Coral Farmers - Page 2

jdthomas · 01/12/2000, 06:52 AM

I have a 40 breeder, 2-10gals, and a 25 for propagation. I am doing mainly leathers & polyps. My display tanks (75,180) are just to full of stuff to prop in there.
My question is about the lighting. What lighting do you use?? How many 'crops' do you get before the bulbs need to be changed?? Every time I try to figure it at a different angle, I come up with the same thing. Is is VERY difficult to show a profit on small-scale, artificial lit, captive propagation. The initial cost, electric cost, and maintenance costs, all eat up the price of the coral pretty quick. Faster growth needs higher intensity lighting, therefore more cost. I currently use MV on my 40, but the growth rate isnt as good as under the MH in my reef. I save money on bulbs & initial cost, but lose it all back in slow growth rate. I am trying various other setups on the other tanks. The 2-10gals are used just for testing lighting.
There has to be a sweet spot somewhere in terms of size/lighting/growth rate. Any ideas??

Kirbster · 01/12/2000, 09:14 PM

Bill,

I've come up with several ways after discovering superglue was useless on trees. The simplest is to fill a deli cup with rock rubble, drop the frag in, and wait a week. It usually ends up attached to a piece of rubble. I had some losses due to lack of current in the cups, so I changed methods recently.

I get a piece of rubble like an acropora skeleton branch or something similar and use a plastic zip-tie to firmly tie the frag against the piece of rubble. Then I put it in strong light and current, and I usually get attachement within a week.

What I'm having trouble with is Sinularia brassica. Can't get them to attach to anything but the smooth side of half-shells. I am going to start trying bridal veil to get them on rocks. Nobody wants them on shells.

KA

horge · 01/12/2000, 09:28 PM

billsreef:
Helios aren't actually too common wghere I snorkel, and are the worst topic for any sort of habitat-description, given the range of conditions they can adapt to. Fishermen do assure me they are plentiful on reefs far from shore.

Colonies found on near-shore reefs are typically dessert-plate sized, many-humped discs on near-vertical reef faces. I recorded temps from 79 to 84 deg F, over depths from 50cm to 3m (the limit of my snorkelling ablity, I'm afraid).

They seem to locate themselves in robust to severe water movement. Whether this is an indicator of preference, or a limiting factor on competitors I cannot hazard.

Still Reefs · 01/12/2000, 10:25 PM

Hey Bill and Kirbster,

I don't have too much experience with different tree softies but have done a little with Sinularia sp. I find that using bridal veil netting works best. I don't cover the whole cutting instead, like the cable tie method, I make a veil "band-aid" over the base of the cutting and tie it in a knot under the rock. Lay the cutting on the rock on its side then just tie it on. The veil covers a little more surface area than the cables ties while allowing space for covered polyps to extend.

Hope this helps! I like talking about prop methodology!

------------------
Sean Bradley
Photographer : Still Reefs Photographic
Productions
Still Reefs' Home

IronLung · 01/13/2000, 01:00 PM

i've had bad and good experiances with several leathers....cabbage seems to be very hardy when propping...have had lots of luck with colt...did allrite with toadstools...i think with the harder skinned leathers u can get away with gluing...using the veil on softer leathers is always good....i had alot of problems trying to section off a carnation a while back and ended up losing the nice piece...******* i am...

one method i'm am gonna try soon with colt corals will be to slice a section of the base then drill a hole on a piece of LR for the piece to sit in...then run a line through the colt and around the rock to hold the piece in place till attachment...i wonder if the dendros can take this much stress

------------------
Art site http://members.tripod.com/FeedyourMind/
Reef site http://members.tripod.com/ReefPatch/Index.htm

goby · 01/13/2000, 01:38 PM

Ironlung,

I have proped colts like this...only the LR alredy had holes in it... I tried everything..rubberbands, superglue, even fishing line sewed into the flesh of the colt.. and nothing would keep it stuck to the rock, eventually, out of frustration, I just dropped it in a hole in the LR.. a week later, I went to move it to try another method of attaching it, and when i picked it up, the rock came with it

I have another one that is in a rock right now, I'll let you know how well it attaches...

g
o
b
y

------------------
The quest ( and the questions) continues...
www.iag.net/~vigg

Kirbster · 01/13/2000, 11:08 PM

Iron,

The only problem I have had with the wedge-'em-in-a-hole method is apparent infections wiping out cuttings. I attribute this to the cut area being in a low-flow, somewhat stagnant area (the hole in the rock). I suppose this can be fixed by allowing the cutting to heal before cramming it into the rock.

KA

Jeff C · 01/13/2000, 11:29 PM

I am currently setting up my first reef tank and would love to know how I could get as much tank-raised stuff as possible. You all are on the right track as I know I would personally be willing to spend more money if necessary to obtain tank-raised species.

How would I go about buying corals (or fish for that matter) from any of you in about 6 months when I will be ready for some corals?

