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Jersey's Macro tank


jersey

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I'd love to see the results you get with it.. If you keep fish I wonder how they would react to it in the water. Phosphates being high could lead to algae outbreaks, but if you go heave you the macro's it could also counteract it. If you do try it out, maybe add some chaeto and dragons breath (both grow crazy fast and suck out phos pretty well.. I use the dragonsbreath in my reef tanka s part of the display since I removed my diy in tank fuge.. I ran out of room to put stuff so the fuge had to go.. lol

 

Since I stopped running biopellets I have seen the dragons breath growth explode again.. I have a basketball sized piece and cut it down to 3 small 2-3 inch cuttings and gave the rest to local reefers and it is now already the size of the baseball in just about a week. I don't think I will cut it back that drastically again though.. I really liked the way it was looking.. I'll probably just do small cuttings from the reef to just keep it in the shape I want and "frag" from the pieces I put into my macro tank to grow out.

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You have an impressive inventory of Macro in a 20G tank. I have been doing business with GCE for more than ten years. First rate.

 

With respect to nutrient uptake using macro algae, the ratio of nitrate to phosphate uptake is near 100/1. With some of the fast growing Caulerpa, it is closer to 20/1. Phosphate will acumulate in your reef tank no matter what you do. Prunning and removing macro is good nutrient export. If fish eat it, then it is nuitrient recycle. Iron is often a limiting factor. In my 135G lagoon, I have a section witha 12" dsb. Half of the media is iron rich from a substrate used in freswh water tanks. In the early days, I was advised by a manufacture of Dutch Systems Aquariums to use steel wool in my refugiums. The salt water eats it up quick.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

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Jersy,
Yeah I am currently toying with it in my fresh water cube, both fish and inverts in there. We will see if it does any good or not. Going to keep looking for one with less phospate. Or I might get a bit crazy and mix up something myself from powder I don't know.

I went to cutting glass the other day and ruined the pane I had found. I was really in a bad mood that night, one of several mishaps that day. I am just going to save the glass for now and give up on haveing another cube and get a 10 gallon from the store. Going to have to wait a few days on that though, and I am going to have to clean up space for it.

I figured I would use some chato to start with tell I get other things. May or may not keep it as I think its rather ugly myself.


Patrick,
I had wondered about useing iron rich fresh water substrate. I have some stashed away that I have been playing with in nano planteds.
I never would have thought of the steel wool route. That is brillant.

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You have an impressive inventory of Macro in a 20G tank. I have been doing business with GCE for more than ten years. First rate.

 

With respect to nutrient uptake using macro algae, the ratio of nitrate to phosphate uptake is near 100/1. With some of the fast growing Caulerpa, it is closer to 20/1. Phosphate will acumulate in your reef tank no matter what you do. Prunning and removing macro is good nutrient export. If fish eat it, then it is nuitrient recycle. Iron is often a limiting factor. In my 135G lagoon, I have a section witha 12" dsb. Half of the media is iron rich from a substrate used in freswh water tanks. In the early days, I was advised by a manufacture of Dutch Systems Aquariums to use steel wool in my refugiums. The salt water eats it up quick.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

Thanks for the post. I was actually wondering how well the fresh planted substrate would work in a salt environment. I was thinking about dirting the tank as well. I just don't know if I want to get into that as a project just yet. Then I was also thinking about doing a mud type base.. Kind of like kgoldie did with his hob fuge. I have too many ideas in my head and too little room.. lol That; plus as of Friday my company will be closing it's doors, so I'll have to cut back on funds with the tanks to just maintenance purchases.

 

There was an article in a recent magazine (either TFH or Coral) about macro algae / planted salt tanks that was pretty cool.. I would love to see more people integrating them into their reefs.

 

As for phosphate removal, I still use perguine and chemipure elite in both of my tanks and chemipure in my fresh tanks as well. I am lucky that my phos levels are always very low to almost non existant when measured with a salifert test kit. I tested it with a seachem kit and got the same results.

