Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank

[Michael Hoaster]

Couple more pics from today:


Neighborinos!


A different angle.


I brought all the caulerpa and gracillaria that I removed down to my LFS, and got some store credit. So, I picked up two different anemone shrimp! One Pederson and the other is a white spotted anemone shrimp - Periclimenes brevicarpalis, I think. I couldn't get decent pics of them but I'll try again later.

I wanted to point out in the full tank shot above, the sand-scaping at the right end. See how it's shallowest at the end, and slopes up around the live rocks? That was all done by the current. I helped by using 3 different substrate sizes. I noticed when snorkeling that there were lots of grain sizes on the sandy bottom. And the currents constantly sculpt them. I'm thrilled to get a similar feel in my tank.

A water change was done today. I don't vacuum the bottom any more. I don't want to destroy the guild of creatures so vital to my system.

I'm getting a few tiny patches of coraline algae on the glass. I guess with the calcium carbonate (and CO2) in my canister filter it is functioning as a mild calcium reactor.

I dosed iron and nitrate after the water change. I'm hoping that the reduction in macro biomass will give my grasses a leg up. Maybe growing blade length is a precursor to rhizome growth, and new plant production. The grasses look great. I just want more of them.

The sodium silicate won't get dosed for another week or two. I'll watch the diatom levels. Test sponges all look good. I think I'm seeing some tiny sea squirts as well.

[Pigpen17]

Somehow I can't see your photos anymore. Can someone quote them?

[Michael Hoaster]

I don't know how to do that.

[sam.basye]

I can't see them on my phone (post #949 using the Tapatalk app.) as they are gif files. The rest have been coming up for me. They are visible in web view though. Which post(s) can you not see the photos?

[Michael Hoaster]

That's weird. I've been uploading 72 dpi jpegs, like always.

[sam.basye]

Define 'like always', Michael... I remember back in the early days of the biotope you getting on my nerves because I had to go out of my way to click Web View on my phone to see pics because they were gif's. Lol you've been better about it recently.. Till now.

Loving that barnacle blenny!
Notice any degradation in the barnacles yet?

[karimwassef]

I have no issues on my iPhone

[Michael Hoaster]

Nope, I just checked. ALL of the photos I've ever uploaded are jpegs. This something I do well, as I'm a graphic designer. Maybe it's because I'm on a Mac? I don't know what RC does to them after upload. Maybe it's your phone.

Sorry you've had trouble, but I've NEVER uploaded gifs.

No, I haven't noticed any degradation.

[sam.basye]

It's all good, you never know what some of this stuff goes through prior to the final product. As long as the pics keep coming (and can be viewed somehow!)

I ask about the barnacles because I have a cluster just like yours that is fine, but my single barnacle is losing pieces here and there.

Have you ever taken a baster to the barnacles? A lot of crap and detritus collect in mine. Not sure if their placement near the mp10 affects the collection or not in mine.

[Michael Hoaster]

I will go through RC's photo procedures again to see if I need to do anything differently. I've never had any trouble myself. Hmm…

Yes, I remember you had one losing material. I wonder what caused that. I know that in a calcium reactor, the CO2 lowers the pH, and this dissolves the calcium carbonate media. It doesn't seem likely you had low pH in your tank, causing it. Maybe barnacle shells are more susceptible. But didn't it happen to the conch shell as well? And you're sure it wasn't the urchins.

I have not blasted the barnacle shells. The barnacle blenny does a funny dance to keep his clean. I didn't see much detritus when I was picking caulerpa off them today, but I'm sure it collects in there.

[karimwassef]

If you're keeping your tank at reef pH, Alk, Ca and Mg levels, they should deteriorate apart from bacterial or other life munching on it.

[Pigpen17]

Yeah, it's me for sure. I used to be able to see the photos in this thread, but I just went back to the beginning and I can't see any of them now. I'll figure it out.

[Michael Hoaster]

Sorry to hear of your troubles Pigpen17. I reviewed RC's photo stuff, and I'm all good. I have gone over the suggested photo width (600 pixels @ 72 dpi) a few times, but I doubt that would cause your issue.

