The build thread: 430gal. display
- Thread starter Ummfish
- Start date
They look nice and chubby Andy. Great job, especially getting them onto food other than coral.
It also could just be the lighting, but, yeah, I do think they are more colorful. I'm starting to worry about the bellies a little. I might need to get them little fishy treadmills. Or, maybe just up the flow in their tank for a while.
I've started a new project tonight with the sixline eggs. I've started drawing out one of the eggs and putting it on a slide with the video going, hoping to get a fertile one so I can document the first stages of egg division. Given that the fertilization seems to be about 1%, it might be a long-term project. But, it'll keep me occupied 'til I can get the culture stuff going.
I've started a new project tonight with the sixline eggs. I've started drawing out one of the eggs and putting it on a slide with the video going, hoping to get a fertile one so I can document the first stages of egg division. Given that the fertilization seems to be about 1%, it might be a long-term project. But, it'll keep me occupied 'til I can get the culture stuff going.
Ah, you know. It's just a cheapo microscope. The cheapos are getting better, though. It's cheaper to buy one of these that already has the camera attached then it is to get all the camera attachment gear for a regular scope.
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Tank update.
More on the photo parade. Looks like the madarins might go again tonight. Look at that belly:
Stupid jawfish tricks. "Look! I can balance a piece of sand on my head!" It was there for several hours.
And corals in the display tank. They are finally starting to color up.
Thanks!
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Tank update.
More on the photo parade. Looks like the madarins might go again tonight. Look at that belly:
Stupid jawfish tricks. "Look! I can balance a piece of sand on my head!" It was there for several hours.
And corals in the display tank. They are finally starting to color up.
Thanks!
A pic of my oldest prolarvae so far. Looks like the initial yolk sac is used up but the mouth hasn't formed yet:
I'm tempted to say that that is why I haven't seen any develop into full-on larvae yet. Especially as the eggs collected tonight are starting to look much different than the first photos I posted. I'm starting to see more fats in the yolk. Maybe as the female is maturing she is starting to produce better eggs?
Oh, and the mandarins spawned again tonight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zL7PAiAwwU
I'm tempted to say that that is why I haven't seen any develop into full-on larvae yet. Especially as the eggs collected tonight are starting to look much different than the first photos I posted. I'm starting to see more fats in the yolk. Maybe as the female is maturing she is starting to produce better eggs?
Oh, and the mandarins spawned again tonight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zL7PAiAwwU
Thank, Jason!
Oh, it's time for another FTS update. Sorry for the algae on the glass, I need to get a razor out because that stuff is not responding to the magfloat.
Last time I posted a FTS, people asked if I could also post a large version. I don't want to waste a lot of bandwidth, so here's an URL. It's about 400k.
http://www.ummfish.com/FTS_6-15-09_large.jpg
As you can see, the nasty algae is finally giving up and is wasting away. I did a nitrate check this morning and I'm still at 0, so that's where it's going. Still at zero and I feed the tanks 3-5 times/day. Go figure.
Oh, it's time for another FTS update. Sorry for the algae on the glass, I need to get a razor out because that stuff is not responding to the magfloat.
Last time I posted a FTS, people asked if I could also post a large version. I don't want to waste a lot of bandwidth, so here's an URL. It's about 400k.
http://www.ummfish.com/FTS_6-15-09_large.jpg
As you can see, the nasty algae is finally giving up and is wasting away. I did a nitrate check this morning and I'm still at 0, so that's where it's going. Still at zero and I feed the tanks 3-5 times/day. Go figure.
So, what are you doing to export 'em? Mine is mostly the algae, I assume. I'm trying to make the downstairs a really good home for algae so they'll out-compete that in the display. And, I have a _lot_ of sandbed. But I also assume that part of it is because I feed so much: The small animal populations are growing rapidly with all the constant food and they bind up nutrients in their tiny little bodies. I'm not terribly good at keeping up with skimmer maintenance, but I guess mine do a good job when I have them tuned.
Thanks! I like the activity level in there. Lots to look at.
