Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[Subsea]

I did get a purple sea fan in the order. Nonphotosynthetic. Depending on how it looks, it may initially go in a dark refugium. Might try one of the sponges there too.

But the rest will go into the display. I do have a mithrax crab that loves to clean the microalgae off if things I add, as well as a number of hermits including blue legs.

This purple sea fan sits 4” from actinic led light bar. He has been there for about a month. Actinic bar stays on for 24/7 with three other 110W light bars at 10K color spectrum.

PS: Excuse film algae on glass. I had to unplug actinic light bar due to iPad exaggerating “the blue”.

 

[Subsea]

I did get a purple sea fan in the order. Nonphotosynthetic. Depending on how it looks, it may initially go in a dark refugium. Might try one of the sponges there too.

But the rest will go into the display. I do have a mithrax crab that loves to clean the microalgae off if things I add, as well as a number of hermits including blue legs.

I also got a NPS Purple Sea Whip in same shipment as NPS Yellow Gorgonian: less than 48 hours ago. Red tree sponge in bottom right of this picture came in on the same shipment: note accumulation of micro algae/detritus on surface tips. This was one of two magnificent Red Tree Sponges received two days ago. The other one is in 75G display in bright white light with numerous small Blue Legged hermit crabs maintaining his beauty.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I also got a NPS Purple Sea Whip in same shipment as NPS Yellow Gorgonian: less than 48 hours ago. Red tree sponge in bottom right of this picture came in on the same shipment: note accumulation of micro algae/detritus on surface tips. This was one of two magnificent Red Tree Sponges received two days ago. The other one is in 75G display in bright white light with numerous small Blue Legged hermit crabs maintaining his beauty.

Thanks! :)

 

[Subsea]

With respect to sponges, let’s talk organic chemistry and exudates of corals & macros. The results that I describe was Dutch research scientific peer reviewed paper in academia lab with cryptic sponges. I will summarize what I remember and go look for the article to post details.

Both corals & macros produce exudates as a byproduct of photosynthesis. In general, coral exudates/DOC are lipids & proteins and algae exudates/DOC are glucose. Cryptic Sponges consumed both coral & algae DOC as well as POC. Particulate Organic Carbon was consumed to the extent that sponge body biomass would have doubled every 5 hours but for the amount of carbon rich detritus that cryptic sponges produce to feed the microbial loop. In my cryptic refugium, I call this stuff MULM.

PS: I am presently circulating between 120G & 75G display tanks. This allows me to move stuff between tanks with no acclimation required.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sponges certainly take up DOC and POC. What is not well established, IMO, is how much of an effect the amounts and types of sponges reefers keep have on aquarium organic levels. It would be nice if there were such data, but it is quite hard to generate.

 

[Subsea]

Sponges certainly take up DOC and POC. What is not well established, IMO, is how much of an effect the amounts and types of sponges reefers keep have on aquarium organic levels. It would be nice if there were such data, but it is quite hard to generate.

Too many variables for average hobbyists and academia grants for wild reefs & fisheries are available but no such research money is available for reef aquariums.

However, I have read a peer reviewed paper that did use reef aquariums to research effectiveness of carbon dosing in reef aquariums. One of the surprising results that compared DOC removed by protein skimming, granulated activated carbon and reef aquarium bio-chemistry was that a mature reef aquarium biochemistry was many times more effective at removing DOC. Types of DOC removed were not separated as to which organisms removed which DOC.

 

[Subsea]

This is one arrangement with sponges, gorgonians and ornamental seaweed I received from GCE.

 

[Rocks reef]

I also got a NPS Purple Sea Whip in same shipment as NPS Yellow Gorgonian: less than 48 hours ago. Red tree sponge in bottom right of this picture came in on the same shipment: note accumulation of micro algae/detritus on surface tips. This was one of two magnificent Red Tree Sponges received two days ago. The other one is in 75G display in bright white light with numerous small Blue Legged hermit crabs maintaining his beauty.

Blue legged hermits do a great job at keeping things clean

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This is one arrangement with sponges, gorgonians and ornamental seaweed I received from GCE.

Nice!

What is the blue organism at the base of the gorgonion?

 

[Subsea]

Nice!

What is the blue organism at the base of the gorgonion?

It & the Gorgonion were a surprise from some diver collected uncured Gulf Live Rock. Neither was evident until 1 year in tank and that was 5 years ago. It is a closed brain coral.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It & the Gorgonion were a surprise from some diver collected uncured Gulf Live Rock. Neither was evident until 1 year in tank and that was 5 years ago. It is a closed brain coral.

Very cool. I did not know corals like that lived in Florida.

 

[Subsea]

Very cool. I did not know corals like that lived in Florida.

I was definitely pleasantly surprised. Also a recent big surprise is the effectiveness of Florida Fighting Conch at eliminating Dinoflagellate lingering outbreak. Another pleasant event is the recent high quality of red, yellow & orange sponges and nps Gorgonion with polyps flying in shipping bags.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

An ORA cherry red goniopora came up in the TSA live sale just now, so I grabbed one for delivery Wednesday. We’ll see if anything else good comes up to add to the order. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What do people think of trochus snails? I’m considering adding a few onto my tsa order.

 

[twentyleagues]

Trochus snails are work horses and usually able to right themselves if they fall. I like them more so than astrea or turbo.

 

[rtparty]

What do people think of trochus snails? I’m considering adding a few onto my tsa order.

Trochus and cerith are my go to snails

 

[twentyleagues]

Trochus and cerith are my go to snails

Mine as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks. I added some trochus to my tsa order, along with an inexpensive red setosa montipora frag (not wysiwyg)

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[glmory]

Not sure how common this is, but I like how my banded trochus snails breed in the aquarium. Bought five, three months later probably have twenty small snails the largest about the diameter of a dime.

I may start to regret this as they get into my overflow, but clean up crew that can breed in the aquarium and adjust in population to the availability of food seems ideal. Too few marine snails seem capable of doing this in an aquarium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Not sure how common this is, but I like how my banded trochus snails breed in the aquarium. Bought five, three months later probably have twenty small snails the largest about the diameter of a dime.

I may start to regret this as they get into my overflow, but clean up crew that can breed in the aquarium and adjust in population to the availability of food seems ideal. Too few marine snails seem capable of doing this in an aquarium.

I did see that mentioned by tsa and I hope it’s true, but there’s the risk they may all fall to the small mantis or whelk. TSA said they were more resistant to crabs than other snails, due to their shape. Hoping the can survive. :)