msscha Posted December 16, 2012 Author Share Posted December 16, 2012 If you go through with the bristle worm trap ill pay for shipping if you'll send a few of the smaller ones my way. If I do so, we'll give that a try! Very nice tank. thank you! Quote Link to comment
eitallent Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 (edited) As for feeding, I've never fed them anything specific. My lfs said that since they are filter feeders, if I had a healthy tank with sufficient nutrients, they'd be okay. I've made no secret that my tank has nutrients sufficient for filter feeders as the number of brittle stars shows! But, I have included in the diet of the tank "filter feeder" type food since the beginning. The simplest has been frozen Marine Fusion which has meaty, veggie, and phyto parts for everyone in the tank. I supplement with just brine and pellets for fish/shrimp. I also started using a couple of Brightwell Aquatics products a few months back -- these I just put in 1x a week (phyto gold M and zooplantkon-M -- the first contains smaller bits, though both are intended for baby fish and filter feeders). I feed similar foods. I have been using Cyclopeeze frozen bar, Brine shrimp with Spirulina frozen cubes, Kent's MicroVert and Zooplex intend for fine filter feeders. Everything is growing well. The yellow Polyp has budded three new clones in four weeks, each Duncan head has two new little buddies with formed tentacles, the zoas are spreading out like lovely, colorful throw rugs and the macros are shooting up. I determine health by two things: 1) they are still alive ; 2) by the presence of feeding "valves" (I'm sorry, there is a real name for this, but I cannot for the life of me think of it right now -- this is what happens when I've been grading papers all morning!). Basically, the valves will appear on different sides of the sponge: one for intake, one for outtake, though mine frequently have more than two. I've included a picture below, if that helps! The lfs said that the presence of these holes is the most important indicator of health. Don't panic if you don't see them right away -- it took a couple of weeks for them to appear, and this happened every time they were moved, too. If you don't see them after a few weeks, I'd recommend moving to a shadier spot with some flow. Because they are filter feeders, the water has to be moving, but since my tank only has ever had low to moderate flow, I don't think they need high flow. Also add some kind of food specific to filter feeders. I really like the Brightwell stuff b/c it is liquid, you just shake, and squirt some in. The directions recommend turning the water off, but I don't do that...first, I don't see how the food can circulate if the flow is turned off. Second, and this is particular to my tank, I do NOT use a filter sponge or anything like that. So, in my system, food gets drawn through the pump, cut up into smaller pieces (if possible), and spit back out the outtake flow at top of the tank. This is very good news as Cheese Puff has open feeding valves all around like a cratered moon. I have tried keeping it shaded under the live rock arch but It is still getting some light. I see a red tinged growth which seems to attract the snails so I assume it is algae of some sort. It is not unattractive so I will leave it alone. On wetwebmedia.com they reccommend scrubbing with a toothbrush if it gets clogged with algae or debris. Hmmm... If the sponge closes up or seems excessively covered in debris I may try it. For now it looks healthy so I will let it be. I hope you are all done grading, posting grades, listening to students wimper, etc... and enjoy your break! Thank you for all your help! Edited December 17, 2012 by eitallent Quote Link to comment
DjZ0rKy Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 What is your lights setup? Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) Woo hoo! The trimma is once again spending time outside his cave. This was the first time he was out, saw me move, and still gave me time to get the camera out before bolting back to his hidey-hole. He's been coming out more the last couple of weeks, but every time he sensed me move, he'd hide. You might remember that he disappeared for about a week and a half. I thought he had died. Then after a water change, he suddenly reappeared. I studied his cave more closely and found an empty bivalve shell, big enough to hold his body, with a working hinge. Apparently, he'd hid during a water change when I was also messing with the LR, and I must have closed him inside the shell. He survived the entrapment, but has been incredibly shy ever since, even going back into the shell when really spooked. But now, he's back! I think having the neon goby helped. That fish is so outgoing, it'd inspire anyone to be bolder . Also, I have my first new acan head in months! This acan was one of my very first coral purchases, and it didn't reproduce for months, then