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10/25/2018, 05:35 AM | #251 | |
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FTS of new seahorses tank by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr Do you think the seahorse ornament is tacky, or is it statuesque like a greek garden? |
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10/25/2018, 06:45 AM | #252 |
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Both tanks together by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr
I put the tanks side by side in the livingroom. I used to have a 90 gallon there so I knew there was plenty of space. Both tanks need new bulbs so they should match pretty well, except that one has black trim and one has oak. Uhhg! Mostly I really like it . |
10/25/2018, 12:12 PM | #253 |
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The tanks look great! I once put a buddha statue in my tank. I say go for it!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
10/26/2018, 06:12 AM | #254 |
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I love the new tank(s) set up!
You are the person that will be watching and enjoying these tanks. If you like them, then that is all you need. There was a guy on here, PaulB, that had bottles, chains and other stuff in his tank, because when he dove, that is what he saw on some of the reefs. Some people like that, some don't. I think that was a great idea. The aquascaping in your new pony tank looks great, and the seahorse statue is part of that. It's visually appealing, and at the same time, honoring their genera
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10/26/2018, 09:52 AM | #255 |
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10/26/2018, 10:02 AM | #256 | |
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I guess you are right about designing the scape to refect your own tastes. The problem for me is that I am conflicted, haha? Do I satisfy the part of me that strives for as natural and realistic as possible? Or because the tank is already lacking realism since it has a bb, do I go for cute and 'honoring their genera'? For now its going to be the latter since you and Michael both approve, JK! I do like it so I am keeping it for that reason. Later on if I change my mind I can switch it out for rock/coral. |
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11/01/2018, 11:16 AM | #257 |
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Nov 1st 2018 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr
I needed to have less objects on the floor of the aquarium to easily syphon up detritus and seahorse poop. For that reason I moved the seahorse statue up on the rock along with the caulerpa bush and to my surprise, I liked it better that way. It is so nice not needing to dismantle the tank to clean it for the seahorses. Samson has now joined Eve in the seahorse garden while Delilah is still in treatment. I actually think the ponies like this tank better. Unique view! by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr How is this for a view? Eve looks a little sea serpentish! Samson and Eve are in the tank but Samson is hanging out in the back. by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr Samson is in the tank too but he is chillin' in the back. I changed the lights to some old leds and a par 38 bulb. The shimmer is very pleasing and the color is better. Last edited by vlangel; 11/01/2018 at 11:23 AM. |
11/01/2018, 04:07 PM | #258 |
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Looks great and great pics!
Is that codium on top? If so, how long have you had it? I've heard it prefers cooler temps, which I imagine you maintain for the horses. Any advice for any would-be codium-keepers? I tried it once without success. My tank was pretty warm - around 82 degrees.
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/01/2018, 06:59 PM | #259 | |
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11/01/2018, 09:16 PM | #260 |
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Good to know, Dawn, thanks. You do grow it well! Very nice plant. Chapeau!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/02/2018, 06:36 AM | #261 |
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FTS by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr
I should call this tank 'My ex seahorse tank', ha ha! Anyway now that I do not have to worry about bad bacteria so much I am going to make this a high nutrient tank which opens up lots of new options for me. I used to grow dragon's breath well but I slowly lost it in the seahorse tank. I am guessing it starved so I hope to acquire some in the future to try again. I would also like to try shaving brush and mermaids fan. I was always afraid in the seahorse tank since I know they go through die off periods. Blue octode or the other blue macro that is similar is on my list. Finally I always wanted sargassum. I have removed most of the caulerpas because they out compete some of the other macros for nutrients. Maybe once I get the macros growing well then I can reintroduce the caulerpa. I do have healthy amounts of it in the seahorse tank. I have some ideas for new coral as well. Ricordia and RFAs will help add some nice color, I hope. I have lots of rocky spots that they can nestle up to. A yellow toadstool and green sinularia would be cool. I hope to order some ball sponges too. I still want a few more fish too. I want either a Midas blenny or a yellow watchman goby/shrimp pair, depending which I find first. I want a small goby or two, (green clown goby or rusty goby). And lastly, I would like a colorful wrasse. I have never had a wrasse except a six line early in my salt water days. This of course is a lot of $, so to fulfill most of this is going to be a slow patient journey. That is ok with me because the journey is all part of the joy. Even now the blennies make me laugh as I watch them dart in and out of their hidey holes! :-) I will have 1 purchase coming fairly soon, a par 38 abi tuna blue bulb. I have noticed that under the T5 alone my coral rock does not 'pop' like it did under the led par 38. Adding some led should also add some pleasing shimmer and T5/led combination seems to be the best of both worlds. It would be nice to have it all in one fixture but thats not gonna happen, at least for now. So, that is the vision. |
11/02/2018, 11:09 AM | #262 |
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Your new, dual tank vision is the best of both worlds! You must be very excited with your future new additions. I look forward to following along. You are smart to have a plan!
