Yellow H. magnifica

[OrionN]

I replace the 10,000K bulbs that come with my Orbit MH light after 9 months because it got so dim. These light are much brighter and really keep their brightness. After almost 18 months, I still find that it is bright (although it is hard to tell I guess) and have no problems with keeping my SPS and Crocea Clams. I try to change the bulbs the other day, I keep some old bulbs on hand just in case of accidents, and find that these are much brighter after 18 months that the bulbs from Orbits (no-name) after 9 months of use.
I just order 4 more bulbs that should arrive to my office this week. three 10,000K and one 14,000K. These also 20 dollars each with shipping (7 dollars for the 4 bulbs). I let you know how these turn out. These are 150 W double ended MH.

[aentrop]

very nice!

[bullterrier2]

if i get a 6x80w t5 ho fixture from ebay over a 125 gallon tank will that be enough light for a H. magnifica ?

[OrionN]

H magnific really require lots of light. Mine is just right under a 150 MH about 3 inches from the water surface and about 4 inches from the surface of the water. While 480 W of light is alot of light, this really spread over 6 foot tank, which may not be enough. If this is the case, your anemone will wander around and eventually get kill after killing many of your corals and other animals.
IMO, point light source helps in keeping this anemone in one place because it is really bright near the light and the intensity really drop off as he move away from it. High current also will help. My tank is a 20 g high which is only 2 foot, I have two Korallia 2 streams meet just right above this anemone. It is, IMO, an ideal place for this anemone. It won't be for long because he will grow very fast and I will have to move him to a bigger tank in 2 months or less.
I got new bulbs, and decided to change the bulb to a 14,000K MH. the tank and the anemone is doing well with the light change without problem. Light is more blue but not visibility brighter than my old 10,000K

[apayne]

Minh,

I love your Mag!!! I wish I still Had mine, a long vacation forced the sale of it. ARG.

I hope he does well for you. Do you think you will ever manually split it?

Aaron

[OrionN]

I will eventually set up my 240G tank that I have. When I do, I may try to split this anemone to put one in there. I really try to get another one if at all possible rather than try to split him, but knowing my luck here in Corpus Christi, I won't find another healthy one for many years.

[OrionN]

My 20 g high is just too narrow for this anemone. It was great tank for clownfish pair and a few SPS but for H. magnifica, it is clearly inadequate. I was at the LFS last week and saw that there was and 2nd hand Oceanic 30g Cube for sale. I got it and transfer all the content of my 20 g to it three days ago. It took me about 2 hrs. I always got salt water mix on hand, so I also change 50% of the water also. This tank is a bare bottom and very simple small setup so it was very quick and painless. I reused all the equipments, which included my Orbit MH, CPR hang-on skimmer, heater, and two Korellia 2 PH. Because the new tank is deeper and the Korellia seem only give good current on the top of the tank, I added an old Korellia 1 and an old MJ 1200 for deeper circulation.
Everything looks great and corals and anemone is doing well. Only problem is the Anemone take up the whole tank right in the middle and I have to move all my SPS frags to the bottom of the tank. l will need to move them out of there. The two Crocea clams share rock with the anemone. I think I will keep some of the low light SPS but will move the rest to another system. I am setting a 40 g breeder tank with 2X150 W MH (also Orbit MH) and will move most of my SPS there. I plan to put in a sand bed in this system and keep a Carpet on one and SPS on the other end.
I take picture of this new setup later this weekend.

[garygb]

Orion, I am curious do you use RO/DI water with your H. magnificaand other anemones? For years I used tap water, dechlorinated/aminated it, added salt and stirred it overnight and did water change. For going on two years I've used a RO/DI unit. I can't tell any change/benefits from using RO/DI water. Here in Los Angeles, my TDS is about 260-310. Anyway, just curious from another keeper of anemones whether you use RO/DI.

[OrionN]

I mix salt water with tap water, but top off with RO water. I don't use DI water, too expensive for me for the tiny improvement. My tap water is about the same as your, and my RO put out about 10-15 PPM. My 30 g tank evaporated about .5 g per day.
My system is very low in nutrient and I have no problem algae. The animals are doing well with colorful SPS. I have done this for many year without problem.
I have a 50 g drum that I mix 50 g salt water at a time in my garage.
I think your can top off with tap water if your are willing to change lots of your water monthly. After the first 2 years or so of reefkeeping, I came to the conclusion that water change is really needed to keep a tank healthy, even if there is no detectable nitrates. I have never test for phosphate in my tank. I only test for Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and rarely if ever check for nitrates.