slowly began to sprout, added more quickly, then abruptly stopped in reaction (I think) to a phosphate reducer I was using to keep cyano under control. It didn't react to the chemipure elite, but this was a bag filled entirely with a phosphate reducer. When the acan started looking sick, I pondered for a long time and decided the only real change had been that chemical. When I removed the bag, the acan began to rebound in just two days. However, I haven't seen a new polyp until yesterday. Yay!! Trimma, looking fashionably seasonal against the green. Acan baby! (or really weird coral monster skull ) This is very good news as Cheese Puff has open feeding valves all around like a cratered moon. I have tried keeping it shaded under the live rock arch but It is still getting some light. I see a red tinged growth which seems to attract the snails so I assume it is algae of some sort. It is not unattractive so I will leave it alone. On wetwebmedia.com they reccommend scrubbing with a toothbrush if it gets clogged with algae or debris. Hmmm... If the sponge closes up or seems excessively covered in debris I may try it. For now it looks healthy so I will let it be. I think the reddish stuff is algae, maybe cyano bacteria? I have much more of it, though it's currently brown, on the little sponge that gets more light. It is also "furrier" looking than the other, so it catches all kind of detritus. That's funny about the toothbrush -- I actually do use one in my tank! It's a great way to get detritus/algae off rocks and coral -- I've cleaned both the yellow ball sponges and the finger leather with it -- use a soft bristle kind and a light touch. What is your lights setup? The tank is retrofitted with RapidLEDs dimmable LED array for oceanic BC14s -- colors are 6 blue, 4 neutral white, and 2 cool white. Despite getting the solderless version b/c I was going to do the work myself, I opted for paying a friend. I had to get honest about just how much DIY smarts I have, and because I've invested so much into the tank, I did not want to screw it up! Edited December 18, 2012 by msscha Quote Link to comment
markalot Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Great news on the Acan Your tank continues to look super healthy. Quote Link to comment
sublime1996525 Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Great looking tank. My next investment for it after I get my GHA cleaned up is an LED setup. Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Great looking tank. My next investment for it after I get my GHA cleaned up is an LED setup. Thank you! I held off on LEDs for a long time -- it seemed that the tank was fine (and it was), but eventually, decided to take the plunge. It was so worth it! The shimmer effect is that under-the-water look that CFLs just can't capture. I don't know what impact metal halides have, but I am very happy with the $$ I put into the LEDs. Quote Link to comment
gena Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 Love the picture of the fashionably seasonal trimma goby Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted December 25, 2012 Author Share Posted December 25, 2012 I just tried posting, but it failed. Hmm. New stuff to learn! My tank currently is being watched over by my lfs friend, Kurt, and I am anxious to get back to it next week. I ordered a purple gorgonian and clam for the holidays, and look forward to when they arrive . Merry merry Christmas, Everyone! Quote Link to comment
phoenix91 Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 Merry Christmas! Can't wait to see the new additions. Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 Merry Christmas! Can't wait to see the new additions. Hey, I figured out the new reply function -- woo hoo! Thanks muchly. Haven't been posting much b/c of holidays, and don't know if the new additions are even in yet! Looking forward to the new year, though. I love New Year's Eve! Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Happy New Year, NR!!! Got my office keys back and visited my tank for the first time in over a week today -- holy growing trumpet coral!! Maybe the every-other-day feeding routine worked some special magic, but the trumpet added three new heads, the red grape caulerpa was huge; in fact, everything looked just grand. The finger leather look particularly plump -- the polyps were almost wavy. I took some good pics, but didn't have time to upload them. Will give that a try when I am back in the office on Wednesday. I had to agree with lfs-super-dude that it is time to "trim"...though I really don't want to frag the trumpet or duncan just yet. Instead, I am going to consider some serious re-scaping, and maybe trading away or selling some of the coral. The purple gorgonian and clam are due sometime in the next couple of weeks, and I need visual space for them. I am pretty psyched that this edition of CORAL mag has a whole article on caribbean gorgonians -- woo hoo! Quote Link to comment
