Wonderboy Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 That's what I thought at first, too, and I was trying to watch if they moved, but it was really hard because they're so tiny - guess I might as well get out the tripod and see what happens in a time lapse. I think it is something photosynthetic; looked into starfish larval stages - not looking too much like any bipinnaria larvae or brachiolaria larvae - also asterinas I guess don't have a bipinnaria larval stage, so I came to the probably not conclusion - what do you guys think? The little stars are kind of reddish and kind of shiny like little dull gems. 2 Quote Link to comment
A.m.P Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 You're quite the inspiring mad-genius when it comes to these setups, I may have to shamelessly steal your cupperware pod and sand-bed idea. 2 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 Thank you! :] I think I just try to keep it simple... mostly try not to spend money unless I really need to 3 Quote Link to comment
A.m.P Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 2 hours ago, Wonderboy said: Thank you! :] I think I just try to keep it simple... mostly try not to spend money unless I really need to Always nice to see someone who has the tools and talent to do so XD Unfortunately I seem to have misplaced both of mine after a few moves and this sickness, these days I'm pretty sure I qualify as a casting-couch of jank. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 Sorry @Amphrites, doesn't sound too fun - here's some jank to keep you going lol: 5G bucket ('fuge) 3G container + lid 1G plastic jar + lid (for RODI top-off) screen from old mini fridge calcite sand from demolishing calcite chunks for the 2.5G round wick for portable "cool mist" evaporative cooler float valve, some bulkheads, other small plumping stuff, mini usb pump, heater 'pump intake screen' modified to hold lump charcoal around and under overflow 2x waterproof 12V red and white accent LED adhesive strip lights (for cars lol - from Ross, yup, dress for less -$5) stuck together stuffed inside a length of clear 1/2" PVC sealed into a bulkhead at the bottom of bucket 😅 carbon filter sleeve from my 10G to seed Oh look a leak ^ ...brb lol I keep watching micro brittles fall off frag plugs when I move them, so I figured why not throw together a little micro brittle star culturing station... you know... in the middle of the night. If it was easy to collect them, I wouldn't mind taking time to try mailing them around. The little system's been up and running for just a couple days. Seeded with water and used carbon filter pouch from the 10G, bottle bacteria, roids. I've added 3 micro brittles so far; plan is to toss 'em in when I happen across them and feed this system. There's some fern caulerpa in the 'fuge - hoping that works without substrate - otherwise chaeto it is. CUC is going to be just stomatella, spaghetti worms (intend to add more sand), and munnid pods - hoping those may be easy to collect if necessary, too. Not sure if I need light above the 3G yet but probably. When I was thinking of what I could use for these guys, the evap cooler wick pretty much screamed at me, "I would be perfect for providing surface area!", so I decided to trust it and collect other materials based around its implimentation - now I'm just hoping that it is reef safe (of course it got a good rinse). It can be pulled straight up and out of the 3G chamber for harvesting/collecting - will figure out how to do that if/when that happens. Hope this helps! 😆 ------- Just took some pics of stuff in the 10G, will put those here soon 3 Quote Link to comment
A.m.P Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 They don't ship well by themselves or seemingly on rocks, maybe try sending them on frag plugs or in a bag within a specimen container, maybe even wrap them in paper-towels or something... Hm. Cool project though, I added a few of these to my system a while back and they've been cool to see on occasion. 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 So I've heard - I was planning to be okay with losing some trying to figure out the best way. I was hoping that if they were easy to collect, then it wouldn't be much of a loss. All of the parts used came from past projects - some failed, some successful - except for the LED, so it's not unlikely that things end up being parted out/repurposed in the future. Time will decide. 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 Some of the corals in here: 4 Quote Link to comment
A.m.P Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 You have a gift mate, I hope to be one of the first guinea-pigs for microbrittle shipments. 2 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 12, 2019 Author Share Posted October 12, 2019 Updates for now, pictures when there's time: The YWG and fire shrimp are still bonded from what I can tell. I added a very tiny yellow rose goby hoping that it finds the second pistol wherever that's went - haven't seen it since (4 days). The goal here is less shrimp options for the YWG. lol Added a tiny green clown goby - this guy is super shy - freaks, darts and hides at any movement - hoping he comes out of his shell one day. Added some bummble bee snails because there's some wierd amoeboid shaped creature throwing filter lines into the column. They don't hurt anything, but they are starting to populate, fast. Noticed some aiptasias where I can't get to them so I will be adding some berghia when I order a bunch for the nudi breeding project. I swapped a light out. The Tuna Blue (12W) is on the right and the light that used to be over the 2.5G, the Coral Compulsion (14W), is over the left side. I think I'm done playing musical lights. I had removed the chaeto from the HOB 'fuge, put in sea lettuce, but then fed that off, and now have red grape algae in there - we'll see how it does Mangroves seem to not be doing anything yet - I've had good luck with them starting by themselves before, but I'm going to go ahead and sprout them seperate from the system. That's all I can think of right now, will add more if I think of anything left out :] 4 Quote Link to comment