[garygb]

Thanks Orion. Makes sense to mix with tap for water change and then use RO for top-off. I'm tempted to do the same thing.

[OrionN]

The 30 g cube is too deep so I added two more PH for circulation, a Korellia 1 and a MJ 1200. There is plenty of circulation now. Here is an update picture of this anemone in his new home. I also remove the Onyx pair and put in a pair that is not Onyx. Black color lost is minimal if any with this pair. Here are the pictures:





Not quite an anemone but I like this T. crocea almost as much as my H. magnifica

[crsandoval]

Mine is the same color... Had it three years.

[OrionN]

Update of my H. magnifica with full tank shots. It is about 6 months under my care.





FTS. I have added a sand bed and removed all the fish except the two clowns

[apayne]

Very nice. I am glad it is doing so good for you.

Aaron

[maxxII]

Looking very nice Minh!

Nick

[OrionN]

Nick and Aaron
Thanks,

Originally posted by garygb
Thanks Orion. Makes sense to mix with tap for water change and then use RO for top-off. I'm tempted to do the same thing.

Gary, I got a little nutrient problem with my small tank (slime dino). I always drip kalk but this did not help. I did a bunch of water change but can not get rid of it. I end up add a sand bed but still can not get rid of it. A few weeks ago, I took the rocks with slimes on it and brush it all off and then change 3/4 of the water, suction all the slime off the sand bed. It works, the 95% slime are gone with the rest receding.
I was about to give up mix salt water with tap (next step) but now that it is receding, I decided to continue to use tap water to mix salt. I cannot easily collect 50 g of RO water at a time to mix salt and never have problem with this before. In order to change to RO water, I have to get another RO unit and hook it up in the garage. I was about to do this when the battle was won without it.

[jonnybravo22]

can you show a picture of your lighting setup?

[OrionN]

I got an Orbit 150 W 24 inch MH over the 30 g cube

[jonnybravo22]

thanks - was hoping to see a picture of the setup

[Henryreef]

Wow it is great to see someone with good success with such a difficult species . Your yellow mag. looks awesome. Good luck and happy reefing.

[OrionN]

jonnybravo22,
I actually got a Sunpod instead of an Orbit. 24 inches long with a 150 HQI 10000K with 12 LED 6 blue and 6 white (not hook up)
Her is the picture of the whole system with the 1 g kalk container I am dripping into the tank.

[OrionN]

Update on my H. magnifica. It is now under my care for almost 6 months. I removed all the fish except the clown pair in this 30 g cube, so it is essentially a species tank. I got two clams, some Xenia 5 Acropora, one Montipora, one Seriatopora and an un-ID SPS, one mushroom and one Polyp colony in the tank. I added a thick layer of bivalve shells, initially to keep the fine sand from blowing around, but end up added a very think layer of this to make my whole tank in to a large 'pod pile'. I am successful, there are lots of pods in this tank in broad daylight. As soon as I can find a small Mandarin, I will put him or her in there.

Here is a picture of the shells in the tank


Here is the picture of the tank, FTS


Here is a close up picture of the H. magnifica

[t4zalews]

^^^ awesome picture

[apayne]

Minh,

Will the shells cause an excess build up of nutrients?

Looks SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!

Aaron

[OrionN]

t4zalews,
Thanks.

Aaron,
I am a believer in water change. I had tanks with just large crushed corals without problem. These shells are full of amphipods, mysis, worms and other crustaceans. I think it will be OK. Just about 1 week now and the small animals population really exploded. The tank does not have any predators so these animal are out all day. When I feed the tank, they just out grabbing food everywhere. I can see many of them loaded with eggs too.
I think the shell will be a great thing for this tank so I can have a Mandarin.
I will keep you guys/gals update.
If worst come to worst, I can always do the tank over. Handling 30 g tank is sooooo easy after taken care of my 500 g system.