Great Barrier Reef WARNING LOTS OF PHOTOS! - Page 5

MJD 1 · 02/10/2007, 08:13 PM

wow just went through the whole thread..

Simply amazing....

MJD

Angel*Fish · 02/10/2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MJD 1
wow just went through the whole thread..

Simply amazing....

MJD

I agree - and it's not just the subjects, the photography is excellent.

edwing206 · 02/15/2007, 05:51 PM

those pics are amazing. got any more?

55semireef · 02/17/2007, 06:55 PM

I love the ocean! Nothing compares to it.

steve70 · 02/18/2007, 08:40 PM

Your pictures are very stunning. Thanks for sharing.

55semireef · 02/18/2007, 10:44 PM

Everytime I look at those photos I want to visit the beach!!!

mbbuna · 02/20/2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by edr42
[B]

Does anyone have an ID for this clam?

i cant see enough of the shell to be 100% sure.

first guess would be Maxima because of how close the scutes are too one another. the only other species it could be is Squamosa

Chaotic Reefer4u · 02/20/2007, 10:49 PM

very nice nad beautiful reefshots, thanx for sharing...

schrun209 · 02/22/2007, 11:30 AM

Great pics, looks like an awesome place for snorkeling/scuba.

tk1360 · 02/28/2007, 08:04 PM

Quite impressive. Unfortunately when I last checked Lake Ontario was severely lacking in reefs. Thanks alot for letting us share "yours".
My closest experience was gulf of mexico which doesn't even hold a candle to what you have in your very back yard.
I think I better start planning a trip as a graduation gift to myself. lol

edr42 · 03/10/2007, 07:34 AM

Alright people, i'm back up and settled in Townsville.
I haven't been out to the reef yet, at least for diving, but i have been wandering around on the JCU uni research vessel.
My tank has been rebooted, and is coming along nicely.

This year i've got a fisheries science class, so we went out on the boat to test the BDO's (bycatch reduction devices) for prawn trawling.
I've attached a couple of photos from that trip, bear in mind that all the sharks, rays, sea snakes, etc that we caught were released. The rest were bagged and taken back to the labs (except for the prawns which were eaten

.

Hopefully i should be diving again by the next weekend, so stay tuned for more photos from the GBR.

Alright:
My old clowns from last year (i traded them in while the tank was being re done)

Boo!

Now THIS is a prawn! These are from the research trip on monday.

Little shark (was released unharmed)

This is the JCU research vessel, custom built for the uni.

My new tank set up (sorry for the dodgy photo, i only took it a minute ago so i will post better soon)

The research boat (R.V. James Kirby) was rented out for 4 months recently for a movie. "Fools Gold" is shot all on board the uni boat (they hadn't got round to painting the 'Reale Thing' name off the back of the boat when i was out on it). Just a curious fact.

Anyway, i will be posting new tank shots soon, and there should be more UW reef shots by next week.

edr42 · 03/10/2007, 07:46 AM

My tank specs are as follows: 40 gal reef with 192 watts PC lighting plus 60 watts actinic fluro, 20 gal sump running a skimmer, and a RDSB (Remote Deep Sand Bed), and other odds and ends. 1500lph return pump, 2500lph and 600lph circulation pumps.

Livestock includes a bunch of soft mushrooms (freebies), a pair of black & white occelaris clowns (i'm pretty sure the female is wild caught), a very friendly and useful coral beauty, and three chromis. The cb constantly keeps the rocks free of algae, and even eats flake food with the chromis. Quite an outgoing critter.

I plan to collect corals this weekend, and the only other possible addition is a small bubble tip anemone (split from another reefer's RBT).

I have finally achieved 0 nitrates (yay!!), and all other params are good (0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, 8.2pH)

melev · 03/10/2007, 12:31 PM

It looks like a lot of stuff was caught, based on those pictures. Tiny fish too. All that goes back in the ocean, or only the stuff you listed specifically? You sure get to lead an interesting life.

Why did you say your Coral Beauty was "useful"? I love them, but wondered if you had more details.

