Newbie & Old School

[Subsea]

I was going to allow apprentice, @Brenna Eliaz to start her own tank thread but I threw her a curve with including The Three Amigos and the Three Caulerpa.

Since this is a learning experience, I have adapted Russ Kronwetter, diver owner of

https://www.live-plants.com/staff.htm
as my mentor when it comes to sponges & macro. His free guide is my bible when it comes to macro algae.

https://www.marineplantbook.com/


Display is 29G high glass tank. It is sumpless & skimmerless. Mechanical filters include two HOB AQUACLEAR 70 and one Pennplax cannistar filter and for additional circulation a Maxijet 1200 power head for a max total of 1200GPH circulation. Substrate on bottom is 20 lbs of dry arroggonite. Live rock brought in from previously diver collected rocks.

No testing and no cleaning glass of film algae at this time.

Everything in this tank came from established 10 year old growout tank.

 

[Devaji]

I love sponges and macros so along for the ride.
hopefully I can learn more about keeping more sponges alive for longer. :D

 

[Subsea]

I love sponges and macros so along for the ride.
hopefully I can learn more about keeping more sponges alive for longer. :D

I can’t say I am an expert, because I still have more mistakes to make.

In conversation with Russ Kronwetter, diver/owner of live_plants.com. I have gained more insight into sponge husbandry. As a generalization, the ornate sponges from GulfCoast EcoSystem eat bacteria and are maybe slightly photosynthetic. Russ collects sponges in two location, one location is a horizontal ledge in 60’ of water and the other location is 30’ of water on a vertical ledge. In both locations, Russ stresses the exceptional energy that washes over the reef at times.

@Devaji,
Join conversation on sponge husbandry on

I was going to allow apprentice, @Brenna Eliaz to start her own tank thread but I threw her a curve with including The Three Amigos and the Three Caulerpa.

Since this is a learning experience, I have adapted Russ Kronwetter, diver owner of

https://www.live-plants.com/staff.htm
as my mentor when it comes to sponges & macro. His free guide is my bible when he comes to macro algae.

https://www.marineplantbook.com/


Display is 29G high glass tank. It is sumpless & skimmerless. Mechanical filters include two HOB AQUACLEAR 70 and one Pennplax cannistar filter and for additional circulation a Maxijet 1200 power head for a max total of 1200GPH circulation. Substrate on bottom is 20 lbs of dry arroggonite. Live rock brought in from previously diver collected rocks.

No testing and no cleaning glass of film algae at this time.

Everything in this tank came from established 10 year old growout tank.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-three-amigos-are-sponges.563833/

 

[Subsea]

The live rocks in this tank are dense limestone from Florida reefs. These rocks are recovering from recent tank cash in May.

My favorite macro is Bortacladia, Red Grapes. My best experience was in a 55G growout tank with two 40W florescent tubes, It took up almost half of tank and was a dark burgundy in color. In many cases, this gorgeous macro receives too much light without acclimation. In this new tank set up, I see extreme light intensity for 2 hours in the afternoon and have positioned Bortacladia away from intense natural light.

 

[Devaji]

may favorite macro is "string of pearls", dragons breath and codium. I believe the codium does better in lower temps.

my yellow sponge just got by for maybe 6 months then withered away. love them tho, so hoping to learn more on how to keep em happy and healthy.

my red tree sponge did very well for almost 2 years before the tank move and take down.
will be getting a few more of those for sure.

 

[Subsea]

All sponges & live rocks came from fishless 55G grow out tanks with robust amphipod & copepod populations. Biodiversity was also brought in with two high energy refugium using HOB with coral rubbe full of pods & worms.

Tank is 7 days wet. With natural sunlight coming in thru each corner window, early nuisance algae growth will be a challenge. Yesterday, I added 200 tiny blue leg hermit crabs. They are in charge of the janitor crew.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Following, keep it coming

 

[Subsea]

may favorite macro is "string of pearls", dragons breath and codium. I believe the codium does better in lower temps.

my yellow sponge just got by for maybe 6 months then withered away. love them tho, so hoping to learn more on how to keep em happy and healthy.

my red tree sponge did very well for almost 2 years before the tank move and take down.
will be getting a few more of those for sure.

Please post pictures. I have not seen “string of pearl”. I also have had good results with Dragon’s Breath which is another favorite.

 

[Devaji]

Please post pictures. I have not seen “string of pearl”. I also have had good results with Dragon’s Breath which is another favorite.

I had to take down the tank as some red fluffy algae took over the tank. someone said "cotton candy" at 1st I thought i was cool and keeped it in the tank 6 months later it was all over all my macros, spunges and other coral. the build was over on nano reef I am pretty sure we have talked over there. but i'll see if I can find the link.

 

[Devaji]

@Subsea here is the old build thread. I miss this tank guess I will have to relive it by rereading the thread...haha
https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/374304-20l-macro-build-thread/?tab=comments#comment-5346399

 

[Subsea]

“my red tree sponge did very well for almost 2 years before the tank move and take down.
will be getting a few”

I do like red tree sponge. Kudos to 2 years success with them.

I have kept flame scollops for 2 years and sea apples for 5 years, but not much after 18 months with red & yellow trees. No doubt, I have tooo many tanks.

The last picture shows new growth on Caulerpa Prolifera. This morning, I dosed iron, manganese, idione & nh4

 

[Subsea]

Following, keep it coming

God morning Amigos

 

[Blutspitze]

Very cool - I like the more "natural growth" type look. Very nice.

 

[Subsea]

Very cool - I like the more "natural growth" type look. Very nice.

I like natural also: natural sunlight

 

[Subsea]

Out of all trace minerals that I add, iodine is the most elusive because I can’t easily measure it. Instead, I use recommendation from Kent Marine product and bioindicators from observation.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Out of all trace minerals that I add, iodine is the most elusive because I can’t easily measure it. Instead, I use recommendation from Kent Marine product and bioindicators from observation.

The first ICP test I did 6mo. ago. Had high iodine. I did no WC, or add trace elements. It was coming from foods I fed my children of the sea .

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I like natural also: natural sunlight

I love it. ..... I love it. ...... me like it.

 

[Subsea]

The first ICP test I did 6mo. ago. Had high iodine. I did no WC, or add trace elements. It was coming from foods I fed my children of the sea .

What seafood is high in iodine?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

What seafood is high in iodine?

I include these my 21 herbs & spices recipe , except milk. They are seaweed, dairy, tuna, shrimp and eggs, these high in iodine.