Dawn's 56 gallon natural nutrient garden

[vlangel]

LOL
I have never seen it look bad, always a joy to come see the tank " Oh & you too! Lol."
Do you have any micro stars , copepods, amphipods?
I'll be coming back from Pittsburgh around 11am.

I think the macroalgae will all be full of microstars, copepods and amphipods. Although I try to keep them at a minimum, I will not guarantee that there isn't any bubble algae in the macros however, ha ha!

 

[vlangel]

I pruned and cleaned my tank to make it presentable, so decided to take a pic before nature reclaimed it! LOL

 

[kevinl]

Thanks again Dawn, Tank was beautiful as always. But I have to show off your flower gardens, they are beautiful!

 

[vlangel]

Thanks again Dawn, Tank was beautiful as always. But I have to show off your flower gardens, they are beautiful!

Aw, thanks Kevin! That is very kind! I have to say that I love flowers and gardening as much as fish and aquariums.
Good luck with the macros and your fuge!

 

[vlangel]

I need to prune macros this week. So many macros so little space. The red grape has especially grown a lot these past weeks. Hopefully everything will look more opened up after I thin out the macro algae.

 

[vlangel]

I need to prune macros this week. So many macros so little space. The red grape has especially grown a lot these past weeks. Hopefully everything will look more opened up after I thin out the macro algae.

Wow, I removed about a gallon tub's worth. Mostly red grape and gracilaria hayi. The ulva grows fast but this time those red macros grew even faster. When I remove so much I always worry that I went over board and the tank will go south but I am thinking the sump helps keep everything stable until the macroalgae start to grow again.

 

[kevinl]

Wow, I removed about a gallon tub's worth. Mostly red grape and gracilaria hayi. The ulva grows fast but this time those red macros grew even faster. When I remove so much I always worry that I went over board and the tank will go south but I am thinking the sump helps keep everything stable until the macroalgae start to grow again.

your macro's have done very well in my new system. Thanks again

 

[vlangel]

your macro's have done very well in my new system. Thanks again

That's great Kevin, I am glad to hear it! I said in yesterday's post that I filled a gallon tub, but it was actually one of those large Hagan ice-cream tubs so I think that is more than a gallon! Hopefully when yours get establish and take off they won't be burdensome in needing pruned all the time. It's not as bad in a fuge but my display starts to get claustrophobic. My fish finally have some swimming room.

 

[vlangel]

I cleaned the glass today, changed the AC and just did some aquarium housekeeping so I thought I would snap a few pics. I should have waited for the water to clear but oh well. Next month this tank will be 8 years old. The first year it was without sand and had less rock because it was a seahorse tank. Now it is home to 8 fish, and several inverts. There are a few LPS but the coral are predominantly softies, (the oldest being one of the first coral I ever bought, a cabbage leather in the late 1990s). It's not a beauty but I have a soft spot for it because of its longevity with me, ha ha!

FTS

 

[kevinl]

Looking GREAT Dawn!

 

[vlangel]

I ripped through my tank like a hurricane yesterday. It started with just pruning some ulva, quickly progressed to ripping out red grape and gracilaria hayi. Then I removed a couple small rocks/rubble and turned the structure on the left away from the side glass. That created a detritus storm of tempest proportions, LOL. The fish were cowering in the deep recesses of the rock and the coral were shrunk and closed tight. Anyway this morning things looked much better. I made a video but it's not visible until tomorrow so here are some photos instead. The top is yesterday an hour after the hurricane event, the bottom pic is today!

 

[kevinl]

Looking good Dawn, what a difference a day makes!
I wanted to ask the species of these two dominant algae in my fuge?
I was pruning some yesterday too and I was surprised to see how thick it has grown, it was becoming a solid brick in growth.

 

[vlangel]

Looking good Dawn, what a difference a day makes!
I wanted to ask the species of these two dominant algae in my fuge?
I was pruning some yesterday too and I was surprised to see how thick it has grown, it was becoming a solid brick in growth.

Yes, I was pleased to see it so clear this morning and everything open and healthy looking.

The first pic is botrycladia,(slang is red grape caulerpa, which is not a true caulerpa). The second pic I believe is gracilaria hayi (the person who sold it to me called it Red Titan) but not everyone seems to agree on that slang name for that macroalgae. This macro also grows very thick like a brick for me. I think its extremely effective in nutrient uptake.

That is awesome that they are doing so well for you.

 

[vlangel]

I took an early morning pic of the tank. It's what I see when I walk out at 5:30am. It caught the glowing of the coral but not the colors.
I also took a pic of the garden with the patio lights on. Early is my favorite time of day! Of course with a name like Dawn, what would you expect?

 

[vlangel]

A video update, pay no attention to the amateur narrator!

 

[kevinl]

Excellent narrator! You know your tank so well.
You mentioned you love torches, I see none.
Well, I have one for you! Come take your pick, I have probably over 600 heads of different torches to choose from. Maybe we can work out a trade??
Would love to have you come check out my tanks again sometime, I think you came 10 years ago when Jaime had the club come and tour my system. And I do believe my 1st get together with the club was at your house many years ago.

 

[vlangel]

Excellent narrator! You know your tank so well.
You mentioned you love torches, I see none.
Well, I have one for you! Come take your pick, I have probably over 600 heads of different torches to choose from. Maybe we can work out a trade??
Would love to have you come check out my tanks again sometime, I think you came 10 years ago when Jaime had the club come and tour my system. And I do believe my 1st get together with the club was at your house many years ago.

Haha, you made me laugh when you said excellent narrator!
I do love all euphillia including torches. Like the pipe organ, I tried a few early in my reef experience and they did not flourish. I have had better luck with hammers and frogspawn. So I actually haven't tried a torch in probably 15 years. Maybe like the pipe organ i will do better now. A trade would be great if there is anything in my tank that is of interest. I wanted to see your tanks anyway when you got them settled in well.
And yes, I remember you, Jaime, Ted and maybe Jesse coming to my house for a tank tour. And I remember going to your house, (although I am going to need a refresher as to exactly where you live. I picture it north towards Saxonburg? That's awful, I am not that old!).

 

[kevinl]

Great, don't wait till my tanks are settled in well (as you say) that will never happen, lol.
When ever your ready to come I'm ready. That green sinularia you said needed trim interests me.
RT8 north to 228 towards Sarver bout 1 1/2 miles Logan rd. is on the left. House is 314 Logan.
Call me 7243163855

 

[vlangel]

Great, don't wait till my tanks are settled in well (as you say) that will never happen, lol.
When ever your ready to come I'm ready. That green sinularia you said needed trim interests me.
RT8 north to 228 towards Sarver bout 1 1/2 miles Logan rd. is on the left. House is 314 Logan.
Call me 7243163855

That sounds good Kevin. Okay, so I was remembering better than I thought where you live. I shouldn't have any trouble. I will give you a call when I am free. This week is pretty booked up.

You know that sinularia came from Reef Gallery when you own it? Anyway I fragged it the end of last week and both halves are doing well so one has your name on it.