 

Interesting Idea about the steel wool.. I may try it.. Do you think putting it inside the filter on top of the filter bags would do it? I'm a little worried it might cause some staining though.. Have you done this, and if so, did you notice any staining? It is a very simple obvious idea.. Sometimes those are the best methods. Do you have a thread up here of your tank? I would love to check it out.

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

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The steel wool will stain like crazy. It will do the job, but there are numerous better products. I started this hobby 40 years ago. There is a lot of history during that time. I graduated from high school in 1966. After four years of military service, in 1972 I attended the Texas Maritime Academy, only eleven maritime academies in the US. During the first semester, with a major in marine engineering, I was over taken with the passion of marine aquariums. I contribute this fixation to a course in chemical oceanography in which I realized how intricately our oceans and athmosphere controlled the quality of life on Mother Earth.

 

In our early days with this hobby, we did not have the luxiary of "gooogling the solution". After reading the bible by Martin Moe, I was hooked as a groupie to seek knowledge. Martin Moe was a PhD Marine Biologist in the early 1960 that pioneered the first hatchery raised Clownfish with C-Quest in Purto Rico. During his speaking engaement at my first MACNA Conference, he said "This hobby is not rocket science, it is more complicated". As I learn more, I realize how ignorant I am. I have the highest certification in waste water treatment in the U.S. I marvel at the complexity of the microcosoms that happen in our sand beds.

 

Over the years, while I appreciate academic knowledge, in this hobby, I find that the dillegence and thirst for knowledge of dedicated hobbiest achievs much.

 

Sorry, I got a little verbose, but I am addicted to this hobby.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

 

Rob, I do not have a tank build thread on this forum. My present system capacity is 1400 gallons with a 7000 gallon growout tank under a greenhouse coming on line for operations the end of Febuary. I will be advertising my company, AquacultureFarm, as a sponsor on this website. I presently cultivate macro from GOM, as well as curate live rock that has been aquacultured on sites offshore Tampa Bay. I receive this rock as uncured. I quarantine and curate for 60 days. I now have 1000 lbs of this select double aquacultured live rock that will be available for sale during the first week of Febuary.

I will summarize my company line; Texas Wild/Hill Country Grown/Cazun Owned.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

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Can one of you clearify what the steel wool is staining?

 

The iron rust stains everything it touches. Thirty years ago, a major marine aquarium manufacture from Europe, recomended addittion of iron to reef tanks. At that time, they suggessted th use steel wool in the sump. Of course it readily dissolves into the water. Some of the process also stained anything in the immediate area red.

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Wow, you are on another level them me.. lol Next time I am visiting family down in houston I would love to make a trip out to check out your setup.

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Wow, you are on another level them me.. lol Next time I am visiting family down in houston I would love to make a trip out to check out your setup.

 

Rob,

I live 20 minutes from downtown Austin, but am in rural Hays County. Come and visit anytime. You will find Southern Hospitality, Cajun style.

Growing people ediable macroalgae is a major goal that is associated with my mariculture operations. Gracilaria Parvispora and Gracilaria Tikahae are commonly called Red Ogo by the Hawaiian people. Reef addicts would know Gracilaria Parvispora as Tang Heaven Red. Gerald, owner of IndoPacific SeaFarm, and I are friends for ten years. At one speaking conference, he gave me a sample of Red Ogo to eat on stage and I gave him a pound of Cajun boudain.

Because there are more permits required to feed people, the path to return on investment is longer for Red Ogo. The state of Texas and I are not in agreement as to what is organic. I will take the lead from a friend who grows shrimp 30 miles south of San Antoine in cement growout tanks. They choose to call their company, Natural Shrimp. Once my large tank is up and running in my greenhouse, I will dedicate 150G Rubbermaid tank to a culture of Tang Heaven Red. I will sell this to the hobby. However, my favorite way to use Tang Heaven Red is to eat it in a chevichee. It is good straight out of the tank. Try some, you will like it.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

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I've been thinking about gorges eventually. right now it's just macro and the fish. I will have to look into the iron supplement. Thanks for the lead.