phoenix91 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Happy New year! Sounds like everything is doing great. Can't wait to see the clam & gorgonian Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Happy New year! Sounds like everything is doing great. Can't wait to see the clam & gorgonian Me, too . I just checked my NR notifications, and I have about a gazillion. I really need to sit down and learn how to use this new system. Kind of resisting it, as there enough on my plate right now! Back to class tomorrow. I'm teaching 4 this semester. Glad about the extra $$, but am already feeling stressed about the extra work. Downloaded a breathing app onto my kindle. tee hee hee. Quote Link to comment
sublime1996525 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Awesome tank! Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Awesome tank! Thank you so much! Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Well, I am going to try posting pictures and see if I get pictures or links. Could be that I have to import into my media first? FTS 12/31 -- first time I'd seen the tank in 2 weeks, and it just looked amazing to me! Clown (nice color contrasts!) Neongreen Trumpet -- this thing went crazy and has been sprouting new heads like a hydra getting chopped by Percy Jackson! Finger Leather, close up -- while the finger leather had never been doing poorly, recently, it is much fluffier than usual, with polyps extended so that they look almost wavy. I'm hoping this is a good sign. Quote Link to comment
markalot Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Man I am so jealous, and happy for you that the tank continues to look so darn good. The more I see duncans the more I like them. Quote Link to comment
gena Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Wow!!!! Looks amazing to me too!!! Everything is huge That macro has really taken off for you too. It's looking a little like red grape now. Quote Link to comment
Lalani Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Nice job with this one. Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Man I am so jealous, and happy for you that the tank continues to look so darn good. The more I see duncans the more I like them. Thank you! I love the duncans, too. The lfs suggested that I begin pruning with the duncan and the trumpet coral and I protested mightily -- I want those two to get big! Wow!!!! Looks amazing to me too!!! Everything is huge That macro has really taken off for you too. It's looking a little like red grape now. Thank you, Gena! Compliments on macros coming from you is quite an honor . I'm not really liking the caulerpa that is growing across the tank, though. Might have to pull that or move it somewhere else. Nice job with this one. Thank you, Lalani! Well, distracted reefers make for dumb-ass moves -- I left my frozen Marine Fusion out on my desk all night -- ARG -- and my desk is now covered with ants . I'd use really bad language but I am trying to restrain myself. Marine Fusion doesn't come in regularly, and the tank seems to really like it. Now, I must make emergency trip to the pet store. %&@$! Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 I am a bit worried about my duncan. The last few afternoons, it will sort of shrink in on itself and begin to close up. The picture below is from the beginning of the process. This is not a feeding reaction: I have seen that, and the polyps get fat. In this case, the stalk is much more noticeable and their is no puffing of the polyp. Overall, the duncan does not seem sick. It is fully extended and colorful the rest of the day. I haven't taken the water params (my kit needs replacing), so don't know if that is the problem. (Note: I change 2 gallons every week; this is a BC14, so has maybe 12 gallons water at most.) The tank is heating up through the day, with about a 3-4 degree gradual rise from morning to afternoon (approx 77-80 F). Could that upset the duncan? Quote Link to comment
markalot Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 When my duncans were hurt by a salinity accident the tentacles shrunk into nothing. Even after everything was back to normal it took weeks for the tentacles to expand or grow back to normal size. I see some new heads so maybe this is a growth spurt? Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 When my duncans were hurt by a salinity accident the tentacles shrunk into nothing. Even after everything was back to normal it took weeks for the tentacles to expand or grow back to normal size. I see some new heads so maybe this is a growth spurt? Maybe so...there's been a lot of growth since the LEDs have gone in. I like that your vision is so optimistic . Quote Link to comment
msscha Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 Fingerleathers so tall they nearly touch the top of the water! The baby toadstools are doing well Quote Link to comment
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