Where can you collect corals for your own tank?

edr42 · 03/10/2007, 07:09 PM

The thing about prawn trawling is that it's quite non selective. All of those little fish are doomed once they are in the nets, but we let all the big (or still kicking) stuff go after it was weighed and measured. The point of our trip was to test devices that reduce bycatch. It's relatively easy to exclude large things with good swimming ability from the catch, but separating out prawns and fish that are almost the same in size and swimming ability is almost impossible.
The best solution i've seen so far is the use of hopper tanks. These are huge tubs of sea water on the back deck, and all the nets are emptied into them and the end of the trawl. The prawns tend to sink to the bottom, and the fish swim around at the surface of mid water, so you just have to skim the fish off leaving the prawns behind and sending most things back alive.

My little coral beauty is all the things i was told it wasn't be! It's very outgoing, nips around all over the tank, will fight the chromis for flakes at meal times, and has done a fine job at reducing the algae in the tank. The little guy is always picking at the rocks, even though he feeds aggressively twice a day. Oh, and he looks fantastic!

There's an place on an island near me where the zonation plan allows for "collecting" which means no more than 5 of any species, but you can collect them. Which is fantastic for me.
I'll post images of the resulting corals next week.

melev · 03/10/2007, 09:26 PM

That's really neat. I'm jealous. Yep, I'm jealous.

GSMguy · 03/10/2007, 09:37 PM

is that a hammerhead shark ? if not what kind?

you are living the dream

edr42 · 03/12/2007, 05:06 PM

That little shark is just a gummy shark, one of the more desirable of the shark family for eating.
The weather looks good so far for my collection trip!

cutnup · 03/14/2007, 08:41 PM

wow!! im speechless! the reef is awsome i wish it was like that here. oh and that prawn is rediculous!

kirsto71 · 03/16/2007, 06:43 AM

Hey edr42,

I recently moved to a small town near Mackay and have been getting out in between the weather we have been having. If it is not raining it is blowing a gale and a little difficult to do a run out to the reef.

I visited Keswick and Scawfel Islands the last trip and saw a huge school of Lipstick Tangs. I was going to try to catch one for my tank but decided it was probably too much hassle and kept snorkelling. The coral was pretty good for a nearshore reef (only about 20 nautical miles off shore) and there were some really nice acros and a heap of montis. Not much in the way of soft corals though.

I am heading out again on Tuesday if the winds calm down and will probably look to collect some anthias or other schooling fish for the tank.

I had originally planned to study at James Cook but decided to do Geology at UNSW. I should have gone to JCU

PS went for a quick fish before returning home and managed to bag some of the remaining spanish mackeral.

megaspoot · 03/20/2007, 01:35 AM

Wow......more so I can live vicariously through you....

nosh · 03/21/2007, 07:30 PM

Amazing Amazing!

CamBarr · 03/21/2007, 10:46 PM

you said it nosh amazing wow

kath · 03/22/2007, 09:18 AM

ummm ummmmmm ummmmm SPEECHLESS!

mattboy · 03/23/2007, 05:44 PM

I just went through this thread; ironic that it's on an aquarium board because the photos show the utter futility of trying to recreate an ocean reef in a tank!

Thanks for posting these fantastic photos...I've been diving several places in the caribbean and it looks like there's no comparison!

ordy1 · 03/28/2007, 06:39 AM

I'm supposed to recreate that in a glass container????

Awsome stuff! Thanks! And ditto on the living vicariously through you.....

Can't wait for the next installment.

Ordy

02/15/2007, 05:51 PM	#103
edwing206 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Shoreline,Washington Posts: 4,518	those pics are amazing. got any more? __________________ The name's Luis. :) Current Tank Info: 50G cube

02/18/2007, 08:40 PM	#105
steve70 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Williamsburg, VA. USA Posts: 165	Your pictures are very stunning. Thanks for sharing. __________________ I have a vision, and now I am broke! You are water keeping not occupant keeping! _____________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 55 gallon w/216w t5 Nova extreme lights 10gal sump/refugium. 2 Koralia #2's & 1 #1

02/20/2007, 10:49 PM	#108
Chaotic Reefer4u ♥Acropora Aficionado♥ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollister,Ca. Posts: 5,163	very nice nad beautiful reefshots, thanx for sharing... __________________ Live everyday as if it was your last, take time to smell the flowers, enjoy all things living, never take anything for granted, you just never know when your number might be up... Current Tank Info: * 90g. Reef Ready TruVu tank with 30g. Platinum Filtration Series Sump SpS Acro enthusiast *

02/22/2007, 11:30 AM	#109
schrun209 Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 573	Great pics, looks like an awesome place for snorkeling/scuba. __________________ -Sam Current Tank Info: 180 in the workz!

