Any gorgonian lovers out there?

[vlangel]

One of

I must also compliment your tank!
First of all, tree sponges are SO cool, also underrated, and I'm curious how long you've had yours? Are you seeing growth? Do you dose Silica for them?
Also, I really appreciate your tank layout.. Great contrast from lower-height life on left and very tall, high in the water column, life on the right!
The depth of that tank shape could be tricky to have an appealing layout, since not everyone gets enough HEIGHT off the sandbed in a "tall" tank (Significant height, per volume).
Anyways, I also appreciate your variable depth to the sand bed.. gives it a dynamic feel and probably helps make a nano tank feel like a large world!
You got some good "Alice in wonderland" type vibe going.. I'd love to eat some 'shrooms and stare/explore!
Props. -Drew

Aww, thank you Drew! That is so kind of you. I bought this tall tank to house 3 seahorses but when they lived out their lives, I was ready for something less labor intensive. That's why I went for a softie/macroalgae dominant reef.

Of course all that height was a challenge but I also wanted a DSB, so I built up the sandbed on the right using my biggest most dense rocks as a retaining wall. Then I placed my tallest structure on top of all that sand. I have to say that it has worked way better than I ever could have dreamed. The tall plate coral skeleton has been perfect for encouraging my BTAs to stay put. They get plenty of food because the overflow is right behind them. The nems and the rock structure make the overflow less obvious too. Having gone to the Art Institute and being an artist has made me care a lot about the composition of my tank.

I have kept tree sponges in the past for over a year but these 2 are fairly recent purchases, maybe 2-3 months. My tank is higher flow now and @Subsea said that helps them. I do not dose silica intentionally but I do add Coral- vite every week. It has trace minerals and may have some silica in it. I also feed reef roids and spectra reef food for coral. Most of my live rock is over 20 years old and it has a lot of natural sponges that are growing and thriving, which is why I am hoping these red tree sponges will thrive.

Ha ha, yeah I guess it does have a bit of a fantasy vibe. That is a fun way to describe it! Thanks again Drew for the kind words.

Cheers,
Dawn

 

[dstockwell]

So I moved my purple candelabra to more flow, polyps still not extending just bumps.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Beautiful photos!! I'm loving this thread!!

 

[130Navigator]

 

[ScubaSnacks]

I really like the way they look but all sites are recommending like 200 PAR for the photosynthetic varieties and claim "expert only" for the NPS. I get about 75 PAR at the sand in my tank so the ps appear out of the question. Are there lower par varieties I'm not seeing? For the NPS, is dosing phyto enough? Sorry for the noob questions.

 

[130Navigator]

I really like the way they look but all sites are recommending like 200 PAR for the photosynthetic varieties and claim "expert only" for the NPS. I get about 75 PAR at the sand in my tank so the ps appear out of the question. Are there lower par varieties I'm not seeing? For the NPS, is dosing phyto enough? Sorry for the noob questions.

The pic of the one in my tank is photosynthetic and is growing under a Kessil A80. I don't have actual PAR measurements but it's not a light particularly renowned for its output.

 

[divewsharks]

I just received some on Friday from Sea Horse Savvy, really high quality, healthy pieces and not small at all. Would highly recommend the site as a source (for some fish as well).

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I've always been afraid to keep gorgonians (or any NPS), but you guys are making me want to give it a try.

 

[vlangel]

I've always been afraid to keep gorgonians (or any NPS), but you guys are making me want to give it a try.

All of mine are photosynthetic and are fairly easy once they have been acclimated. I did just get 2 purple plumes from KPA and one did not ship well. It didn't die but it lost a lot of flesh and needed pruned. KPA will give me credit on it if it doesn't do well.

 

[rapurcell85]

Loving the look of gorgonians, and purple is a favorite of my wife and daughter. Is a 20 gallon tank big enough for 1 or 2 in the background?

 

[vlangel]

Loving the look of gorgonians, and purple is a favorite of my wife and daughter. Is a 20 gallon tank big enough for 1 or 2 in the background?

Yes, gorgs don't need a lot of water volume and they don't usually need pristine water condition. I intentionally run a high nutrient tank and my gorgs flourish. I also like purple.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Very nice and I think I see a long nose hawkfish in the top left of the pic. I love them, they are a cool fish. I don't have any because of my shrimp.

He's been with me the longest since I got back I to the hobby, 6-7 years now (3 upgrades later). Still has good color and is fairly inquisitive when I'm around/in the tank, I am noticing a bit more laziness with his perching that I attribute to old age. He has a Falco Hawkfish also to contend with. Also no shrimp either. Had a LONG time fire shrimp that coexisted for 3-4 years and then the longnose decided it was lunch. Also no more shrimp!

 

[si reef]

anyone have a"Tracy Morgan"?

Here is a Tracy Morgan colony

 

[Budman93]

Definitely getting one. Cleared a whole side of the tank on my current build to grow a tall one. Also read that the pygmy filefish will bite onto them to sleep so i think thatd be pretty cool as im getting a mated pair.

 

[si reef]

I would sell my colony.

 

[tREEFarm]

 

[Northwest_Scapes_]

Reviving this thread to show off some NPS Gorgonians from my NPS Tank:

Swiftia exserta (have had for 2 months now, shown a lot of healing and some growth)

Gold & Red Menella that just came in yesterday. It came in as a big Colony and a small Colony on the same base, the coral in the pic is the smaller Colony.

Red Sea Whip (Ellisella schmitti) Also just came in yesterday. I haven't seen it open up yet but I know it'll probably take a few days. Super huge

Definitely expanding the collection if I do well with this next round. Species on the bucketlist are definitely the Blueberry, Purple Menella, Pink / Yellow Bicolor, and a couple others

 

[Propane]

I really like gorgonians and have been lurking in seahorse savvy for weeks. I plan on a few gorgonians when the time is right.

 

[divewsharks]

I really like gorgonians and have been lurking in seahorse savvy for weeks. I plan on a few gorgonians when the time is right.

I have ordered from there a few times. The gorgs they send, are not small frags!

 

[Propane]

I have ordered from there a few times. The gorgs they send, are not small frags!

Good to know. Have you been pleased with your orders?