High Nutrient Macro Algae/Sea Grass Reef

[Michael Hoaster]

I heard that! I've been working on my well here in Colorado. I'm ready to fill in the 5 foot hole I dug, but the dirt pile is frozen…

Dirt just makes sense for higher plants, like seagrass and mangroves. You could buy fancy garden soil. Just make sure there's no vermiculite or manure. You being a gardener, I imagine you'd rather use your own. Spring'll be here in no time.

You should snap a pic of your son's face when you tell him you're putting dirt in your tank! With him being a SPS guy, you may want him to sit down first!

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

I heard that! I've been working on my well here in Colorado. I'm ready to fill in the 5 foot hole I dug, but the dirt pile is frozen…

Dirt just makes sense for higher plants, like seagrass and mangroves. You could buy fancy garden soil. Just make sure there's no vermiculite or manure. You being a gardener, I imagine you'd rather use your own. Spring'll be here in no time.

You should snap a pic of your son's face when you tell him you're putting dirt in your tank! With him being a SPS guy, you may want him to sit down first!

I thought about buying dirt but like you said, I did not want anything artificial in it. My dirt is natural Pennsylvania clay with compost that I have been working into it for years. I do not use pesticides or anything chemical in my garden so the dirt there should be rich in nutrients and pure and organic.

I am also thinking about adding a mangrove plant. The fuge does not have any top or screen so a mangrove can grow without any restrictions. I will plan to grow it like you are in your tank.

Ha ha, I am not sure what Nate will think of me putting dirt in my tank. He is an SPS guy but he is also all about trying natural processes. He has been through the buying and using gadgets on his reef and has found that not to be a cure all. He and I have a fun time exchanging ideas and thoughts on reef keeping.

Finally I have a Coralife HOT5 Fixture for that tank that I can suspend. I have not been using it because the LEDs are more economical and the macros do not care as much. The seagrass and a mangrove might appreciate the T5 light however. The fixture has 4 bulbs but I do not have to use all 4, I could just use 2 since it's such a narrow tank.

[Michael Hoaster]

Oh yeah, with all the love you've put into your soil, you've got to use that. You might as well throw a tree in there as well! Any thoughts on substrate depth?

That is so cool you have that with your son. I bet those discussions are amazing. My Mother-in-law is a big gardener. I've piqued her interest in aquariums, but she hasn't taken the plunge - yet. I've learned so much about plants in the last few years, it gives us a lot to talk about. My daughter is getting pretty good with house plants, so there's potential!

That's a nice option to have more light. I'll say it again: I can't wait to see what you come up with!

[ThePurple12]

WOW, that's a nice fuge! What bulbs do have in those lamps?

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Oh yeah, with all the love you've put into your soil, you've got to use that. You might as well throw a tree in there as well! Any thoughts on substrate depth?

That is so cool you have that with your son. I bet those discussions are amazing. My Mother-in-law is a big gardener. I've piqued her interest in aquariums, but she hasn't taken the plunge - yet. I've learned so much about plants in the last few years, it gives us a lot to talk about. My daughter is getting pretty good with house plants, so there's potential!

That's a nice option to have more light. I'll say it again: I can't wait to see what you come up with!

It's fun sharing hobbies with family and friends. That's nice that your mother in law is a fellow gardener. It's a similar skill set to be a reef aquarist so it might be a perfect winter pursuit when outside activities are curtailed.

My oldest son loves gardening too. My youngest son also loves gardening. I am glad I passed something on to my kids besides teeth that always need attention.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Oh yeah, with all the love you've put into your soil, you've got to use that. You might as well throw a tree in there as well! Any thoughts on substrate depth?

That is so cool you have that with your son. I bet those discussions are amazing. My Mother-in-law is a big gardener. I've piqued her interest in aquariums, but she hasn't taken the plunge - yet. I've learned so much about plants in the last few years, it gives us a lot to talk about. My daughter is getting pretty good with house plants, so there's potential!