03/10/2007, 09:37 PM	#116
GSMguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern New Mexico Posts: 17,420	is that a hammerhead shark ? if not what kind? you are living the dream __________________ Nick. Conehead. Shallow Reef club. Current Tank Info: 48"x27"x14" Envision Acrylic rimless, 6x39w ATi Sunpower, Custom ATB Deluxe Skimmer, 4x tunze nano stream,ATB flowstar 1500, ACJR, Tunze osmolator.

02/10/2007, 08:13 PM	#101
MJD 1 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NY Posts: 110	wow just went through the whole thread.. Simply amazing.... MJD

02/17/2007, 06:55 PM	#104
55semireef Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 5,322	I love the ocean! Nothing compares to it.

02/18/2007, 10:44 PM	#106
55semireef Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 5,322	Everytime I look at those photos I want to visit the beach!!!

02/28/2007, 08:04 PM	#110
tk1360 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 138	Quite impressive. Unfortunately when I last checked Lake Ontario was severely lacking in reefs. Thanks alot for letting us share "yours". My closest experience was gulf of mexico which doesn't even hold a candle to what you have in your very back yard. I think I better start planning a trip as a graduation gift to myself. lol

03/10/2007, 07:34 AM	#111
edr42 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Townsville, (on the Great Barrier Reef) Posts: 355	Alright people, i'm back up and settled in Townsville. I haven't been out to the reef yet, at least for diving, but i have been wandering around on the JCU uni research vessel. My tank has been rebooted, and is coming along nicely. This year i've got a fisheries science class, so we went out on the boat to test the BDO's (bycatch reduction devices) for prawn trawling. I've attached a couple of photos from that trip, bear in mind that all the sharks, rays, sea snakes, etc that we caught were released. The rest were bagged and taken back to the labs (except for the prawns which were eaten . Hopefully i should be diving again by the next weekend, so stay tuned for more photos from the GBR. Alright: My old clowns from last year (i traded them in while the tank was being re done) Boo! Now THIS is a prawn! These are from the research trip on monday. Little shark (was released unharmed) This is the JCU research vessel, custom built for the uni. My new tank set up (sorry for the dodgy photo, i only took it a minute ago so i will post better soon) The research boat (R.V. James Kirby) was rented out for 4 months recently for a movie. "Fools Gold" is shot all on board the uni boat (they hadn't got round to painting the 'Reale Thing' name off the back of the boat when i was out on it). Just a curious fact. Anyway, i will be posting new tank shots soon, and there should be more UW reef shots by next week.

03/10/2007, 07:46 AM	#112
edr42 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Townsville, (on the Great Barrier Reef) Posts: 355	My tank specs are as follows: 40 gal reef with 192 watts PC lighting plus 60 watts actinic fluro, 20 gal sump running a skimmer, and a RDSB (Remote Deep Sand Bed), and other odds and ends. 1500lph return pump, 2500lph and 600lph circulation pumps. Livestock includes a bunch of soft mushrooms (freebies), a pair of black & white occelaris clowns (i'm pretty sure the female is wild caught), a very friendly and useful coral beauty, and three chromis. The cb constantly keeps the rocks free of algae, and even eats flake food with the chromis. Quite an outgoing critter. I plan to collect corals this weekend, and the only other possible addition is a small bubble tip anemone (split from another reefer's RBT). I have finally achieved 0 nitrates (yay!!), and all other params are good (0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, 8.2pH)

03/10/2007, 12:31 PM	#113
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	It looks like a lot of stuff was caught, based on those pictures. Tiny fish too. All that goes back in the ocean, or only the stuff you listed specifically? You sure get to lead an interesting life. Why did you say your Coral Beauty was "useful"? I love them, but wondered if you had more details. Where can you collect corals for your own tank?

