Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 18

original-reefland · 06/05/2006, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bheron
Cool pics marc! The baby brittle stars - are you saying yours reproduce in your tank?

Well, its not exactly what your thinking. We call them baby brittle stars... but the picture Melv posted the "babies" are full size adults. They are not the same as the larger brittles that grow 8 to 12 inches across. Think of them more like mini-brittles (midget-brittle might offend someone

)

bheron · 06/05/2006, 09:17 PM

Hmmm. So they dont reproduce in the tank?

steve the plumb · 06/05/2006, 09:58 PM

I have harlequin starfish that reproduced.One is in my sump the other is in my main tank yet I have babies in my main tank but they are very small and I only see them at night when all lights are off.

original-reefland · 06/05/2006, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bheron
Hmmm. So they dont reproduce in the tank?

Full size (normal, typical) brittle stars usually do not. Rarely they do by dropping an arm and growing a new sea star. But even if you have a star that does this, its typically a one time thing. It is not a normal type of reproduction for the larger brittle stars. I happen to have one that did that.

The baby or mini-brittle sea stars do reproduce in our tanks. This is very common and should be expected if introduced. But at 1.5 inches tip to tip they are full sized adults.

melev · 06/05/2006, 11:27 PM

I don't believe they mate, to be honest. But I'm not a starfish...

melev · 06/06/2006, 08:27 PM

Today, while I had someone nearby & handy, we worked on the reef tank for a few hours. Some corals were moved, others were fragged for the propagation section, and others were set aside for this weekend's DFWMAS frag swap.

The first coral I purchased was a Colt leather coral. It has split before, and shared between two tanks. Due to its massive size, it was cut out of the rockwork. The two larger pieces each filled a casserole dish completely. It was thick and heavy and really quite a coral. I saved maybe 10-15% of the coral and left that in the reeftank.

A Pavona coral that our club fragged heavily two Octobers ago has grown steadily in my reef. Today when I lifted it out, I was amazed at how much it had really grown. Here's a picture, with the area marked to denote its original size when I first put what was left of it in my tank. And there's the casserole dish in the background, I see.

Lots of valonia was fed to Spock, cyano blown off where necessary, and red mushrooms & button polyps were cut off the rockwork to assure it wouldn't return in those particular areas.

Here is the tank 3 weeks ago...

And today...

The propagation section has quite a few items in it now.

That section has some cyano growth as well, and I'm about to treat the tank with Chemi Clean - two packs arrived today along with a new 400w 20,000K XM bulb.

The last bulb was cracked a few days ago...

....and I tried to keep it lit for now while scouring the locals for a used one, but caved in and bought a new one as the UV given off by the bulb was sure to harm some of the corals. I left the bulb off yesteday, just because of this. Marine Depot got a new bulb out here beyond fast, to the benefit of the reef. Thanks MD!

I've got a few Top Down pictures I'll post in a little bit.
...

Sadly, Casper died today. As you may have known, she stopped eating several months ago, unable to snick her food. Somehow she'd stayed alive all this time, basically swimming into food and accidentally inhaling it - I guess. I never did understand how she lived as long as she did. The Kuda seahorse appears fine.

Micki · 06/06/2006, 08:30 PM

Awww, sorry to hear about Casper...

gkarshens · 06/06/2006, 08:34 PM

Sorry about Casper

Great Reefcast. Thanks for mentioning our new reef club. Feel free to join us online over there if you have any spare time(yeah right!)

melev · 06/06/2006, 08:42 PM

Here are the top down pictures.

A. scripps - growing larger by the day, but the base / core is STNing. The bulb might have been the cause, and I'm watching it.

A coral from Keith's 135g, before he moved to Atlanta.

A. tenuis

Branching Hammer, recently fragged.

A. valida (Tyree LE)

Tyree fraglets - never waste a bit!

Clowning around in some Frillies

Micki · 06/06/2006, 08:43 PM

Awesome pics and great growht! I'm jealous!

Lordhelmet · 06/06/2006, 08:56 PM

great pics! and sorry to hear about casper.

bheron · 06/06/2006, 09:25 PM

Hey Marc, great pics!

Rich, thanks for clearing up my brittle star question!

