Wet & Salty

[Subsea]

Fast growing feather Caulerpa went sexual and clouded up the water yesterday.  It cleared up on its own after 6 hours.  I got around to the canister filter to replace media.  It had been too long > 6 months.  There was a green sinularia that was alive on media basket.  Cryptic sponges were everywhere.  That somewhat disagrees with Steve Tyree belief that slow diffused  flow is required for cryptic sponges.  This canister filter was on my 25 year old 75G Jaubert Plenum after 30G EcoSystem mud refugiium was seeded with cryptic sponges.

 

I added GAC and phosguard to canister and repositioned discharge with downflow manifold to assist with vertical loop current.  One MaxiJet 1200 propeller pump moves water from right to left at the top of tank where turbulent flow provides good gas exchange.  When water hits left wall, a downflow manifold turns water down where it flows right to left on the bottom..  I may remove the UV manifold from MAG 7.  Depends on how powerful canister flow is.  Initially, I was circulating excessive amounts with several of the large soft corals not extending feeding polyps.   Now that tank is getting balanced, I am removing extra pumps and changing aquascaping in response to inhabitants happiness in tank.

 

I have decided on three changes today,before Super Bowl.  I have already removed Caulerpa Padpoidoies rock and pulled off holdfast.  It is a gorgeous coralline covered rock which I will try to,get a green Flower Anemone to attach to.  I have placed a cultured live rock with GSP and Green Sinularia in the place of macro rock.

 

The biggest change will be removing a deep water red macro, Bortacladia, which had gone sexual two years ago and reseeded everything in that tank.  This bracket was one of those evidences of reseeding.    Under intense light imo, it is not attractive.  It will be moved to a shady spot.  The second picture is the same tank and a brother clone of the sexual event.

 

On the third picture, if you look past the red Grapes, you will see Caulerpa Paspoidoides growing in the shade also.  

[Subsea]

As I continued finding Red Grape cuttings everywhere, I have removed three  urchins and three rouge Emerald Crabs.  They are now in the outside tanks with GHA to feast on.

 

I continue feeding this tank flake food, mussels and ammonia.  Removed large amount of Caulerpa Paspoidoides on bright side of tank and replaced with cultured live rock overgrowin with Green Sinularia and GSP.   Moved large devils hand but am not satisfied with mounting.  Will try an acrylic bracket mounted half way up back wall.  Pruned large amounts of Caulerpa on shaded end of tank.

[debbeach13]

Sounds like a lot of changes. It might be time for a new FTS

[Subsea]

This tank lighting favors Dragons Tongue over Red Grapes.  

[Subsea]

I like this left corner.  I will leave it alone to grow out more.  

 

I have done some aquascaping in left corner, that requires more thought as to what I want there.  Gradually, I am moving red grapes out of this tank because of too high light intensity.

 

I do like the Flower Anemone.  I think I may have an emerging red Flower Anemone from rock on left.  

[squamptonbc]

I really like the look of your tanks, very natural looking.

[Subsea]

21 minutes ago, squamptonbc said:

I really like the look of your tanks, very natural looking.

Thank you.  I enjoy looking at my tanks and will get spotaneous  and move  stuff around until I like it. 

[Subsea]

A few updates

 

Last picture shows Devils Hand supported by acrylic hanging bracket and 1” PVC pipe.

 

Middle picture shows newly fragged Hammer colony under direct downflow current on left  side glass end of tank.

 

First picture shows GSP gone crazy.  Initially a Red Grape grow out ledge using eggcrate light diffuser.  Some GSP got on this and took over.  I an hoping to cover back wall with Xenia and GSP to make a powerful biofilter that is beautiful to look at.

[Subsea]

Red Grape growout tank.

[Subsea]

No big changes.  I like the Halymenia elongata which volunteered on my big rock.  

 

In addittion to feeding livd mussels, I feed 16 oz of phyto each day.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

Beautiful I love it subsea 

keep up the amazing work 

[Subsea]

4 hours ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Beautiful I love it subsea 

keep up the amazing work 

Thank you for the kind words.  Due to many demands of my time, this tank is on auto-pilot.  I am happy for Dynamic Equilibrium to operate the tank.

[Subsea]

Made some changes on light.  Added one 300W Mars Aqua fixture, removed one 165W Mars Aqua fixture.  Also removed three 100W led bars.  Also increased in tank circulation by 600 GPHr.