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Rob,

I live 20 minutes from downtown Austin, but am in rural Hays County. Come and visit anytime. You will find Southern Hospitality, Cajun style.

Growing people ediable macroalgae is a major goal that is associated with my mariculture operations. Gracilaria Parvispora and Gracilaria Tikahae are commonly called Red Ogo by the Hawaiian people. Reef addicts would know Gracilaria Parvispora as Tang Heaven Red. Gerald, owner of IndoPacific SeaFarm, and I are friends for ten years. At one speaking conference, he gave me a sample of Red Ogo to eat on stage and I gave him a pound of Cajun boudain.

Because there are more permits required to feed people, the path to return on investment is longer for Red Ogo. The state of Texas and I are not in agreement as to what is organic. I will take the lead from a friend who grows shrimp 30 miles south of San Antoine in cement growout tanks. They choose to call their company, Natural Shrimp. Once my large tank is up and running in my greenhouse, I will dedicate 150G Rubbermaid tank to a culture of Tang Heaven Red. I will sell this to the hobby. However, my favorite way to use Tang Heaven Red is to eat it in a chevichee. It is good straight out of the tank. Try some, you will like it.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

I've used ogo in a few things I've made.. I had a bunch, but I gave too much away and the little piece I had left isn't growing out yet. I've been meaning to place an order with Indo pacific, mostly for their mud. I really would like to spruce up my sand bed and get some more diversity in there. I've always been a fan of getting my rock sand and pods from multiple places to achieve as much bio diversity as possible. I know in most cases one species will dominate and take over, but it's just the way I have always been with these types of things. Even my fresh water tanks, I tried to keep as much life in my gravel as possible. I had a very healthy colony of black worms among many other creatures living in my gravel in my old tank before the fire. I was just reading an article in TFH about algae in fresh water that has a bit about fresh water "pods" and their benefit to tanks.

 

When we move into the new house my goal is to have a 120 reef tank (24x48x24) and probably a 75g high tech fresh water tank.. discus, apisto's, rummynose and cardinals for stock. Heavily planted. I want to design it from the ground up this time with the advances that that been made in recent years I think I could have an amazing display. Before the net, I got most of my info from local clubs, and magazines. I imported some from europe and was one of the first in my area to set up a DIY co2 (yeast) system. I was amazed that after the fire and being out of the game for just a short time, now there are all of these items made special for planted tanks. It used to be so rare to see fresh water planted tanks unless you where looking at select few stores, or conventions.

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Rob,

I live 20 minutes from downtown Austin, but am in rural Hays County. Come and visit anytime. You will find Southern Hospitality, Cajun style.

Growing people ediable macroalgae is a major goal that is associated with my mariculture operations. Gracilaria Parvispora and Gracilaria Tikahae are commonly called Red Ogo by the Hawaiian people. Reef addicts would know Gracilaria Parvispora as Tang Heaven Red. Gerald, owner of IndoPacific SeaFarm, and I are friends for ten years. At one speaking conference, he gave me a sample of Red Ogo to eat on stage and I gave him a pound of Cajun boudain.

Because there are more permits required to feed people, the path to return on investment is longer for Red Ogo. The state of Texas and I are not in agreement as to what is organic. I will take the lead from a friend who grows shrimp 30 miles south of San Antoine in cement growout tanks. They choose to call their company, Natural Shrimp. Once my large tank is up and running in my greenhouse, I will dedicate 150G Rubbermaid tank to a culture of Tang Heaven Red. I will sell this to the hobby. However, my favorite way to use Tang Heaven Red is to eat it in a chevichee. It is good straight out of the tank. Try some, you will like it.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

 

Out of curisoity are there any macros that are really inedible. (As in make you get sick or have negitive side effects.) I wouldn't think that the calcifying ones wouldnt' be any good taste wise. I keep thinking I am going to try a bite of chato one of these days. I don't mind Nori or other seaweeds I have eaten.

