it out of some other material? Or find a way to support it? Or just flip it around when it gets warped?

 

That's be nice, thanks , maybe I can trade you for some macros you don't have? Do you have a list of the ones you do have?

A mat? Mmm do you have a pic?

 

Haha I think it might hurt if they pinched the skin between your toes

[psidriven]

Hey Tako,

 

Are you in the Bay Area? Would love to trade or buy some macro if you are.

[tako]

Yeah I am, but I'm down in Palo Alto, which is a bit of a drive from Berkeley. I think I'm going to BAYMAC this weekend or maybe we could meet at a LFS sometime. I don't have a whole lot of grow out yet since this tank is new, but I can probably spare some small clumps of red titan, chaeto, halimeda, and caulerpa prolifera for free (or a small frag is always nice).

[tako]

I went to BAYMAC yesterday and won some decent stuff in the raffle:

200G of reef crystals, 1.5 liters each of cal/alk buffers, and phytoplankton. Not bad for $10 worth of tickets that support the local reef clubs. I didn't win any of the big prizes like the LED lighting systems or starphire tank, but a lot of people were buying $50+ dollars worth of tickets.

 

The food in the picture was given out for free at the door. The gel food is kind of interesting and is supposed to be an alternative to frozen. It comes in ketchup packets that you squeeze. My clown didn't know what to do with it at first and just stared, but then he figured it out and started enjoying it. The biggest problem is getting it to come out in bite-size chunks. Although, it was pretty funny seeing my goby sit there with its mouth bulged out from a chunk of food that it could barely fit.

 

I picked up a few frags but I got there late and most of it had been picked over. This nice chunk of several colors of zoas was my favorite for $5:

[yoshii]

Congrats

 

You have a goby in this tank? What kind?

 

I really like that picture of the zoas, what else did you get?

[tako]

It's a tangaroa goby. It's a pretty small goby that doesn't grow much more than 2". He's pretty hard to photograph, because he hides and camouflages with the sand. Best shot I've gotten of him.

He shares the same rock as the pistol shrimp on rare occasions, but they still don't display any pairing behavior. He sleeps and spends most of his time in the back of the tank near the skimmer.

 

Despite me telling the gf it wasn't a good idea, she talked me into getting two $5 frags of some purple acro and this neon orange birdsnest. Lighting and flow shouldn't be a problem, but the nutrient requirements don't match up with my macro plan. I still need to get a photo of them, but I'm getting good polyp extension so far.

 

Most of the good stuff was gone when I arrived. Somebody bought the last purple and green favia right before I could. The thing I really wanted with this palythoa grandis, but it was one of the slap somebody's name on it and charge $65 per polyp.

[yoshii]

It's a tangaroa goby. It's a pretty small goby that doesn't grow much more than 2". He's pretty hard to photograph, because he hides and camouflages with the sand. Best shot I've gotten of him.

He shares the same rock as the pistol shrimp on rare occasions, but they still don't display any pairing behavior. He sleeps and spends most of his time in the back of the tank near the skimmer.

 

Despite me telling the gf it wasn't a good idea, she talked me into getting two $5 frags of some purple acro and this neon orange birdsnest. Lighting and flow shouldn't be a problem, but the nutrient requirements don't match up with my macro plan. I still need to get a photo of them, but I'm getting good polyp extension so far.

 

Most of the good stuff was gone when I arrived. Somebody bought the last purple and green favia right before I could. The thing I really wanted with this palythoa grandis, but it was one of the slap somebody's name on it and charge $65 per polyp.

Oh yeah I've seen those, didn't know they were so shy though

 

orange birdnest?? pics!

Well wouldn't the macro take up the nutrients?

Did you stop by the BAR booth? There were a bunch of $10 frags of corals donated by members, some other awesome stuff too

 

I have some Raptor's Peace or Mystic Grape favia, when it grows out I'll frag you a piece

Aw that stinks, what color was it?

[tako]

I'm not sure if it's a birdsnest, but I believe that's what he said. The colors in the photo are off; it really is a construction orange color. It's got a little damage near the base with what appears to be some form of filter feeder living there. I'll have to keep an eye on it to see how it does.

 

That goby is so shy. It barely ever ventures to the front of the tank despite the fact that the clown and everything else ignores it. He won't eat unless I use a pipet to get the food within a couple inches of his face. He's not picky about the type of food, though. Live Aquaria says "It is not aggressive towards other shrimp gobies and may even share a burrow with another species." I thought it might be kind of cool to try to pair him up with a Yasha goby to see their antennas flop up and down together.

[yoshii]

Orange montipora digitata I actually have some in my 10g but the branches are thicker so it looks slightly different. I don't think you should have any problems, montis are pretty hardy SPS

 

:/ That stinks, how long have you had it?

Haha that would be neat

[lakshwadeep]

Nice goby!

[tako]

Orange montipora digitata

Yep, you're correct. He was just trying to fire things off because they didn't want to take anything home.

 

:/ That stinks, how long have you had it?

I've had it almost a month.

 

Nice goby!

Thanks, he's a lot of fun when he is out. He raises his antenna every time he wants to move and puts it right back down when he stops. He also opens his mouth huge and puffs himself up to hop around the tank. He's pretty funny when he sees food. He pounces just like a cat: he freezes and then shakes a little just before he strikes.

[yoshii]

Yep, you're correct. He was just trying to fire things off because they didn't want to take anything home.

 

 

I've had it almost a month.

Oh, it could also be montipora samarensis, but it's hard to tell with a small piece like that. I think m. digitata is more common though

 

Mmm maybe it will come out more often with more time

[psidriven]

Yeah I am, but I'm down in Palo Alto, which is a bit of a drive from Berkeley. I think I'm going to BAYMAC this weekend or maybe we could meet at a LFS sometime. I don't have a whole lot of grow out yet since this tank is new, but I can probably spare some small clumps of red titan, chaeto, halimeda, and caulerpa prolifera for free (or a small frag is always nice).

 

Definitely will hook you up w/ some frags if I have anything you like. I'll pm you a list, once I slap one together.