[1891Bro]

The thread title seems like it should be the title of some nasty 90s rap song. 

[Subsea]

7 hours ago, 1891Bro said:

The thread title seems like it should be the title of some nasty 90s rap song. 

While somewhat used up, “Down & Dirty” works for me.

[Subsea]

In my quest for ornamental macro in display tank, I removed large herbivore fish.  While not diligent about ascetics, I find most macro to be somewhat messy.   I decided to bring tangs in to clean up the mess.  It is best to introduce all tangs at the same time thereby reducing “resident aggression”.  The differrent tangs that I wanted were not all available at the same time and impulse buying happened.   Three yellow Tangs were added with one dead within 24 hours.  It was not acting healthy when released into tank.  I observed him eating when at store.  

 

Less than 7 days later, the tangs I wanted came in from live aquaria:

Three medium Yellow Tangs went into 25 year old 75G display.  

Three small/medium Scopas Tangs and 3 tiny Hippo Tangs went into 120G display.

 

Previous to the addittion of Tangs, 45 days earlier 7 tiny aquacultured Pajama Cardinals were added to get dither fish to stay out in the open.  @viangel.  Dawn thank you for your encouraging post on the behavior of those cute Cardinals.  Social order in a closed system is very important.   Blue Devil behavior will not be tolerated in this display.  Because of the delicate nature of Blue Tangs, I was especially pleased to see them school up almost immediately as did the three Scopas Tangs.  “Tang Bliss” lasted one hour after feeding.  Smallest yellow tang selected smallest Scopas tang and bullied him to the point that I caught Scopas and removed to a safe tank.  When it became obvious that Scopas Tangs were not going to be tolerated, I removed Scopas to a “safe school” macro grow out tank with the mollies.

 

Included with 120G  full tank shot is two 55G growout tanks and two 55G macro tumble culture tanks.  I think that I can feed the Tangs, especially since macro grout tanks are full of large amphipods and numerous copepods.

[Subsea]

Will clean glass later.  

[Snow_Phoenix]

Your tank looks very natural and lovely. Saw your blenny blending in with the rockwork - it's a lawnmower blenny, am I correct? How long have you had him and how big is he now? Just curious. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

That looks so great 

[Subsea]

1 hour ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

Your tank looks very natural and lovely. Saw your blenny blending in with the rockwork - it's a lawnmower blenny, am I correct? How long have you had him and how big is he now? Just curious. 

 

1 hour ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

Your tank looks very natural and lovely. Saw your blenny blending in with the rockwork - it's a lawnmower blenny, am I correct? How long have you had him and how big is he now? Just curious. 

 

Thank you for the kind words.  Lawnmower has been in tank for 6 months.   I got four small ones and put in four differrent systems.  They are all doing well with great personality,   Blennies rock!  In my high nutrient systems, they could not keep up with algae so I got some tangs to help.  In my 75G system with Blue Devils, I was concerned for blennie welfare.  When he was introduced, two resident damsels squared off, but were confused with articulating eye balls and gave up on bully behavior.  I would estimate that blennies tripled in size in 6 months.  They are about 3.5” to 4” long.

 

[Subsea]

MUSINGS FROM THE “LAZY BOY”

 

Things I like most.  It’s easy to take care of.  The fish get along in community.  I like that the tank makes food.  Both drawf Angels & Mandarin graze in coarse substrate on miniature tube worms and things.  I have never had a system with such a dense fish population.  Tangs grazing is another nice feature that I have come to enjoy.  While it is enjoyable to feed fish and watch “the show”, I have come to appreciate the normal pace of  “easy living” with peaceful coexistence of tank inhabitants.  I am expecially happy with trio of tiny Hippos.  Blue is vivid when contrasted with yellow.  Throw in some emerald green C. Prolifera and florescent green leather, now you got some gaudy colors.  That’s me.  I like it like that.  

[vlangel]

I say bring on the gaudy colors, I like it that way too.

 

Does your flame angel behave itself and not pick at anything?  I love flame angels.

[Subsea]

In this 120G tank, Flame Angel is biggest fish with exception of newly introduced large Yellow Tang.  Flame Angel grazes in substrate mostly and is a model citizen.

 

In my 75G display, Flame Angel was introduced with a larger resident Coral Beauty.  Flame held his own in this semi aggressive tank with Blue Devils.