03/10/2007, 07:09 PM	#114
edr42 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Townsville, (on the Great Barrier Reef) Posts: 355	The thing about prawn trawling is that it's quite non selective. All of those little fish are doomed once they are in the nets, but we let all the big (or still kicking) stuff go after it was weighed and measured. The point of our trip was to test devices that reduce bycatch. It's relatively easy to exclude large things with good swimming ability from the catch, but separating out prawns and fish that are almost the same in size and swimming ability is almost impossible. The best solution i've seen so far is the use of hopper tanks. These are huge tubs of sea water on the back deck, and all the nets are emptied into them and the end of the trawl. The prawns tend to sink to the bottom, and the fish swim around at the surface of mid water, so you just have to skim the fish off leaving the prawns behind and sending most things back alive. My little coral beauty is all the things i was told it wasn't be! It's very outgoing, nips around all over the tank, will fight the chromis for flakes at meal times, and has done a fine job at reducing the algae in the tank. The little guy is always picking at the rocks, even though he feeds aggressively twice a day. Oh, and he looks fantastic! There's an place on an island near me where the zonation plan allows for "collecting" which means no more than 5 of any species, but you can collect them. Which is fantastic for me. I'll post images of the resulting corals next week.

03/10/2007, 09:26 PM	#115
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	That's really neat. I'm jealous. Yep, I'm jealous.

03/12/2007, 05:06 PM	#117
edr42 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Townsville, (on the Great Barrier Reef) Posts: 355	That little shark is just a gummy shark, one of the more desirable of the shark family for eating. The weather looks good so far for my collection trip!

03/14/2007, 08:41 PM	#118
cutnup Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Vero Beach Florida Posts: 674	wow!! im speechless! the reef is awsome i wish it was like that here. oh and that prawn is rediculous!

03/16/2007, 06:43 AM	#119
kirsto71 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mackay Queensland, Australia Posts: 195	Hey edr42, I recently moved to a small town near Mackay and have been getting out in between the weather we have been having. If it is not raining it is blowing a gale and a little difficult to do a run out to the reef. I visited Keswick and Scawfel Islands the last trip and saw a huge school of Lipstick Tangs. I was going to try to catch one for my tank but decided it was probably too much hassle and kept snorkelling. The coral was pretty good for a nearshore reef (only about 20 nautical miles off shore) and there were some really nice acros and a heap of montis. Not much in the way of soft corals though. I am heading out again on Tuesday if the winds calm down and will probably look to collect some anthias or other schooling fish for the tank. I had originally planned to study at James Cook but decided to do Geology at UNSW. I should have gone to JCU PS went for a quick fish before returning home and managed to bag some of the remaining spanish mackeral. __________________ Cheers Marc Current Tank Info: 7x3x2 Reef Tank

03/20/2007, 01:35 AM	#120
megaspoot Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 241	Wow......more so I can live vicariously through you....

03/21/2007, 07:30 PM	#121
nosh Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Forest Hill, MD Posts: 64	Amazing Amazing!

03/21/2007, 10:46 PM	#122
CamBarr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Irvine, SOCAL Posts: 2,365	you said it nosh amazing wow __________________ Cam Barr

03/22/2007, 09:18 AM	#123
kath Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: garland tx Posts: 5	ummm ummmmmm ummmmm SPEECHLESS!

03/23/2007, 05:44 PM	#124
mattboy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: San Antonio Posts: 453	I just went through this thread; ironic that it's on an aquarium board because the photos show the utter futility of trying to recreate an ocean reef in a tank! Thanks for posting these fantastic photos...I've been diving several places in the caribbean and it looks like there's no comparison!

03/28/2007, 06:39 AM	#125
ordy1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: new jersey Posts: 425	I'm supposed to recreate that in a glass container???? Awsome stuff! Thanks! And ditto on the living vicariously through you..... Can't wait for the next installment. Ordy