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| Reef ReDo!; The Perfect Planted? | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 12 2009, 03:07:45 PM (194 Views) | |
| Post #1 Nov 12 2009, 03:07:45 PM | Suzy |
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Hey, Advanced reefers! I want to share this with you: how quick a planted tank can be redone! You might have been reading this past year while I made a fish room, but what I did not mention was the complete neglect I did of my tanks while I played construction worker. My tanks are really lacking right now, but a big storm hits my city today. A perfect time to undergo some fishery hobby! So, here it is right now: Posted Image Complete neglect has left this tank in a completely ugly state. All the macroalgae has grown together, and the strong has pushed out the weak. Also, a really cool pair of watchman gobies and their symbiotic shrimp routinely spew detritus into the water column, where it descends on the aquascape. The tank above this tank drains into the lower, so it also adds detritus and crap into the water columm, and lots of micro bubbles. So, now is the time to fix those issues once and for all! Today, I am going to completely empty the tank and let the detritus fill my sump where I am growing more macros. The detritus will be great substrate for future vascular plants. |
Seahorse Whisperer
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"i was informed of some dolphin related testing going on up there" Too Funny! | |
 
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| Post #2 Nov 13 2009, 08:20:34 AM | Suzy |
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So, here it is now: Posted Image What do you think? Just kidding, that was last night. Here is today. I think this photo shows my issue: hiding the ugly a overflow. The aquascape always has to work around it. Plus, this tank is long and prone to supersaturation, so I need water motion on both sides... Posted Image |
Seahorse Whisperer
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"i was informed of some dolphin related testing going on up there" Too Funny! | |
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| Post #3 Nov 13 2009, 08:30:58 AM | Suzy |
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Here is the real reason I tore down the entire tank, getting these two out. Not only are they they cutest trouble makers, I think they are mated. I want to put them in a species tank where I can watch them more closely. I would keep them here and just add some eggcrate to keep them from destroying the tank constantly, but I want to see what they are up to! Posted Image |
Seahorse Whisperer
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"i was informed of some dolphin related testing going on up there" Too Funny! | |
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| Post #4 Nov 13 2009, 09:37:23 AM | Amie |
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Hey...you found them, Good work! They are adorable. So where are you going to put them? How is the rest of your tank fairing after tearing down everything in this tank? |
stormy, stormy nights
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http://www.spawar.navy.mil/sandiego/technology/mammals/interns.html Tell them Adam sent you. | |
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| Post #5 Nov 13 2009, 11:42:34 AM | Larry H |
| Suzy I think you may have started something. I am going to tear down a couple of my tanks and try to catch a couple of fish I have been unable to catch for years. It couldn't hurt. One tank will be easier to take care of than three are. I am sure the other three won't be empty for long. |
breeding stock
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| Post #6 Nov 14 2009, 07:21:10 AM | Suzy |
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The tanks are all doing great. The detritus that escaped the socks and the sump gave all the corals in the reef a snack! The gobies are now in a species tank in the fish room. Their symbiotic shrimp is huge! I will start another thread about them. Got some great video of him at work! Do it, Larry! Perfect season for it, IMO. Then, you will have a few species tanks! Maybe you can find a way to hook them all together so it is like taking care of one tank. That is how mine are, and I love it! When I had separate tanks, I found it was too much work for upkeep. Having them together gives me time for the stuff I like. I have to do one water change, one test session, ect but I have 6 tanks. The tank is now clear, and I was going to start aquascaping last night but I was having too much fun watching the gobies work their shrimp incessently. Those 2 are slave drivers! I wonder what their home will look like when the lights come on? |
Seahorse Whisperer
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"i was informed of some dolphin related testing going on up there" Too Funny! | |
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| Post #7 Nov 14 2009, 04:26:34 PM | Larry H |
| They are all hooked together. I was thinking about just turning two of them completely off for a while, taking out most of the rock and re doing them. When I get them done turning them back on and redoing the other. |
breeding stock
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| Post #8 Nov 14 2009, 09:12:46 PM | Clint |
| What is the deal with the shrimp? I don't know about this relationship. By the way, I moved my smaller tank next to my large display and hooked them together about two weeks ago. I should have done that a long time ago, it is so much nicer to have one bigger system. |
breeding stock
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| Midvale (435) 213-6215 | |
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| Post #9 Nov 15 2009, 05:34:09 AM | Suzy |
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The shrimp and gobies are cool, a symbiotic relationship. I have a little movie I need to edit, then I will make a thread about them. Having the tanks all plumber together has worked for me, but I have found one plus/minus. If you get something undesirable in one tank, you get it in them all. I got flatworms in one tank, soon had them in all. I was able to find a predator so it worked out. But, it was a nuisance for a while. They didn't hurt anything but they can grow so quickly and look ugly! But on the plus side, I can use all the tanks for differing purposes. My planted tank really filters out nitrate and phosphate, while my fowler feeds the planted. And, my seahorses are like a canary in a mine. When they breathe fast or get finicky, I know something is wrong and can fix it before something bad happens. Here is what I have done. I fixed the minor drip that left salt creep on the back by adding a small piece of needle point mesh to where the overflow comes in. I know it will get covered in algae and make a shadow but...I also added a small piece to catch the micro bubbles from the upper tank. I changed the lights. These are 2 MH lights from Home Depot. $8 bucks each! I thought they would be too yellow like the LOA lights I used to use on my refugium but they are pretty white. We'll see how they grow algae from higher up. They are pretty hot (as in temperature wise! but also price wise! $8 bucks! With the bulbs!). I think I like the aesthetics as well or better than the VHO I was using, that cost $200ish. Posted Image My only problem space: the UA overflow. I think I will let it covered with a feathery type algae. A somewhat delicate look, IMO. Posted Image |
Seahorse Whisperer
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"i was informed of some dolphin related testing going on up there" Too Funny! | |
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| Post #10 Nov 17 2009, 02:43:13 AM | Amie |
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Suzy, how long have you had the shrimp? Was it in the tank the whole time? I assume it's a pistol shrimp, right? Clint, the relationship between the pistol shrimp and the goby is really strange. The pistol shrimp is blind so the goby acts like the eyes for the shrimp. You have probably heard the term 'watchman goby', that is the typical goby that pairs up with a pistol shrimp and watches/guards the entrance to the shrimps cave. In return, the shrimp builds a nice home that the fish can live in. It is really interesting to watch them together. |
stormy, stormy nights
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http://www.spawar.navy.mil/sandiego/technology/mammals/interns.html Tell them Adam sent you. | |
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