That's a nice option to have more light. I'll say it again: I can't wait to see what you come up with!

It's fun sharing hobbies with family and friends. That's nice that your mother in law is a fellow gardener. It's a similar skill set to be a reef aquarist so it might be a perfect winter pursuit when outside activities are curtailed.

My oldest son loves gardening too. My youngest son also loves gardening. I am glad I passed something on to my kids besides teeth that always need attention.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by ThePurple12

WOW, that's a nice fuge! What bulbs do have in those lamps?

They are cheap par 30 bulbs. One is a tuna blue but I can not remember what the other one is, Coral compulsion I think. It has more white diodes than the tuna blue.

[vlangel]

In the morning I get up early, 5:30 am while it is still dark. I turn on the blue moonlight LEDs on the tank and some white Christmas LEDs on our fireplace mantle. It is a soothing way to start my day along with my cup of hazelnut brew. Anyway, this morning I finally heard my new pistol shrimp snapping which was music to my ears. I have been on the look out for a lair that the shrimp had dug but since the masked gobies also dig and burrow in the sand I have been unsuccessful to find the shrimp's lair. Still it was reassuring to hear him snapping in those peaceful hours of the morning. I expect that I will get to enjoy that more in the days to come!

[ThePurple12]

Cool! I had a pistol shrimp once, it died mysteriously. They’re very interesting. Have you thought about getting a watchman goby or two for it?

[ThePurple12]

On second thought, maybe shrimp gobies don't associate with Caribbean pistol shrimp, or vice versa.

[Michael Hoaster]

That sounds like a nice morning routine. I often get up before dawn too, and have a cup of black tea. There's just something about the morning. Aaaaaahhhh.

So the Masked Gobies are diggers? I never would have guessed. Do they tend to perch?

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by ThePurple12

On second thought, maybe shrimp gobies don't associate with Caribbean pistol shrimp, or vice versa.

I am even wondering if it might pair with a masked goby? I bought it hoping it would pair with the curlique anemone. I bought a symbiotic pair of a shrimp and curlique once. However the shrimp did not seem interested in the nem. Actually a goby shrimp pair would be more interesting.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

That sounds like a nice morning routine. I often get up before dawn too, and have a cup of black tea. There's just something about the morning. Aaaaaahhhh.

So the Masked Gobies are diggers? I never would have guessed. Do they tend to perch?

Yes, with my given name I would have to be an early riser, LOL. And yes, there is definitely something about the morning, Aaaaaaahhhhh!

I did not expect the masked gobies to be diggers either but they definitely are. They do not perch on top of rocks, they perch in the doorway of their dens.

[ThePurple12]

Originally Posted by vlangel

I am even wondering if it might pair with a masked goby? I bought it hoping it would pair with the curlique anemone. I bought a symbiotic pair of a shrimp and curlique once. However the shrimp did not seem interested in the nem. Actually a goby shrimp pair would be more interesting.

I'm not certain, but I think the shrimp gobies (yellow watchman, etc) are the only ones that share burrows with pistol shrimp. But I had no idea masked gobies burrow--it might make sense for them to share with the pistol shrimp.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by ThePurple12

I'm not certain, but I think the shrimp gobies (yellow watchman, etc) are the only ones that share burrows with pistol shrimp. But I had no idea masked gobies burrow--it might make sense for them to share with the pistol shrimp.

Ha ha ThePurple, of course what makes sense to us humans (who keep a little piece of the ocean in our house) may not make any sense to a pistol shrimp who actually lives in the ocean! I am sure my pistol shrimp will figure out what is best for him without my help.

BTW, I love yellow watchman gobies so whether there is a chance of the pistol shrimp pairing or not, a YWG is a future possibility.

[vlangel]

Today was a tank husbandry day. More on the refugium than the display. I am really astounded at the rate feather caulerpa can grow. I prune it back, (which means removing as much as possible by hand gently pulling tendrils of holdfasts out of other macros and dead stoney coral skeletons) and in less than a week it does not look like anything was done.
My conch is doing a good job on the sandbed in the fuge. There is no reddish algae on the sandbed. The tops of the shoal grass still have algae but I do not want to trim any more.