Marc, was just browsing melevsreef.com and was looking over your phytoplankton culturing section. Are you still doing this? Is it still workiing ok? What benefits can dosing phytoplankton provide to a reef tank? (I know thats a general question, and you talk about just that on your site, but Im trying to decide if it would benefit my tank).

jnarowe · 06/06/2006, 09:26 PM

Looking good! Nice shrooms dude!

Lunchbucket · 06/06/2006, 09:34 PM

great pics marc! i'm sure you frag swap is gonna be awesome. how your bulbs always break??

Lunchbucket

melev · 06/06/2006, 10:33 PM

Bryan, dosing phytoplankton is beneficial in that it feeds tiny stuff and items that eat tiny stuff. Thus, if you want copepods in the reef for your mandarins to dine upon, feeding phyto to the copepods is a good idea. Some corals take up phytoplankton. Due to the issues I've had with phosphate, I've all but stopped dosing it over the last few months. Just today, though, I was thinking how many of my zoos looked painted on the rock instead of being nice and fluffy like they've been in the past, and I was actually musing over the fact that they aren't getting any phtyoplankton. Since I moved about 6 types of zoos into the prop section where no fish can get to them, I'm curious to see if they fluff up in appearance or not.

Eric - splashing by fish, mainly. The Lemon Meringue Wrasse jumps often, causing the bulbs to get wet. Cool water on a hot bulb...

Thanks for the nice words, y'all.

Lunchbucket · 06/07/2006, 04:39 AM

melev - i figured that is why they break. need to teach those naughty fish not to splash

invisible fish fencing??? shock collars??

Lunchbucket

Micki · 06/07/2006, 05:20 AM

Bulbs breaking is exactly why I have glass plates over the top of my tank even though I have a full canopy.

melev · 06/07/2006, 05:08 PM

Just a few images of what was moved into the Propagation area yesterday. It's so colorful down there, and nice to peer down upon. Please ignore the cyano outbreak. I picked up a huge Turbo Snail today for that area. I don't know how well that will work out, but figured he'd enjoy a 20g zone.

Branching Hammer & some zoos

Four different sizes of zoos, along with A. scripps (SPS) and Tyree LE (laying down)

Devils Hand

Button polyps

zoos

Red mushrooms

Small plate coral

A dead Scroll coral that has a few polyps appearing, so I figured I'd give it a chance here.

RGibson · 06/07/2006, 05:40 PM

Melev could you tell me how hot the vortech pump motor gets that you have in your reef tank and what speed do you run the pump?

Micki · 06/07/2006, 05:50 PM

Marc, did you frag all of those from your reef?

andyjd · 06/07/2006, 05:54 PM

Cool pics, a branching hammer is next on my list!

jnarowe · 06/07/2006, 06:44 PM

Looking good Marc! I don't think the Turbo will eat the cyano. Mine don't and I don't see any other snails eating it either. Are they supposed to??

melev · 06/07/2006, 07:59 PM

I'd say I run the VorTech at 50% or so, and it isn't even warm to the touch. It feels like the ambient temperature of the room. EcoTech Marine says it runs 1 degree hotter than the glass around it, if I remember correctly.

Yes, all frags are from my tank. They stand out much more as a frag in the prop section than they do peering into my tank. Plus, when you look in my tank, you can't even tell where stuff was removed.

How cool is that?

The Turbo probably won't eat cyano, but he can work on diatoms and more. If I had a Red Footed Mexican Turbo, it would eat cyano. I miss that beautiful snail. I'll have to check with that particular LFS to see if he can get any more of those.

jnarowe · 06/07/2006, 08:08 PM

The Mexican ones don't last long in the typical captive reef because they are not fully warm water snails. So, my 3 GBTAs have moved apart and are about 1-1/2 feet away from each other....

melev · 06/07/2006, 08:09 PM

I know. But I had one last 9 months, and that is longer than some of my Astreas, so....

06/05/2006, 09:17 PM	#427
bheron Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Valley Forge, PA Posts: 2,655	Hmmm. So they dont reproduce in the tank? __________________ Bryan Current Tank Info: 220 since Nov 2005

06/06/2006, 08:30 PM	#432
Micki Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,163	Awww, sorry to hear about Casper... __________________ Micki... Western Ohio Reef Club Click the red house for my 125 progress! Current Tank Info: 125 gal. reef, 90 gal. sump, 10 gal. fuge, 40 gallon. 150 gallon fish only.

