25 year old 75G Jaubert Plenum on top with 30G EcoSystem Mud/Macro

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Sea Apple is on the move

Thanks for updates, comrade

 

[Subsea]

@Subsea Do you use your tap water as top off water or do you use RO water? One of your posts states you get your water from the Trinity Aquifer, is that what you use for top off/evaporation replacement?

Make up water comes straight from Middle Trinity Aquifer from 1000’ depth at 80 degrees. This water is heavy in dissolved solids with TDS at 1000. The Aquifer is saturated with silicates, calcium, magnesium, sulfur.

I add untreated water to inside and outside systems. I consider the minerals introduced with Aquifer water of benefit as it is incorporated into the biomass of algae & coral. I regularly add iron, iodine and potassium nitrate. I feed heavy with live bivalves, frozen & dry flakes. I grow phytoplankton that I add to my display tanks. I do zero water changes with the exception of discarding gravel vacuume water from display tanks.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Make up water comes straight from Middle Trinity Aquifer from 1000’ depth at 80 degrees. This water is heavy in dissolved solids with TDS at 1000. The Aquifer is saturated with silicates, calcium, magnesium, sulfur.

I add untreated water to inside and outside systems. I consider the minerals introduced with Aquifer water of benefit as it is incorporated into the biomass of algae & coral. I regularly add iron, iodine and potassium nitrate. I feed heavy with live bivalves, frozen & dry flakes. I grow phytoplankton that I add to my display tanks. I do zero water changes with the exception of discarding gravel vacuume water from display tanks.

I like simple, thanks for sharing

 

[Subsea]

Are the yellow ball and orange elephant ear sponges NPS or mildly photosynthetic or highly photosynthetic?

Thanks!

I consider the elephant ear sponge as mildly photosynthetic. Just an assumption.

 

[mshonk]

What a fantastic read! I haven't even made it halfway through, no spoilers please. But I had to say this is the material I want to read. Facts, theories, and the execution to achieve said concepts.

 

[Subsea]

I like simple, thanks for sharing

What a fantastic read! I haven't even made it halfway through, no spoilers please. But I had to say this is the material I want to read. Facts, theories, and the execution to achieve said concepts.

Thank you for the encouraging comment. I usually try to break down complex scenarios into individual cause & effect. It keeps me busy doing R & D.

 

[mshonk]

Thank you for the encouraging comment. I usually try to break down complex scenarios into individual cause & effect. I keeps me busy doing R & D.

It is greatly appreciated. I am an analyst and engineer with a love for biology. I understand the concepts but without the details like provided here I don't understand what makes them tick. I feel that that is the most important part, a fundamental understanding of the various systems and approaches. Without this how can one truly trouble shoot or provide a stable environment for the critters we enjoy. Always learning. Always humble.

 

[Camilo Lessa]

OK Subsea, what is this, & have the authorities given appropiate approval for domestic use?

He

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aqua...S2_JC-tSDhbWq-8o0_gGoORtoiNxPrjwaAgz8EALw_wcB

Acrylic tube with LED rope light with 4:1 ratio of red to blue led. Initially led rope was 16’ but tube was too warm. After two test runs, I cut off 8’ and then another 2’. Final cut reduduced wattage from 50W to 22W with a water temperature of 87 degrees. I paid $120 for tube with brackets and $20 for rope light. I have a second phytoplankton reactor that I made from a water thermos jug. It has 15W of PAR 38 bulb and 78 degree water. I reduced air flow rate to increase water temperature. This diy cost < $30.

Hello subsea. Do you think is better to have Plankton Reactor or its the same if i buy plankton and put in the aquarium?
By the way which do you prefer, Aqua Medic Plankton Light Reactor or the reactor that you made?
Regards

 

[Subsea]

After a lot of neglect, I am back on track. Just did receive a large shipment of various seaweeds. Bortacladia was put in both tanks. The 120 has much higher light intensity, which bleached and melted some of the Bortacladia macro.

 

[Mortie31]

After a lot of neglect, I am back on track. Just did receive a large shipment of various seaweeds. Bortacladia was put in both tanks. The 120 has much higher light intensity, which bleached and melted macro.

Good to see you back

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

After a lot of neglect, I am back on track. Just did receive a large shipment of various seaweeds. Bortacladia was put in both tanks. The 120 has much higher light intensity, which bleached and melted macro.

Beautiful

 

[Subsea]

Four different Caulerpa’s, two differrent Red Gracilaria and some Flower anemones.