Thanks! I like the activity level in there. Lots to look at.
I just wanted to know if you wanted to do anything about the nitrates. If you don't care particularly, then I didn't want to ask you a bunch of questions.
Okay, you say the skimmer isn't working well. You can probably live with that as you can get rid of nitrates even without a skimmer.
Tell me about your tanks. How big's the display? How big's the sump? Is there any room left to add another refugium?
What kind of light do you have over your chaeto? What kind of flow do you have in there? What you are trying to do is make the algae area of your sump a better place for algae to live than your display.
How's the small animal population in your tank? Do you see amphipods in the chaeto? Copepods on the glass?
Okay, you say the skimmer isn't working well. You can probably live with that as you can get rid of nitrates even without a skimmer.
Tell me about your tanks. How big's the display? How big's the sump? Is there any room left to add another refugium?
What kind of light do you have over your chaeto? What kind of flow do you have in there? What you are trying to do is make the algae area of your sump a better place for algae to live than your display.
How's the small animal population in your tank? Do you see amphipods in the chaeto? Copepods on the glass?
50g display, 27g rubbermaid sump, about half full. (or half empty haha) I have absolutely zero room left in the stand for another refuge.
The sump has no baffles, since it's a rubbermaid. The chaeto is just kind of floating around in there under a screw-in CF bulb. I used to have a big honkin CF in there till I dumped it in the sump, now it's just one of those 60w-equiv (I think).
There is probably around 250gph going from the sump to tank and back, and maybe another 300gph or so (just a very rough estimate) circulating via the skimmer.
No copepods on the glass, but I do clean it every day (algae grows fast). I see them from time to time on crabs and rocks, but I have to look hard. I have a Scooter Blenny, so that probably is keeping them from having an explosion. I see amphipods running around the tank from time to time, and there are usually a decent amount in the chaeto. I have a ridiculous amount of the micro brittle stars everywhere.
I know I should probably get a baffled sump in there. I have an empty 20g I was going to use, I just haven't gotten around to getting glass cut for it and doing all that junk.
And the kicker is I don't do water changes all that often since I don't have an RO (still) and have to truck jugs of water back and forth. That and I really despise water changes.
The sump has no baffles, since it's a rubbermaid. The chaeto is just kind of floating around in there under a screw-in CF bulb. I used to have a big honkin CF in there till I dumped it in the sump, now it's just one of those 60w-equiv (I think).
There is probably around 250gph going from the sump to tank and back, and maybe another 300gph or so (just a very rough estimate) circulating via the skimmer.
No copepods on the glass, but I do clean it every day (algae grows fast). I see them from time to time on crabs and rocks, but I have to look hard. I have a Scooter Blenny, so that probably is keeping them from having an explosion. I see amphipods running around the tank from time to time, and there are usually a decent amount in the chaeto. I have a ridiculous amount of the micro brittle stars everywhere.
I know I should probably get a baffled sump in there. I have an empty 20g I was going to use, I just haven't gotten around to getting glass cut for it and doing all that junk.
And the kicker is I don't do water changes all that often since I don't have an RO (still) and have to truck jugs of water back and forth. That and I really despise water changes.
Well, I wouldn't worry about the baffles that much. Although maybe we can get the algae growing so fast that you'll need some.
Can you add some more light in there and see what happens?
My other suggestion would be to put some eggcrate in there with only an inch or so of water above it. I get so much algal growth whenever I do that.
Can you add some more light in there and see what happens?
My other suggestion would be to put some eggcrate in there with only an inch or so of water above it. I get so much algal growth whenever I do that.
I have a few lights I could throw in there and see what happens. Not sure which to do though. I have a 65w PC with a 2.5 year old 50/50 bulb that I know is a cyano making machine - not sure how it makes other stuff grow. Also have a 2x14w T5NO with 2 10k bulbs, fairly new. And a 2x18w T5HO with 1 10k and 1 actinic. Which do you think would grow algae best? If all else fails I guess I could get another humungaloid (yes, technical term) CF bulb. Oh, and I also have a 20w T12NO 6500k, I think.