06/06/2006, 08:34 PM	#433
gkarshens Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Corona, CA Posts: 2,382	Sorry about Casper Great Reefcast. Thanks for mentioning our new reef club. Feel free to join us online over there if you have any spare time(yeah right!) __________________ Gabriel It's about time!

06/06/2006, 08:43 PM	#435
Micki Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,163	Awesome pics and great growht! I'm jealous! __________________ Micki... Western Ohio Reef Club Click the red house for my 125 progress! Current Tank Info: 125 gal. reef, 90 gal. sump, 10 gal. fuge, 40 gallon. 150 gallon fish only.

06/06/2006, 08:56 PM	#436
Lordhelmet Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,008	great pics! and sorry to hear about casper. __________________ I need a new signiture Current Tank Info: 90 gallon, 14 gallon

06/05/2006, 09:58 PM	#428
steve the plumb Moved On Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 3,664	I have harlequin starfish that reproduced.One is in my sump the other is in my main tank yet I have babies in my main tank but they are very small and I only see them at night when all lights are off.

06/05/2006, 11:27 PM	#430
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I don't believe they mate, to be honest. But I'm not a starfish...

06/06/2006, 08:27 PM	#431
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Today, while I had someone nearby & handy, we worked on the reef tank for a few hours. Some corals were moved, others were fragged for the propagation section, and others were set aside for this weekend's DFWMAS frag swap. The first coral I purchased was a Colt leather coral. It has split before, and shared between two tanks. Due to its massive size, it was cut out of the rockwork. The two larger pieces each filled a casserole dish completely. It was thick and heavy and really quite a coral. I saved maybe 10-15% of the coral and left that in the reeftank. A Pavona coral that our club fragged heavily two Octobers ago has grown steadily in my reef. Today when I lifted it out, I was amazed at how much it had really grown. Here's a picture, with the area marked to denote its original size when I first put what was left of it in my tank. And there's the casserole dish in the background, I see. Lots of valonia was fed to Spock, cyano blown off where necessary, and red mushrooms & button polyps were cut off the rockwork to assure it wouldn't return in those particular areas. Here is the tank 3 weeks ago... And today... The propagation section has quite a few items in it now. That section has some cyano growth as well, and I'm about to treat the tank with Chemi Clean - two packs arrived today along with a new 400w 20,000K XM bulb. The last bulb was cracked a few days ago... ....and I tried to keep it lit for now while scouring the locals for a used one, but caved in and bought a new one as the UV given off by the bulb was sure to harm some of the corals. I left the bulb off yesteday, just because of this. Marine Depot got a new bulb out here beyond fast, to the benefit of the reef. Thanks MD! I've got a few Top Down pictures I'll post in a little bit. ... Sadly, Casper died today. As you may have known, she stopped eating several months ago, unable to snick her food. Somehow she'd stayed alive all this time, basically swimming into food and accidentally inhaling it - I guess. I never did understand how she lived as long as she did. The Kuda seahorse appears fine.

06/06/2006, 08:42 PM	#434
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Here are the top down pictures. A. scripps - growing larger by the day, but the base / core is STNing. The bulb might have been the cause, and I'm watching it. A coral from Keith's 135g, before he moved to Atlanta. A. tenuis Branching Hammer, recently fragged. A. valida (Tyree LE) Tyree fraglets - never waste a bit! Clowning around in some Frillies

06/06/2006, 09:25 PM	#437
bheron Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Valley Forge, PA Posts: 2,655	Hey Marc, great pics! Rich, thanks for clearing up my brittle star question! Marc, was just browsing melevsreef.com and was looking over your phytoplankton culturing section. Are you still doing this? Is it still workiing ok? What benefits can dosing phytoplankton provide to a reef tank? (I know thats a general question, and you talk about just that on your site, but Im trying to decide if it would benefit my tank). __________________ Bryan Current Tank Info: 220 since Nov 2005

06/06/2006, 09:26 PM	#438
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	Looking good! Nice shrooms dude! __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

06/06/2006, 09:34 PM	#439
Lunchbucket Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 12,924	great pics marc! i'm sure you frag swap is gonna be awesome. how your bulbs always break?? Lunchbucket __________________ Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- Current Tank Info: 58gal Oceanic RR, 2x400w MH (20k XM and 10k XM), Deltec PF601 Ca Rx, Deltec AP701 skimmer, mag950 return, iwaki 55rlt w/ an Oceansmotions 4-way unit, Tunze 7300 and 6000 each w/ controller, fluidized po4 rx

