56 gallon high nutrient tank with macro algae

[vlangel]

Hi folks, my name is Dawn and I have spent most of my time in the seahorse/pipefish topic. This tank is a failed experiment with seahorses. I wanted to try keeping seahorses in a mixed reef tank, with SH safe coral, macro algaes and LR and LS. It turned out that I could not do enough husbandry to keep pathogenic bacteria from attacking the ponies, so they have been moved into a specie specific tank.

That leaves me with this tank and lots of options. Here is what the tank looks like at the present:
FTS by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

It did have some varieties of caulerpa in it but they have been moved to the SH tank. I want some new macro algaes added to this tank, dragons breath, blue octode, shaving brush, mermaids fan and sargassum to get established before I re-introduce caulerpa. It can out compete other macros if allowed to have free rein. There is codium, red titan and red grape caulerpa in it thus far.

As far as coral, I would like ricordia, RFAs to nestle along the rockwork. I like toadstool, green sinularia and ball sponges.

At present this tank has 3 species of blennies, and 2 pajama cardinals. I would like to add some small gobies, (rusty or green clown goby), a ywg/snapping shrimp pair, a jawfish and a colorful wrasse.

Of course these additions are not free so this transformation will be a slow patient one. Actually the journey is part of the fun. So, if you like macro algaes in a DT, come along with me.

 

[WV Reefer]

Hi folks, my name is Dawn and I have spent most of my time in the seahorse/pipefish topic. This tank is a failed experiment with seahorses. I wanted to try keeping seahorses in a mixed reef tank, with SH safe coral, macro algaes and LR and LS. It turned out that I could not do enough husbandry to keep pathogenic bacteria from attacking the ponies, so they have been moved into a specie specific tank.

That leaves me with this tank and lots of options. Here is what the tank looks like at the present:
FTS by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

It did have some varieties of caulerpa in it but they have been moved to the SH tank. I want some new macro algaes added to this tank, dragons breath, blue octode, shaving brush, mermaids fan and sargassum to get established before I re-introduce caulerpa. It can out compete other macros if allowed to have free rein.

As far as coral, I would like ricordia, RFAs to nestle along the rockwork. I like toadstool, green sinularia and ball sponges.

At present this tank has 3 species of blennies, and 2 pajama cardinals. I would like to add some small gobies, (rusty or green clown goby), a ywg/snapping shrimp pair, a jawfish and a colorful wrasse.

Of course these additions are not free so this transformation will be a slow patient one. Actually the journey is part of the fun. So, if you like macro algaes in a DT, come along with me.

you know I'm in!

 

[vlangel]

you know I'm in!

Haha! I can't believe how fast you found me!

 

[WV Reefer]

Haha! I can't believe how fast you found me!

Im always around. **spooky music plays**

 

[Subsea]

Dawn,
I have always enjoyed your display tanks. With TLC, you make weeks look good. Success with Sargassum has eluded me. It must have very bright light. I will be keeping a keen eye out for your post.

I like macro. In fact, Red Ogo is delicious fresh out of tank with a cold water rinse and a splash of lime juice & soy sauce.

https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/sites/default/files/fact sheet-red-ogo.pdf

 

[vlangel]

Im always around. **spooky music plays**

'Somebody's watching me!'

 

[vlangel]

Dawn,
I have always enjoyed your display tanks. With TLC, you make weeks look good. Success with Sargassum has eluded me. It must have very bright light. I will be keeping a keen eye out for your post.

I like macro. In fact, Red Ogo is delicious fresh out of tank with a cold water rinse and a splash of lime juice & soy sauce.

https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/sites/default/files/fact sheet-red-ogo.pdf

Hi Patrick, fancy meeting you here. I have heard that sargassum is not easy and that it needs lots of light. New bulbs in the T5 fixture plus a par 38 bulb will hopefully meet it's needs. I need to check GCE to see what temperature is best. I prefer not to use a heater as that is 1 piece of equipment that I don't trust and the fish and easy coral I keep seem ok with low 70°s. Anyway temperature will be a consideration.

I think I remember reading that you supplied an eatery with gourmet macros? I have often considered it but seeing what lay on the bottom of the seahorse tank deterred me, haha! I am not sure why, we always used horse manure in our garden.

 

[Redleg]

I'm just going to lurk behind these rocks and see where this goes.

 

[vlangel]

I'm just going to lurk behind these rocks and see where this goes.

I welcome lurkers! When I was insecure about forum decorum and my computer skills I was a long time lurker myself, ha ha!

 

[Subsea]

When I first blogged about eating Red Ogo, a chef in Kansa City asked me how I cleaned out the pods?
When I said sushi, I heard him laugh in Austin.

 

[vlangel]

When I first blogged about eating Red Ogo, a chef in Kansa City asked me how I cleaned out the pods?
When I said sushi, I heard him laugh in Austin.

 

[najer]

My kind of tank, I will enjoy watching it progress.

 

[vlangel]

Tomorrow I have an order of macro algaes coming. I am not quite sure what will be included but I was asked to trust my supplier and I do. So, its a bit like Christmas!
This is how the tank looks today after bubble algae removed and a WC. Tomorrow there should be a lot more green.
2018-11-13_02-34-59 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

 

[vlangel]

My macro algae arrived late afternoon. It is very nice. I will try and take a pic today.

 

[vlangel]

Sorry to be so long in posting a pic of the new macro algaes. I will try and make it up to you with pics and an update.

