Taylor t
Well-Known Member
I need some ideas, I don't want to debate. Don't agree? Move on...
Back round : 75 gallon gig tank with 6 gigs. I see tiny tiny babies floating periodically. I'll start off by saying, I have a life outside of reefing. I work, have a family, and a business to run. I can't sit in front of my tanks for hours at a time. Maintenance is an issue, just look at the pics. I was about to do a 5 gallon water change this morning, they haven't had a water change in over a month. They seem to really like dirty water. I looked for a minute, and saw a floater go by. I have (2) mp40 cranked up to full throttle, so once you see one, you can't stop them and find them. Long story short, I've tried to capture the babies, and keep them in a low flow area until they are larger to grab hold. Flow is a major, major, MAJOR, factor in their health. I've only captured green and purple babies, there are (3) blue, (1) green, and (2) purple gigs in the tank. They are established, and thriving. All of them. The longest I've kept a baby alive is just over a week. I have tried hang on tank guppy nets. They grow algae with in a day or two, this option is out. This tank has high, high, HIGH nutrients... I have tried shot glasses. Too small, after a couple days, they release or walk. I tried a shot glass inside a large glass coke glass, (see pic) it doesn't keep them from letting go either. I've tried moving them to low flow areas in the tank. They release. Flow is the major issue, it's too strong (to keep the large ones happy), and allow the tiny ones to take hold. I don't have time or space to set up an overflow I'd consider the best option. So, finding one at a time to get through baby phase seems the only way to go. The tank has tons of glass anemones. There are also ball anemones in the tank. All 3 species release floater babies, I can tell the difference. All 3 baby phases look different from each other.
My question, I need to figure a way to keep the gig babies in the same water as the main tank, but out of the flow, and able to get good light, but out of the flow, but still need water exchange... Guppy net doesn't work. What else can I try? I currently have a baby purple planted a few days now, and I want to move it to a less current area, I need to do a water change, the crud that grows is about to smother it, I fear it's going to let go any day now. Take a look at the pics below.
Currently the purple is on the right side in the crud I need to suck out to do a water change.
In the middle of the substrate crud, is the baby purple I'd like to try to get past tiny stage. I'm afraid it' s about to let go any day.
Here's the best close up I can get. When I turn down flow, the tents wiggle just like the adults.
4
size reference this is a shot glass. This is the size I'm trying to deal with.
Any ideas what I can do to keep them in the main tank, under same lighting, but cut the flow and contain if it lets go? I see periodically a few greens one day, all gone the next. Flow is a major issue. Then a week or two later, I see a purple go floating by. Greens are easy to see, they glow with actinics. Purples are harder to see, they need to be spotted during daylight hours. When I see them go flying by in the current, by the time I get the pumps turned off, I can't find them. So, any ideas?
Back round : 75 gallon gig tank with 6 gigs. I see tiny tiny babies floating periodically. I'll start off by saying, I have a life outside of reefing. I work, have a family, and a business to run. I can't sit in front of my tanks for hours at a time. Maintenance is an issue, just look at the pics. I was about to do a 5 gallon water change this morning, they haven't had a water change in over a month. They seem to really like dirty water. I looked for a minute, and saw a floater go by. I have (2) mp40 cranked up to full throttle, so once you see one, you can't stop them and find them. Long story short, I've tried to capture the babies, and keep them in a low flow area until they are larger to grab hold. Flow is a major, major, MAJOR, factor in their health. I've only captured green and purple babies, there are (3) blue, (1) green, and (2) purple gigs in the tank. They are established, and thriving. All of them. The longest I've kept a baby alive is just over a week. I have tried hang on tank guppy nets. They grow algae with in a day or two, this option is out. This tank has high, high, HIGH nutrients... I have tried shot glasses. Too small, after a couple days, they release or walk. I tried a shot glass inside a large glass coke glass, (see pic) it doesn't keep them from letting go either. I've tried moving them to low flow areas in the tank. They release. Flow is the major issue, it's too strong (to keep the large ones happy), and allow the tiny ones to take hold. I don't have time or space to set up an overflow I'd consider the best option. So, finding one at a time to get through baby phase seems the only way to go. The tank has tons of glass anemones. There are also ball anemones in the tank. All 3 species release floater babies, I can tell the difference. All 3 baby phases look different from each other.
My question, I need to figure a way to keep the gig babies in the same water as the main tank, but out of the flow, and able to get good light, but out of the flow, but still need water exchange... Guppy net doesn't work. What else can I try? I currently have a baby purple planted a few days now, and I want to move it to a less current area, I need to do a water change, the crud that grows is about to smother it, I fear it's going to let go any day now. Take a look at the pics below.
Currently the purple is on the right side in the crud I need to suck out to do a water change.
In the middle of the substrate crud, is the baby purple I'd like to try to get past tiny stage. I'm afraid it' s about to let go any day.
Here's the best close up I can get. When I turn down flow, the tents wiggle just like the adults.
4
size reference this is a shot glass. This is the size I'm trying to deal with.
Any ideas what I can do to keep them in the main tank, under same lighting, but cut the flow and contain if it lets go? I see periodically a few greens one day, all gone the next. Flow is a major issue. Then a week or two later, I see a purple go floating by. Greens are easy to see, they glow with actinics. Purples are harder to see, they need to be spotted during daylight hours. When I see them go flying by in the current, by the time I get the pumps turned off, I can't find them. So, any ideas?
