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

[DxMarinefish]

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.

I really like your approach

 

[Subsea]

Good morning tank. Lights on for 10 minutes.

 

[Subsea]

Thinning out cabbage leathers convinced me to add GAC to HOB.

Much of macro recently added to this tank has been thinned out by grazing Hippo. Only Gracilaria Parvispora & Gracilaria Tikvahiae remain in two places: more subdued light produced a dark burgundy in Tikvahiae and a pale yellow/orange with intense light.

 

[Subsea]

I got some new green macro to test Hippo grazing. Gracilaria Parvispora on conch shell. (Red Ogo)

Two months ago two Feather Caulerpa were first choice for Hippo grazing, then Caulerpa Prolifera, then Bortacladia (Red Grapes), then Gracilaria Tikvahiae, Gracilaria Parvispora.

 

[fishlover1478]

this tank is amazing

 

[Subsea]

First, I just realized that the plenum under my sandbed is a cryptic refugium.

Moved Yellow Ball Sponge from 120G into 75G.. Also, cut frags from Gorgonian in 120G and placed in 75G tank.

Due to damage from Astrae Starfish; moved two ornamental red macros (Gracilaria Parvispora & Bortacladia)

 

[Paul B]

Subsea, you are doing really well for a Noob.

 

[Subsea]

Subsea, you are doing really well for a Noob.

@Paul B
Thank you for the compliment.

I am 6 months older than you and you have been reefing 6 months longer than me. We both collected critters and mud for our first tank. I think you might be more “Old School” than me. In either case, Marry Christmas and Happy Birthday.

I thought about you as I ordered $200 worth of the “little people” from Hawaii: http://ipsf.com/
It’s easier than going 100 miles south to the mud flats near Corpus Christie.

I just did cuttings from Gorgonion in 120G and moved to 75G. Within the hour they were flying feathers.

Shaving Brush & Mermaids Fan both have new plants sprouting, I assume from runners because of large separation distance.

 

[Subsea]

Grazing by Hippo is not slowed down with Grape Caulerpa. Hippo does not graze on Gracilaria Parvispora, red Ogo. Neither does he graze on Maidens Fan, Shaving Brush, Cacti or Pine Cone.

Clown Fish is nesting in Flower Anemone

 

[Subsea]

Decided to move Yellow Ball & Red Tree Sponges from 120G to 75G tank. From high light & very high flow to moderate light and moderate flow. For certain, feather duster & anemone show much better and am considering moving most anemone from 120G except for RBT which is candidate for hosting clown fish.

 

[Tristren]

Really amazing and healthy looking as always.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

WOW! Nice, thanks for sharing.

 

[Subsea]

Moving more sponges into this tank and am considering Sea Apple.p

 

[vlangel]

Good luck with the sponges Patrick. I have contemplated a sea apple myself but I do have 1 powerhead in the display and that makes me nervous.

 

[Subsea]

Good luck with the sponges Patrick. I have contemplated a sea apple myself but I do have 1 powerhead in the display and that makes me nervous.

While Sea Apples sometimes move around, not near as much as Bubble Tip Anemone. In my 120G, a clown has harassed/nested in Sea Apple for a year. I added BTA a week ago and Clown has deserted Sea Apple. I think Sea Apple will show better in my 75G tank, plus I have invested in more micro fauna & fana as sandbed detrivores in 75G tank.

 

[tvan]

Nice system, I'm a fan of cryptic, just hard to get parts..

 

[vlangel]

I have avoided BTAs, (along with a sea apple) also but a local reefer friend offered me a rainbow BTA so I got one. It has moved to a pinnacle of a dead stoney coral on the opposite side of the display tank from my powerhead. It is also on the same side and very near my overflow. So near in fact that when it has split new rainbow BTAs went over the overflow and now I have 2 in my fuge, ha ha. Unfortunately my CB occelaris clownfish is not the slightest bit interested in the nem which is disappointing.

I could keep a sea apple in the fuge but I will not get to enjoy it as much there as in the display. I do go down in the basement almost every day however to look at the fuge so I would enjoy it down there more than I probably think I would. That tank is more utilitarian but it has a natural beauty too, so maybe that is what I will do.

 

[Subsea]

I have avoided BTAs, (along with a sea apple) also but a local reefer friend offered me a rainbow BTA so I got one. It has moved to a pinnacle of a dead stoney coral on the opposite side of the display tank from my powerhead. It is also on the same side and very near my overflow. So near in fact that when it has split new rainbow BTAs went over the overflow and now I have 2 in my fuge, ha ha. Unfortunately my CB occelaris clownfish is not the slightest bit interested in the nem which is disappointing.

I could keep a sea apple in the fuge but I will not get to enjoy it as much there as in the display. I do go down in the basement almost every day however to look at the fuge so I would enjoy it down there more than I probably think I would. That tank is more utilitarian but it has a natural beauty too, so maybe that is what I will do.

Dawn,
Glad your RBTA are reproducing. Kudos to you..

I would highly recommend keeping Sea Apple in your display refugium/sump. Algae filter or phytoplankton reactor for all your filter feeders including corals would be of added benefit. In days past, when I operated Jaubert Plenum with dsb, as I stirred sandbed the Sea Apple operated in fast forward feeding mode.

I just did move Sea Apple from 120G to 75G tank.

 

[Subsea]

7 yrs ago.

 

[Subsea]

Nice system, I'm a fan of cryptic, just hard to get parts..

When I looked at Steve Tyree website/store I felt prices were excessive, when the stuff was available. I had previously seen some of the cryptic inhabitants on diver collected live rock. I was fortunate as a friend with a large cryptic refugium gave me a seed rock.