I'm curious as to how you will treat each tank differently. For example, how will you make the high nutrient tank higher in nutrients? I imagine there will be equipment differences, as well as husbanry differences. Can you flesh that out for us?
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/02/2018, 07:31 PM | #263 | |
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11/03/2018, 12:47 AM | #264 |
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I figured they were separate. You fleshed it out well, thanks. Those system differences make sense. Three water changes a week? Wow, that's a labor of love! In the other one, you'll need few water changes in it, at least.
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/03/2018, 07:06 AM | #265 | |
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The 56g requires me to fill 2 5g buckets half or 2/3 full, then carry through the basement, up the stairs and thru the diningroom to the livingroom and then lift and pour into the tank! Then I have to carry the discard water either outside or to the bathroom. I am getting tired just typing what I do! LOL I am old school so water changes have always been my main method of export because that is how it was done in the 70s, 80s when I got into aquaria. I only did FW in those days but when I got into salt in the 90s I was too poor to afford a protein skimmer so WCs was still my main method. It was a good training ground to learn how the tank functioned biologically and where the balance was in feeding the tank inhabitants and the need for export. Last edited by vlangel; 11/03/2018 at 07:19 AM. |
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11/03/2018, 11:55 AM | #266 |
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Oof, that's a pain! Thankfully, once you get a good crop of macros growing, you should need very few water changes, because the plants will naturally clean the water. They are much more effective than bacteria. Your method of export will shift to plant export. And since the plants will strip the water of nutrients, you'll need to dose them, which is way easier than water changes - tea spoons vs buckets. In a sense, your macro tank is the polar opposite of your seahorse tank, as you'll be working to keep nutrients high enough, rather than low enough. For prospective new macro algae keepers, that shift in methodology is a huge adjustment.
Sorry, I'm sure you know all of this. Sometimes I can't stop myself from getting on my soapbox! I really should confine these rants to my own thread! Best of luck with your new macro garden!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/03/2018, 01:46 PM | #267 | |
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11/03/2018, 02:43 PM | #268 |
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The big three are Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus, with their respective ratios (on average) being around 550-30-1, known as the Atkinson Ratio. All of these can be supplied with fish food alone, but unfortunately, not in that ratio. So dosing helps to get us closer the correct ratio, without doing water changes to replace them. If you feed your fish, phosphorus is plentiful, so no need to dose it.
Carbon and Nitrogen are often the limiting nutrients, so they are the most needed, and the two most important nutrients to dose, in my opinion. CO2 injection is a simple method for Carbon. Potassium Nitrate, sold as stump remover in hardware stores, is an easy and safe source of Nitrogen. Coming at it from the other direction, you could reduce phosphate and nitrogen, to get closer to the ideal ratio. A deep sand bed, for nitrogen reduction, and any of the phosphate reducers on the market, for phosphate. This reductive method would probably reduce the number of plants you could grow, as well as slow down their growth. Overfeeding the fish could possibly compensate. Hope this helps.
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/03/2018, 05:56 PM | #269 | |
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Thanks Michael for the info. |
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11/03/2018, 11:17 PM | #270 |
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I found that ratio when researching sea grasses. I honestly don't know if I've ever hit those numbers, but I use it as a general guide. It has helped me have great success with several macros and grasses. But not all of them!
I like deep sand beds too. I'm looking forward to starting mine!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/04/2018, 04:27 PM | #271 |
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Thank you Michael, that helps me know what to shoot for anyway. I need to chew on this info for a while and ponder on how I want to go about this. I really appreciate the explanation.
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11/04/2018, 05:22 PM | #272 |
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My pleasure, Dawn! Ponder it a little. Dosing can be as simple or complex as you like. I'm still figuring it out myself. Just knowing generally about C-N-P ratios will help shape want you want to do.
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
11/05/2018, 03:18 PM | #273 |
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I love the tank updates. It sounds like everything is doing well, including Delilah.
Good points Michael!
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Blennies Rock! --Kevin Wilson Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump |
11/05/2018, 07:02 PM | #274 |
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11/06/2018, 09:02 AM | #275 |
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Excellent! Glad she is OK again
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