First a pic of the ordered macros:
New macro algaes by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I simplified the seahorse tank even more by removing a large rock/coral skeleton but I like it too much not to use it some where. So it now resides on the left side of my macro garden tank.
2018-11-29_04-59-36 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I worried that such a large element would compete with the rockwork on the right side. I was trying to avoid the 2 mountains look if possible. I had 2 fairly flat pieces of live rock that I put under the coral rock on the right to give it about 3" of more height. That helped a lot. Another concern I had about adding the new rock/coral skeleton structure was that the tank would have too much rock. This tank is 24" high however and all the rock helps keep the top of the tank from looking too open, and there is still a fair amount of open sand. Anyway here is what it looks like as of today, although the white lights were off.

2018-12-01_07-30-09 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I had been having trouble with cyano/diatomous algae but that seems to be slowly receding much to my pleasure. I feed this tank fairly heavy and do a modest WC once a week. Some of the macro algaes need pruned like the green grape caulerpa to keep it both controlled and from going sexual. I have to periodically remove bubble algae but with my last macro algae order I also asked for emerald crabs. I am hoping that they earn their keep.

Lastly, look what else hitch hiked in that order:
Baby seahorse came with my order. by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr
I thought she was a baby erectus seahorse at first but I have decided that she is a dwarf seahorse instead. I did not think she had a chance but I started a bbs hatchery anyway just to give her a shot. Well she is still with us so now she has a name...Jr. Dave, my hubby has been calling her that since the beginning. Dwarf seahorses are not low maintenance with the daily hatching, enriching and cleaning bbs but she is a cutie so I will enjoy her.

Ok, so now you are all caught up with what is going on with this tank. BTW, Jr does not reside in this tank. Her special needs dictate that she have her own little tank.

 

[najer]

Sorry to be so long in posting a pic of the new macro algaes. I will try and make it up to you with pics and an update.

First a pic of the ordered macros:
New macro algaes by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I simplified the seahorse tank even more by removing a large rock/coral skeleton but I like it too much not to use it some where. So it now resides on the left side of my macro garden tank.
2018-11-29_04-59-36 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I worried that such a large element would compete with the rockwork on the right side. I was trying to avoid the 2 mountains look if possible. I had 2 fairly flat pieces of live rock that I put under the coral rock on the right to give it about 3" of more height. That helped a lot. Another concern I had about adding the new rock/coral skeleton structure was that the tank would have too much rock. This tank is 24" high however and all the rock helps keep the top of the tank from looking too open, and there is still a fair amount of open sand. Anyway here is what it looks like as of today, although the white lights were off.

2018-12-01_07-30-09 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I had been having trouble with cyano/diatomous algae but that seems to be slowly receding much to my pleasure. I feed this tank fairly heavy and do a modest WC once a week. Some of the macro algaes need pruned like the green grape caulerpa to keep it both controlled and from going sexual. I have to periodically remove bubble algae but with my last macro algae order I also asked for emerald crabs. I am hoping that they earn their keep.

Lastly, look what else hitch hiked in that order:
Baby seahorse came with my order. by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr
I thought she was a baby erectus seahorse at first but I have decided that she is a dwarf seahorse instead. I did not think she had a chance but I started a bbs hatchery anyway just to give her a shot. Well she is still with us so now she has a name...Jr. Dave, my hubby has been calling her that since the beginning. Dwarf seahorses are not low maintenance with the daily hatching, enriching and cleaning bbs but she is a cutie so I will enjoy her.

Ok, so now you are all caught up with what is going on with this tank. BTW, Jr does not reside in this tank. Her special needs dictate that she have her own little tank.

Great freebie, good luck with her, tank is looking nice.

 

[vlangel]

Great freebie, good luck with her, tank is looking nice.

Thank you!

 

[Subsea]

Sorry to be so long in posting a pic of the new macro algaes. I will try and make it up to you with pics and an update.

First a pic of the ordered macros:
New macro algaes by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I simplified the seahorse tank even more by removing a large rock/coral skeleton but I like it too much not to use it some where. So it now resides on the left side of my macro garden tank.
2018-11-29_04-59-36 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I worried that such a large element would compete with the rockwork on the right side. I was trying to avoid the 2 mountains look if possible. I had 2 fairly flat pieces of live rock that I put under the coral rock on the right to give it about 3" of more height. That helped a lot. Another concern I had about adding the new rock/coral skeleton structure was that the tank would have too much rock. This tank is 24" high however and all the rock helps keep the top of the tank from looking too open, and there is still a fair amount of open sand. Anyway here is what it looks like as of today, although the white lights were off.

2018-12-01_07-30-09 by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr

I had been having trouble with cyano/diatomous algae but that seems to be slowly receding much to my pleasure. I feed this tank fairly heavy and do a modest WC once a week. Some of the macro algaes need pruned like the green grape caulerpa to keep it both controlled and from going sexual. I have to periodically remove bubble algae but with my last macro algae order I also asked for emerald crabs. I am hoping that they earn their keep.

Lastly, look what else hitch hiked in that order:
Baby seahorse came with my order. by Dawn Gilson, on Flickr
I thought she was a baby erectus seahorse at first but I have decided that she is a dwarf seahorse instead. I did not think she had a chance but I started a bbs hatchery anyway just to give her a shot. Well she is still with us so now she has a name...Jr. Dave, my hubby has been calling her that since the beginning. Dwarf seahorses are not low maintenance with the daily hatching, enriching and cleaning bbs but she is a cutie so I will enjoy her.

Ok, so now you are all caught up with what is going on with this tank. BTW, Jr does not reside in this tank. Her special needs dictate that she have her own little tank.

If I understood correctly, you have a”special needs” tank for your drawf pony. When are you hosting the “Special Needs” olympics?

 

[vlangel]

If I understood correctly, you have a”special needs” tank for your drawf pony. When are you hosting the “Special Needs” olympics?

From what I have observed she (Jr, the dwarf seahorse) does not show much appitude in any athletics. In fact she does not do much of anything but eat and you know....at the other end. So unless the special olympics sponsor an event for eating, I'll not be hosting them any time soon. LOL