Opotter Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 I would love to take part in the micro-brittle star shipping experiments too! I tried like hell to find and catch some in my old Evo when I was moving the coral into the new lagoon. Right now only IPSF sells them, but I just can’t see paying that price and shipping for the 6 pack of stars they sell. 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 Awesome - definitely will need to see how they do in several shipments - I think I will probably order some of IPSF's micro stars also for genetic variation and to see how they pack 'em. Gf snuck a shot of the Fire YWG pair feeding tonight - the goby has become sooo very shy and resorts to his cave at almost any movement - he was so brave before, watching everything, perching on different corals - it's almost like he has taken on the shrimp's antics: 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 Tried to get a shot of all inhabitants (pistols shrimps didn't come out at all) - starting with the hardest to capture to easiest: The yellow rose just wouldn't come out (very shy), but he did pair with that lone pistol - so that makes three goby/shrimp pairs in here: Including these guys: Audrey II from the 2.5G: 3 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 Caught this thing cruising the 'fuge tonight: I'm going to call it Godzilla because I think it's fitting but really hoping it doesn't live up to its name, get too huge, and destroy anything in its path. 5 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 Sorry for the quality - its very dark in their cave, so I have edited the color to make things "easier" to see. 3 Quote Link to comment
StinkyBunny Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Usually the green nudibranchs are harmless herbivores. There is a nudibranch forum with some very intelligent scientists that can ID just about anything. We got some in with an Indonesian rock shipment, turns out all it ate was algae, it looks like the one in your tank. 3 Quote Link to comment
billygoat Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Beautiful photos @Wonderboy! How does your pipefish handle the flow in here? It seems fairly vigorous just based on the surface agitation. I am considering adding a pipefish to my 18g as I know they like to hang out around gorgonians in nature, but I am not sure about their flow requirements. 🤔 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 16 hours ago, billygoat said: Beautiful photos @Wonderboy! How does your pipefish handle the flow in here? It seems fairly vigorous just based on the surface agitation. I am considering adding a pipefish to my 18g as I know they like to hang out around gorgonians in nature, but I am not sure about their flow requirements. 🤔 Thank you - I only have phone cameras over here so I try to do what I can :] dragon face pipes do great with even pretty strong currents - they use their bodies ot hold on to things when it gets turbulent - mine will even swim on top of the powerhead and use his textured, snake-like body to hold on to it so that he can peck for pods. I believe blue stripe pipes also do quite well with higher flow - I recently helped a friend move stock to a larger tank and the whole time his blue stipe was perched on the glass like a goby (as not to be noticed during all the disturbance) - he also has a bunch of gorgs with decent flow. They are pretty agile little guys - I have been thinking of adding a blue stripe or two as well, shhhh. 4 Quote Link to comment
Reefanatic24/7 Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 So much diversity in a 10 gallon! I love it! 🙂 2 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 30, 2019 Author Share Posted October 30, 2019 Thanks @Reefanatic24/7! Still looking to add something that can take to the open part of the tank - it almost seems like there's no fish when I look cause they all just perch and watch me move around 😅 I'm still trying to figure out who's actually studying who lol - I've been thinking a chalk bass, firefish, maaaybe a possum wrasse, hmm... I'm not sure yet :] --------------------------- Took a shot today of the Frankentank "lab" haha - there's a lot out of view, so maybe a video breakdown where I go full-nerd may happen one day. 😆 I do my best to keep things tidy like this (most times) so I don't freak out if I need to find something. The lab has been back here since this system's start-up. Actually, I put this together first - specifically for the 10G reef and for the QTs at the bottom. the 10G reef and the frag tank (20G) near it are on the opposite side of the wall (behind the shelves), and the 10G mix tank in the pic is plumbed through to them both. The RODI line that goes to those 5G resevoirs (volumes are shared) and the QTs down low is also ready to go to the aquariums behind it, but I haven't bothered with those floats yet (soon though), still been manually topping off with phyto apprx 2x/week, and just H2O apprx 2x/week. The RO unit up on top is in storage - the one that supplies DI H2O to this wall is on the other side of the house and tops off a couple other things on the way lol. 1 2 Quote Link to comment
StinkyBunny Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 I'd say Chalk Bass if the tank was bigger and you could have a school, they do best in a group. A Springer's damsel is a good choice, they're in season right now. They're also very peaceful and lively. 2 1 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted October 31, 2019 Author Share Posted October 31, 2019 Awesome - been hoping to see Springer's available locally soon - I'll be sure to ask again. 1 Quote Link to comment
StinkyBunny Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 1 minute ago, Wonderboy said: Awesome - been hoping to see Springer's available locally soon - I'll be sure to ask again. Ask how your retailer gets his fish. If he transships, Cebu and RVS out of The Philippines both had them on their availability this week. Any of the larger wholesalers should have them available as well. 3 Quote Link to comment
A.m.P Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 How much better off are chalk basslets in groups? I'm genuinely-curious because I want to have one in my 20L. I mean, the adults are just incredible looking. 1 Quote Link to comment
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