I just checked on my phone (iPhone 6+). All pics present and accounted for, including your pics, Sam. I'm flabbergasted that you would see a gif at your end.

I bet there's some posts on RC regarding this issue.

[karimwassef]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Couple more pics from today:


Neighborinos!


A different angle.


I brought all the caulerpa and gracillaria that I removed down to my LFS, and got some store credit. So, I picked up two different anemone shrimp! One Pederson and the other is a white spotted anemone shrimp - Periclimenes brevicarpalis, I think. I couldn't get decent pics of them but I'll try again later.

I wanted to point out in the full tank shot above, the sand-scaping at the right end. See how it's shallowest at the end, and slopes up around the live rocks? That was all done by the current. I helped by using 3 different substrate sizes. I noticed when snorkeling that there were lots of grain sizes on the sandy bottom. And the currents constantly sculpt them. I'm thrilled to get a similar feel in my tank.

A water change was done today. I don't vacuum the bottom any more. I don't want to destroy the guild of creatures so vital to my system.

I'm getting a few tiny patches of coraline algae on the glass. I guess with the calcium carbonate (and CO2) in my canister filter it is functioning as a mild calcium reactor.

I dosed iron and nitrate after the water change. I'm hoping that the reduction in macro biomass will give my grasses a leg up. Maybe growing blade length is a precursor to rhizome growth, and new plant production. The grasses look great. I just want more of them.

The sodium silicate won't get dosed for another week or two. I'll watch the diatom levels. Test sponges all look good. I think I'm seeing some tiny sea squirts as well.

Quoting as requested...

[karimwassef]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

If you're keeping your tank at reef pH, Alk, Ca and Mg levels, they should deteriorate apart from bacterial or other life munching on it.

Meant to say " should NOT deteriorate "

Small word- big difference

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Karim!

I was puzzled. The 'not' makes me feel less so.

[Michael Hoaster]

It took me a while to find the new shrimp this morning. I found only one, the pederson. Let's call him Junior. He's parked on the sand, within antennae range of touching the anemone. That is very encouraging, this soon after introduction.

I found the shed exoskeleton of the white spotted anemone shrimp, so he'll be hiding for a day or two, I think. This little marvel is a living jewel! Let's call him Spot.

Both shrimp are barely an inch long. They're almost invisible, being transparent, on the sand bed. I'm still struggling to get descent pics. It's fun to have multiple species and sizes of shrimp in the tank.

I wonder if mysids would work in my tank. I can just imagine, a big enough community to equalize with Barnacle Blenny predation, so I no longer have to feed the tank!

[Michael Hoaster]

This is how it started. Looks innocent enough.


Commitment. He's heading over there.


Face off. I didn't get any shots of their mouth gaping threat displays. Seconds after this image, they fought, with the resident fish triumphing. The other guy went back to his old bolt hole. Maybe these are two males. Sure act like it. It doesn't happen very often, so when it does, it's fun to watch. Two too cute fish fighting is nuts! I wonder if I can expect spawning behavior next?

[Michael Hoaster]

The Blennies went at it again. Brace yourself for graphic violence:

Sizing each other up before…



Sizing up each other's mouth…



More mouth threats…



The pounce…



I'm the man…



See ya…



That's it, keep moving…



"I told you I could take him…"



Now relax with these seagrass pics…


Ahh…

[saltwater sam]

Holy pictures! Gorgeous! I might have to post a few myself now..

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Sam! It was fun capturing some action with the fish.

And I finally got a descent pic of the seagrasses. Some of those blades are approaching 30 inches I think.

[carmelpi]

I think i know what the issue is with pics (which are gorgeous, btw, now that i can see them). For whatever reason tapatalk is treating them like i'm not logged so rc won't let me see them. If i go to safari, it lets me see them once i've logged in.

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks, carmelpi. Hopefully that fixes it for everyone.

[Michael Hoaster]

I just spent considerable time, trying to get a good avatar image. It's tricky, getting an image that size to work well. I went through several, before finally settling on one. It's a challenging photo design exercise!

[karimwassef]

Or not at all if you pick a generic one