06/06/2006, 10:33 PM	#440
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Bryan, dosing phytoplankton is beneficial in that it feeds tiny stuff and items that eat tiny stuff. Thus, if you want copepods in the reef for your mandarins to dine upon, feeding phyto to the copepods is a good idea. Some corals take up phytoplankton. Due to the issues I've had with phosphate, I've all but stopped dosing it over the last few months. Just today, though, I was thinking how many of my zoos looked painted on the rock instead of being nice and fluffy like they've been in the past, and I was actually musing over the fact that they aren't getting any phtyoplankton. Since I moved about 6 types of zoos into the prop section where no fish can get to them, I'm curious to see if they fluff up in appearance or not. Eric - splashing by fish, mainly. The Lemon Meringue Wrasse jumps often, causing the bulbs to get wet. Cool water on a hot bulb... Thanks for the nice words, y'all.

06/07/2006, 04:39 AM	#441
Lunchbucket Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 12,924	melev - i figured that is why they break. need to teach those naughty fish not to splash invisible fish fencing??? shock collars?? Lunchbucket __________________ Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- Current Tank Info: 58gal Oceanic RR, 2x400w MH (20k XM and 10k XM), Deltec PF601 Ca Rx, Deltec AP701 skimmer, mag950 return, iwaki 55rlt w/ an Oceansmotions 4-way unit, Tunze 7300 and 6000 each w/ controller, fluidized po4 rx

06/07/2006, 05:20 AM	#442
Micki Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,163	Bulbs breaking is exactly why I have glass plates over the top of my tank even though I have a full canopy. __________________ Micki... Western Ohio Reef Club Click the red house for my 125 progress! Current Tank Info: 125 gal. reef, 90 gal. sump, 10 gal. fuge, 40 gallon. 150 gallon fish only.

06/07/2006, 05:08 PM	#443
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Prog frags... Just a few images of what was moved into the Propagation area yesterday. It's so colorful down there, and nice to peer down upon. Please ignore the cyano outbreak. I picked up a huge Turbo Snail today for that area. I don't know how well that will work out, but figured he'd enjoy a 20g zone. Branching Hammer & some zoos Four different sizes of zoos, along with A. scripps (SPS) and Tyree LE (laying down) Devils Hand Button polyps zoos Red mushrooms Small plate coral A dead Scroll coral that has a few polyps appearing, so I figured I'd give it a chance here.

06/07/2006, 05:40 PM	#444
RGibson RGibson Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,377	vortech pump motor Melev could you tell me how hot the vortech pump motor gets that you have in your reef tank and what speed do you run the pump? __________________ RGibson

06/07/2006, 05:50 PM	#445
Micki Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,163	Marc, did you frag all of those from your reef? __________________ Micki... Western Ohio Reef Club Click the red house for my 125 progress! Current Tank Info: 125 gal. reef, 90 gal. sump, 10 gal. fuge, 40 gallon. 150 gallon fish only.

06/07/2006, 05:54 PM	#446
andyjd International Nomad Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dunedin, NZ Posts: 1,147	Cool pics, a branching hammer is next on my list!

06/07/2006, 06:44 PM	#447
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	Looking good Marc! I don't think the Turbo will eat the cyano. Mine don't and I don't see any other snails eating it either. Are they supposed to?? __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

06/07/2006, 07:59 PM	#448
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I'd say I run the VorTech at 50% or so, and it isn't even warm to the touch. It feels like the ambient temperature of the room. EcoTech Marine says it runs 1 degree hotter than the glass around it, if I remember correctly. Yes, all frags are from my tank. They stand out much more as a frag in the prop section than they do peering into my tank. Plus, when you look in my tank, you can't even tell where stuff was removed. How cool is that? The Turbo probably won't eat cyano, but he can work on diatoms and more. If I had a Red Footed Mexican Turbo, it would eat cyano. I miss that beautiful snail. I'll have to check with that particular LFS to see if he can get any more of those.

06/07/2006, 08:08 PM	#449
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	The Mexican ones don't last long in the typical captive reef because they are not fully warm water snails. So, my 3 GBTAs have moved apart and are about 1-1/2 feet away from each other.... __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

06/07/2006, 08:09 PM	#450
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I know. But I had one last 9 months, and that is longer than some of my Astreas, so....