Tank birthday, 40 years

[Paul B]

I fed new born brine to my tank as I do every day and I got in one of those moods where I had to put on magnifying glasses and take a close look at things. For some reason I am facinated by all the microscope life in the tank.
As I was watching the gorgonians eat the baby brine I noticed a different animal about 3 times larger then the shrimp. Then I saw a few more of them. There are quite a few of them.
They are definately crustaceans and not fish. The only spawning fish I have now are watchman gobies and I can tell these are not them.
The only other thing that can spawn now besides fish are hermit crabs.
I have had them spawn many times before and I know the larvae will not live but they are interesting to watch. They find themselves stuck all over the place to those serpulid worm sticky threads.
This is just another reason I find this hobby so facinating.

 

[Paul B]

I was back on the boat all day today with my daughter and some of her friends so I went collecting. I collected 17,873 amphipods and this cool bottle that had a baby eel in it. I let the eel go because some day I may eat it in a sushi restaurant and besides they get 3 feet long, but the amphipods are in my tank, all over the place.

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

Paul i need to go collecting with you one day,LOL looks like fun!!

 

[Paul B]

I had it up for 2 weeks and no one wanted to come. I go every few days but the tide is only right a couple of days a month in the morning.

 

[Paul B]

I was concerned that my algae trough would not grow any algae with the new LEDs I installed over the trough but although it took a while, the trough is stocked full of hair and turf algae with none at all in my main tank. So the thing is working fine.
I did have to install supplimental LEDs over the trough because the tank LEDs don't give me any "waste" light to light the trough. But the strip I installed is only about 20 watts so it does not add much to power consumption. The new tank LEDs are so much cheaper to run than the MHs were and the tank temp is about 5 degrees cooler that I have nothing to do anymore. I don't need to put frozen Clorox bottles in any more to cool the thing off, no more cleaning light bulbs or burning my hands on the fixture, no more buying $100.00 light bulbs or struggling to get my hands around the big fixtures to work in the tank.
Now I need another hobby to waste money and time on

 

[tenMann2]

I was concerned that my algae trough would not grow any algae with the new LEDs I installed over the trough but although it took a while, the trough is stocked full of hair and turf algae with none at all in my main tank. So the thing is working fine.
I did have to install supplimental LEDs over the trough because the tank LEDs don't give me any "waste" light to light the trough. But the strip I installed is only about 20 watts so it does not add much to power consumption. The new tank LEDs are so much cheaper to run than the MHs were and the tank temp is about 5 degrees cooler that I have nothing to do anymore. I don't need to put frozen Clorox bottles in any more to cool the thing off, no more cleaning light bulbs or burning my hands on the fixture, no more buying $100.00 light bulbs or struggling to get my hands around the big fixtures to work in the tank.
Now I need another hobby to waste money and time on

Smart move on the led switch over. You must be saving plenty on electric bill as well. I can be your hobby pet, only thing though I don't do much. Though I have no problem with you giving me money either. :biggrinpa You happen to have a picture of your trough with the new leds on it. How much algae are you growing?

 

[Paul B]

The MH lights used 350 watts and heated the tank, the LEDs use 108 watts and they are cold and give me 25% more light but it looks like 100%
The algae trough is the white thing to the left, the LEDs over it are the thin strip that curves down a little, I don't have a picture of the algae in it.

 

[tenMann2]

Is that trough similar in design and function in relation to the algae scrubber that others use in the sump. Do you have to scrap the algae turf of weekly? or is it more like a macro refugium?

 

[Paul B]

It is similar but it almost works for free. It used to use waste light from the main lighting but when I installed LEDs there was not enough waste light so I had to install a small strip of LEDs just for that. But it runs off exit water from the skimmer.
I only clean it if it gets too full of algae. It usually has a nice growth of hair and turf algaes and I want the algae in there so I don't like to clean it too often.
Only every 6 months or so because the water gets impeded. The thing is also full of brittle stars and amphipods.

 

[Mattl22]

I wish I had the room to build a nice turf scrubber I I have never used one but really love the idea behind them if I ever get a house I will definitely have a separate sump room with a large turf scrubber


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[Paul B]

Mine is above the water to the back so it does not take any room that I would use for anything else. I also don't have a sump

 

[tenMann2]

Mine is above the water to the back so it does not take any room that I would use for anything else. I also don't have a sump

If no sump, then the skimmer (assuming you are using one) would have to be hob skimmer? a big one to say the least.

 

[Paul B]

would have to be hob skimmer? a big one to say the least.

I got a MAN skimmer, no little Sissy skimmer and it is not exactly a "hang on back" it is more like a "Built on back".
I don't even remember when I built this thing but it was probably 15 or 20 years ago.

 

[rookie07]

I have heard that having a big skimmer is like having a big gun or a flashy sports car....making up for other things

 

[Paul B]

I have heard that having a big skimmer is like having a big gun or a flashy sports car....making up for other things
__________________

Oh really? Well I also have a big boat, in other words, everything I have is big. :thrash:

 

[reefnhard]

haha very nicely put paul .....con grads on your tank,happy to see its doing well

 

[Paul B]

Yesterday while hanging out behind the boat this little 2" pipefish swam into my hand.
He was a cute little fella and he just came by to say hello. I could tell by his eyes that he wanted to stay in his home so after the short visit I let him swim away. The water is just full of pods and I had them all over my (and the boat) when I got out of the water.
In a little while we will be going back to that spot (where we have been going for many years) for some partying, I mean nature watching.
I will bring my net and hold it behind the dinghy as I putt around the inlet collecting amphipods. What can I tell you? It's what I do.

 

[Paul B]

I really need to do some massive re construction of this tank as the rocks are not where they are supposed to do. It is a huge job and it will take an entire day. I need to remove all the rocks and corals, after I find a place to put them, then the fish. I will then stir up everything and suck out the detritus with 3 diatom filters. Then I will give away the Dragon Wrasse and put everything back.
Before I do any of this I want to make some more cement "pillars" that will support the entire reef. The way it is now very little rock is actually touching the gravel but Ideally I don't want any rock touching the gravel. That is not going to happen as it is an engineering nightmare but if I can get the rocks to touch on only 3 or 4 places, that would be perfect. Some of the structure will be supported from cables above the tank and the rest will be on a few thin cement pillars.
I went collecting today and added a few thousand amphipods and whatever else was in the catch. I probably added too much but I never had a problem before.
I also added a bunch of pregnant grass shrimp.

 

[Mattl22]

Paul if u ever need a hand when u rescape ur tank I'd be glad to help
Just lmk

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[Paul B]

Thanks Matt, I may just take you up on that, but it will be a boreing day.