After I finished with the refugium I came upstairs and moved sand that had sifted through my retaining rock wall and redistributed into its place. I still need to clean the glass but not while bits of sand dust are swirling around the tank. It's hard enough to keep scratches on the glass to a minimum.

I heard the pistol shrimp, ( who I think I will name Rice Krispies, ya know snap, crackle, pop!) again this morning and even last night. I bet with the damsels swimming in and out of the rock he will snap a lot.

[Michael Hoaster]

Ah, husbandry day. Yeah, that Feather Caulerpa just keeps coming back. Glad to hear your Conch is pulling his weight. They're so comical with their eyes on stalks and their elephant trunk mouths. Rice Krispies! It's cool to have a critter that makes noises. It's another sensory connection we don't often get with aquarium inhabitants.

[ThePurple12]

Do you have a picture of your new conch? I'd like to see it!

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by ThePurple12

Do you have a picture of your new conch? I'd like to see it!

I have not gotten a pic of the new couch. I should have one right away because it spends a lot of time being buried and is hard to locate now. I will try to get one however.

[vlangel]

Most of what I am reading about yellow watchman gobies agrees with ThePurple's experience. They may sift around their burrows but do not turn the whole sand bed over and that they eat a lot of meaty prepared foods. I am reading a few posts of some turning very aggressive,(especially with other gobies) which I definitely do not want. I have the citrin green gobies and now the masked gobies so I don't want any of them to be at risk. It sounds like the chances of a YWG pairing with my shrimp is 50/50.
One of the smaller gobies like a yasha might be a safer option and sometimes they pair with shrimp too? They do not have that adorable grumpy face though.
Ha ha, it's not like my tank is lacking in fish so I do not know why I even spend so much time thinking about another fish. I guess it's the addictive nature of this hobby! How many fish do I need to be happy... just 1 more!!!

[Michael Hoaster]

Mine will sometimes go weeks buried in the sand. No idea why. Sometimes she'll poke one eye stalk up to look around. Most of the time she's cruising around the tank vacuuming.

If I recall, mine may have stayed buried more when she was new to the tank. So it might be new environment cautiousness.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by ThePurple12

Do you have a picture of your new conch? I'd like to see it!

Tonight when I went downstairs to do a waterchange, the conch was out right in front. I ran back upstairs to get my phone to snap this pic.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Wb7RehZhZtwMprMdA

[vlangel]

I almost forgot, I had the rare priveledge of getting to see Cheerleader the pom pom crab last night. It's always a treat to find out that I still have him.

[ThePurple12]

Looks pretty big, maybe 4"? Cool!

Watchman goby aggression? I haven't seen any with my pair. I have a yellow clown goby that sits right above their burrow with no problems, but maybe they get aggressive towards different gobies.

I'm not sure if your species of pistol shrimp would pair with a goby. KP Aquatics collects their stuff from the Atlantic, and watchman gobies are from the Pacific I believe, so they would never meet in the wild. This is just an educated guess of course, I could be wrong. At any rate, it doesn't mean you can't get a watchman goby!

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by ThePurple12

Looks pretty big, maybe 4"? Cool!

Watchman goby aggression? I haven't seen any with my pair. I have a yellow clown goby that sits right above their burrow with no problems, but maybe they get aggressive towards different gobies.

I'm not sure if your species of pistol shrimp would pair with a goby. KP Aquatics collects their stuff from the Atlantic, and watchman gobies are from the Pacific I believe, so they would never meet in the wild. This is just an educated guess of course, I could be wrong. At any rate, it doesn't mean you can't get a watchman goby!

Yep, I figured that a watchman was not a natural fish to pair with the shrimp but who knows???? If I were not afraid of aggression I would get a watchman just because I love their grumpy faces.