Tim's 54 Gallon Corner -> Going Reef

[katoom27]

Let me know how that controller works out for you. I'm almost do e building my fuge. HoPefully i will have time to put it in by the end of the weekend. I'm planning on. Buying some Copepods, hermits and a couple of snails. Any other suggestions. I was thinking about putting some brine shrimp in as well. Anyone ever had any luck doing this

 

[rob_mango]

I will definitely let everyone know how the apex works

 

[Ibrahim]

Let me know how that controller works out for you. I'm almost do e building my fuge. HoPefully i will have time to put it in by the end of the weekend. I'm planning on. Buying some Copepods, hermits and a couple of snails. Any other suggestions. I was thinking about putting some brine shrimp in as well. Anyone ever had any luck doing this

Brine will just get sucked up into a filter when they are returned into the tank from the return pump

 

[katoom27]

The only filter I have is a sock on the overflow line from my DT. I would assume my fish would eat all the brine before they would make it to the sock. Hopefully I will be able to supplement my feeding using my refugium. At least thats my plan

 

[KAhner]

Yea I just don't think you can get a breading population. At least I've never heard of anyone doing it.

 

[mr_X]

The Indo elegance are the ones that don't live. The Aussie ones are ok. The way you can make sure if it's an Aussie is that it's been fragged. Collectors will never turn in a single large elegance if they can frag it into 4 and get paid for 4 pieces. The Indo ones aren't expensive, so you can purchase large specimens.

 

[MKFMedic]

The Indo elegance are the ones that don't live. The Aussie ones are ok. The way you can make sure if it's an Aussie is that it's been fragged. Collectors will never turn in a single large elegance if they can frag it into 4 and get paid for 4 pieces. The Indo ones aren't expensive, so you can purchase large specimens.

I can testify to that! I have ideal conditions in my tank, and believe everything should have been fine, but mine did not last a month. Everything else is doing excellent! I have been reading a lot about a decline in the availability of viable elegance corals that are hardy.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Another specimen that is like burning money when you buy one. Aussies are fine, but how many regular elegance corals have been killed in this hobby would probably shock you.

 

[TLTGF]

Wow... Testament to how much more I need to learn. Quite honestly, I loved the look, but assumed I'd never had one due to the price. When I saw the one I got for $60, I didn't think twice (impulse)... Never a good idea. I had no clue there were even differences, other than coloration.

I do appreciate all the knowledge you guys bring to the table on a daily basis.

For my next few corals, I think I'll check in first!

 

[Gregcoyote]

That is certainly the way to save yourself dollars and grief. There are always exceptions to the rule (the guy who has kept a Mandarine in a fishbowl for 10 years) but in general, if they say it won't make it, it doesn't. The LFS has the incentive to sell you what they have in stock (I use to be one) so unless you have a really good relationship with a knowledgable and trustworth seller, you are on your own.

 

[TLTGF]

Absolutely, at my "default" LFS that I normally go to, they have an okay selection of corals, BUT the staff is AWESOME, and they have talked to me about any of their experiences, placement options, etc. and quite frankly, talked me out of a few corals and fish.

On the other hand, the other LFS that is a bit farther (where I purchased elegance) has the most phenomenal corals such in Michigan as far as I've seen, but since I'm not there weekly like the other place, so I haven't really gotten to know them and started a repetoire. I'm just income for the moment.

 

[Gregcoyote]

This is not an exact science...there are many things we do not know...so the LFS is not to blame always. My sons girl friend is a biological engineer specializing in coral species. They don't know as much as you might think.

She has been in Thailand where in the morning they dive the reef and harvest basketball sized colonies of Acropora, which they frag into hundreds of plugs, then dive that afternoon and reseed the rest of the reef. Now that is what I wished I could have done while I was in college!

 

[TLTGF]

Completely agree. I am looking at the LFS the same way I look at a car dealership: if I go in with nothing but money in hand, good possibility I'll walk out with something not right for me or that I don't need, and probably spend too much. BUT if I do some research before hand, find what I'm looking for that is right for me, I'll end up happier and probably will some money left in my pocket.

To continue the metaphor... I can't blame the sales guy for selling me a car that isn't right for me and may break down. He didn't really know either.

As for the school... My number one response to people when they ask me what I wish I would've done is to do exactly that... Some sort of marine biology. That's awesome!

 

[TLTGF]

Oops!

Yup, had one of those... Realized about two hours late that I'd been making RO water and forgot... No clue how much water, but what a mess!

Tank is doing well - thinking about moving the cup coral - for some reason today it didn't put out its polyps a single time. Normally it's fully extended from morning to night.

Everything else seems good. Discovered that what was sold to me as a mushroom leather is actually a pineapple tree coral... Interesting.

Also if anyone else is using glass tops, how often do you clean them? I do weekly, is this too little? Also compared to eggcrate, how much light is lost? I've heard 10-15% with crate. Do the pros outweigh the cons?

 

[KAhner]

I already like evaporation, and with my ATO coming Tuesday I think we r going to best of friends That reminds me Im going to go track my shipment now.

 

[mr_X]

I would construct a frame out of wood and attach that landscape mesh to it instead of using eggcrate as a cover. I would certainly remove the glass tops though.

 

[TLTGF]

Further questions:

What is landscape mesh?

Is it the same as the stuff BRS sells?

How would a hood affect stuff?

Here is my current setup. You can see my lights are sitting on the glass, and also you can see that behind the lights there is a 12" sided triangle of open top.

I'm guessing I would just have the lights sitting on the wood frame as well... Or would I need to hang them?

 

[iadubber]

I'd like to know as well how to do the landscape mesh. I have a bunch laying around.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Further questions:

What is landscape mesh?

Is it the same as the stuff BRS sells?

How would a hood affect stuff?

Here is my current setup. You can see my lights are sitting on the glass, and also you can see that behind the lights there is a 12" sided triangle of open top.

I'm guessing I would just have the lights sitting on the wood frame as well... Or would I need to hang them?

I did a light meter test a while back, using glass, white egg crate, black egg crate and the clear mesh the BRS sells in 1/4 and 1/2" varieties.

Clear glass was #1, BUT it had to stay very clean. Almost impossible to do, for me. It also prevents good gas exchange at the surface.

BRS mesh was almost the same exactly as clean glass, and it breaths. (that is what I use), it is made from clear polyethylene.

White egg crate was not very good, at least one "f stop" and that means it killed quite a bit of light.

Black egg crate was the worst of course.

 

[TLTGF]

"In God we trust, everyone else bring data."

Thanks for bringing data too the mix. It's time to switch to the mesh.