 

[Subsea]

This is a Feather Caulerpa that I have never had.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

Two more feather Caulerpa’s.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

My personal favorites are Red Grapes & Red Gracilaria

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

 

[Subsea]

Th fish seem to like green more than red, grazing on two different Caulerpa’s.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

[This species of Caulerpa is a large variety that can reach blade widths of up to 2" and a height of about 12". Unlike its cousin, Caulerpa Sertulariodes, it prefers slightly deeper habitats and often is found on the edges of channels in depths of 20 ft or more. It features a thick rhizome, split into individual cylindrical fronds that grows horizontally on the sea floor. Younger specimens are often confused with Sertulariodes, as they are very similar in characteristics and are often sold as "feather algae" in the aquarium trade. Because of its size, its fairly slow growing and will not overgrow its environment like other species do. When pruning the large rhizome, pinching the tissue is best so that a minimal amount of chemical is released into the aquarium.]

 

[Subsea]

I have only one Tang, a Hippo who chooses to graze on new green macro growth from two Caulerpa species. which have white/opaque growth tips. I can only imagine that nutritional value is higher at point of new growth. Does @Scrubber_steve or @Dana Riddle have some thoughts on this.

 

[Subsea]

It is greatly appreciated. I am an analyst and engineer with a love for biology. I understand the concepts but without the details like provided here I don't understand what makes them tick. I feel that that is the most important part, a fundamental understanding of the various systems and approaches. Without this how can one truly trouble shoot or provide a stable environment for the critters we enjoy. Always learning. Always humble.

I am a Marine Engineer that has had a reef aquarium addiction for 48 years. With respect to details that make things tick. Two PHD scientist highlighted my quest to understand: Martin Moe & Randy Holmes Farley. In the early 1970’s at a Marine Aquarium Conference, Martin Moe as a marine biologist said, “It’s not rocket science, it’s more complicated”. More recently, Randy said about biochemistry to me, “We sent a man to the moon 40 years ago, yet we can’t cure cancer”. When John Tullock, PhD micro biologist, wrote the The Natural Reef Aquarium, he brought it all together for me, “LESS TECHNOLOGY & More Biology”.

 

[DxMarinefish]

I am a Marine Engineer that has had a reef aquarium addiction for 48 years. With respect to details that make things tick. Two PHD scientist highlighted my quest to understand: Martin Moe & Randy Holmes Farley. In the early 1970’s at a Marine Aquarium Conference, Martin Moe as a marine biologist said, “It’s not rocket science, it’s more complicated”. More recently, Randy said about biochemistry to me, “We sent a man to the moon 40 years ago, yet we can’t cure cancer”. When John Tullock, PhD micro biologist, wrote the The Natural Reef Aquarium, he brought it all together for me, “LESS TECHNOLOGY & More Biology”.

Definitely “LESS TECHNOLOGY & More Biology” for me.
I run two ATS, a skimmer that skims back into the sump and lots of LR.
Tank is looking good and lots of filter feeders feeding away.

 

[Subsea]

Definitely “LESS TECHNOLOGY & More Biology” for me.
I run two ATS, a skimmer that skims back into the sump and lots of LR.
Tank is looking good and lots of filter feeders feeding away.

I noticed on your “sponge in bottle” thread, you mentioned living in uk. How do you get your sponges? Could you post some picture of them. Why are you feeding skim-mate into your sump?

Perhaps with so much live rock, your sponges came in as hitchhikers.

 

[DxMarinefish]

I noticed on your “sponge in bottle” thread, you mentioned living in uk. How do you get your sponges? Could you post some picture of them. Why are you feeding skim-mate into your sump?

Perhaps with so much live rock, your sponges came in as hitchhikers.

I got the sponges in my tank from LR, and must also have come as hitch hikers on corals I have purchased. So your assumption is correct.

I also feed Zeovit Sponge Power daily into the tank. While I run a Triton Based system, I do like the sponge power from my days on the zeovit method.

I feed skimate back in because of the many filter feeders I have and because I still like the idea of running skimless for as long as I can get away with it.
The stability I have achieved is based on not skimming out all that food.

As for pics, I am very lazy when it comes to that. I’ll see whether I have any, or try and take a few.

I really must start a tank thread

 

[Subsea]

I got the sponges in my tank from LR, and must also have come as hitch hikers on corals I have purchased. So your assumption is correct.

I also feed Zeovit Sponge Power daily into the tank. While I run a Triton Based system, I do like the sponge power from my days on the zeovit method.

I feed skimate back in because of the many filter feeders I have and because I still like the idea of running skimless for as long as I can get away with it.
The stability I have achieved is based on not skimming out all that food.

As for pics, I am very lazy when it comes to that. I’ll see whether I have any, or try and take a few.

I really must start a tank thread

I have been skimmerless for 40+ years. Oxygen exchange is critical in a reef tank particularly during lights out in main display. Skimmers accomplish that goal. I engineer into my system design good air/water interface with aggressive circulation at surface of display tank and tumbling water from display to sump.