Jeff

01/12/2000, 06:52 AM	#26
jdthomas Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Missouri Posts: 102	I have a 40 breeder, 2-10gals, and a 25 for propagation. I am doing mainly leathers & polyps. My display tanks (75,180) are just to full of stuff to prop in there. My question is about the lighting. What lighting do you use?? How many 'crops' do you get before the bulbs need to be changed?? Every time I try to figure it at a different angle, I come up with the same thing. Is is VERY difficult to show a profit on small-scale, artificial lit, captive propagation. The initial cost, electric cost, and maintenance costs, all eat up the price of the coral pretty quick. Faster growth needs higher intensity lighting, therefore more cost. I currently use MV on my 40, but the growth rate isnt as good as under the MH in my reef. I save money on bulbs & initial cost, but lose it all back in slow growth rate. I am trying various other setups on the other tanks. The 2-10gals are used just for testing lighting. There has to be a sweet spot somewhere in terms of size/lighting/growth rate. Any ideas??

01/12/2000, 09:14 PM	#27
Kirbster Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Lansing, MI Posts: 271	Bill, I've come up with several ways after discovering superglue was useless on trees. The simplest is to fill a deli cup with rock rubble, drop the frag in, and wait a week. It usually ends up attached to a piece of rubble. I had some losses due to lack of current in the cups, so I changed methods recently. I get a piece of rubble like an acropora skeleton branch or something similar and use a plastic zip-tie to firmly tie the frag against the piece of rubble. Then I put it in strong light and current, and I usually get attachement within a week. What I'm having trouble with is Sinularia brassica. Can't get them to attach to anything but the smooth side of half-shells. I am going to start trying bridal veil to get them on rocks. Nobody wants them on shells. KA

01/12/2000, 09:28 PM	#28
horge Reefer Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Philippines Posts: 1,876	billsreef: Helios aren't actually too common wghere I snorkel, and are the worst topic for any sort of habitat-description, given the range of conditions they can adapt to. Fishermen do assure me they are plentiful on reefs far from shore. Colonies found on near-shore reefs are typically dessert-plate sized, many-humped discs on near-vertical reef faces. I recorded temps from 79 to 84 deg F, over depths from 50cm to 3m (the limit of my snorkelling ablity, I'm afraid). They seem to locate themselves in robust to severe water movement. Whether this is an indicator of preference, or a limiting factor on competitors I cannot hazard.

01/12/2000, 10:25 PM	#29
Still Reefs Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Mandeville, Louisiana, USA Posts: 60	Hey Bill and Kirbster, I don't have too much experience with different tree softies but have done a little with Sinularia sp. I find that using bridal veil netting works best. I don't cover the whole cutting instead, like the cable tie method, I make a veil "band-aid" over the base of the cutting and tie it in a knot under the rock. Lay the cutting on the rock on its side then just tie it on. The veil covers a little more surface area than the cables ties while allowing space for covered polyps to extend. Hope this helps! I like talking about prop methodology! ------------------ Sean Bradley Photographer : Still Reefs Photographic Productions Still Reefs' Home

01/13/2000, 01:00 PM	#30
IronLung Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Long Island Posts: 127	i've had bad and good experiances with several leathers....cabbage seems to be very hardy when propping...have had lots of luck with colt...did allrite with toadstools...i think with the harder skinned leathers u can get away with gluing...using the veil on softer leathers is always good....i had alot of problems trying to section off a carnation a while back and ended up losing the nice piece...******* i am... one method i'm am gonna try soon with colt corals will be to slice a section of the base then drill a hole on a piece of LR for the piece to sit in...then run a line through the colt and around the rock to hold the piece in place till attachment...i wonder if the dendros can take this much stress ------------------ Art site http://members.tripod.com/FeedyourMind/ Reef site http://members.tripod.com/ReefPatch/Index.htm

01/13/2000, 01:38 PM	#31
goby Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: orlando, fl Posts: 1,125	Ironlung, I have proped colts like this...only the LR alredy had holes in it... I tried everything..rubberbands, superglue, even fishing line sewed into the flesh of the colt.. and nothing would keep it stuck to the rock, eventually, out of frustration, I just dropped it in a hole in the LR.. a week later, I went to move it to try another method of attaching it, and when i picked it up, the rock came with it I have another one that is in a rock right now, I'll let you know how well it attaches... g o b y ------------------ The quest ( and the questions) continues... www.iag.net/~vigg

01/13/2000, 11:08 PM	#32
Kirbster Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Lansing, MI Posts: 271	Iron, The only problem I have had with the wedge-'em-in-a-hole method is apparent infections wiping out cuttings. I attribute this to the cut area being in a low-flow, somewhat stagnant area (the hole in the rock). I suppose this can be fixed by allowing the cutting to heal before cramming it into the rock. KA

01/13/2000, 11:29 PM	#33
Jeff C Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 7	I am currently setting up my first reef tank and would love to know how I could get as much tank-raised stuff as possible. You all are on the right track as I know I would personally be willing to spend more money if necessary to obtain tank-raised species. How would I go about buying corals (or fish for that matter) from any of you in about 6 months when I will be ready for some corals? Jeff