Organic foods are one of those things that is so objective its silly.

 

I've used ogo in a few things I've made.. I had a bunch, but I gave too much away and the little piece I had left isn't growing out yet. I've been meaning to place an order with Indo pacific, mostly for their mud. I really would like to spruce up my sand bed and get some more diversity in there. I've always been a fan of getting my rock sand and pods from multiple places to achieve as much bio diversity as possible. I know in most cases one species will dominate and take over, but it's just the way I have always been with these types of things. Even my fresh water tanks, I tried to keep as much life in my gravel as possible. I had a very healthy colony of black worms among many other creatures living in my gravel in my old tank before the fire. I was just reading an article in TFH about algae in fresh water that has a bit about fresh water "pods" and their benefit to tanks.

 

When we move into the new house my goal is to have a 120 reef tank (24x48x24) and probably a 75g high tech fresh water tank.. discus, apisto's, rummynose and cardinals for stock. Heavily planted. I want to design it from the ground up this time with the advances that that been made in recent years I think I could have an amazing display. Before the net, I got most of my info from local clubs, and magazines. I imported some from europe and was one of the first in my area to set up a DIY co2 (yeast) system. I was amazed that after the fire and being out of the game for just a short time, now there are all of these items made special for planted tanks. It used to be so rare to see fresh water planted tanks unless you where looking at select few stores, or conventions.

 

Those freshwater pods are not easy to find, and the colonies crash easier then the salt water ones. I have been trying off an on for a while to find some. Probably going to go hunting for them again this summer. Also really want to find me some wild scuds, haven't caught any of those either. My black worms always get picked off before they start breeding. Tetra's are really quite good at hunting.

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Belac

With respect to ediable and not, I would guess that Calurpae Taxifoloia would not be ediable by people. Even the fish don't eat it. I have tasted chaeto. The texture did not work for me. What I like about Red Ogo is the crispness of texture with a very mild taste that adds nice color and texture in a seeweed salad. When I make cheveechee, I have three seperate dishes to mix at time or eating: a spicey vegeterian chevichee, a spicey marinade fish or shrimp and red ogo.

 

Some years back, I replied to a post about eating things from the refugium. When I said I eat Red Ogo from the tank, he asked me "What about pods and stuff". I told him that Cajuns eat most everything.

 

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

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With respect to ediable and not, I would guess that Calurpae Taxifoloia would not be ediable by people. Even the fish don't eat it. I have tasted chaeto. The texture did not work for me.

I know what I am doing next time I pull some out of the tank....

 

I told him that Cajuns eat most everything.

Yes they do. Not to keen on most of their seasonings but the items eaten are pretty good. :) Alagator is really good.


Jersy - I am going to send you a picture of that macro I picked up. Still seems to be alive. Its not deteroited further but it still is the same color. Nothing has eaten it yet either, which I would expect if it was dieing.

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So, a little shameless plug here.. A local vendor is running a contest for best tank.. Well, my little guy made it to the finals with the big boys and if you are so inclined please vote for my tank (It is Tank #10) Every vote counts and brings me one step closer to a killer Scoly or meat coral!

http://www.facebook.com/questions/606818466000688/

Remember to vote for tank 10!! smiley.gif


here is a link to my album to see the pictures of my tank.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...4444081&type=1

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Thanks! I'm currently in 3rd which isn't so bad. 3rd is a meat coral of their choice, but first is an ultra scoly that I really want! lol

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Jersey, do you have a picture of your Enteromorpha?

Unfortunately, I did not do very well for me.. I think my tank may be too high flow for it, and it dismounted from the rock it came on. After 24 hours I found it all clumped up in my intakes. and it never recovered from that. Non-calcareous greens don't seem to do too well for me. Reds and most Halimeda, seem to thrive though. The exception seems to be Caulerpa species which I am pretty sure could be kept alive in a toilet. lol

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