Dendronephthya & Scleronephthya aquaculture

[Opus]

I saw this little guy at a frag swap a few weeks ago. Is it a scleronephthya? The lady next to me was asking about it and the vendor was putting the hard sale on her. He told her it would do fine in her reef tank as long as she broadcast fed it a couple times a week. I think he was wanting $40 for it.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I saw this little guy at a frag swap a few weeks ago. Is it a scleronephthya? The lady next to me was asking about it and the vendor was putting the hard sale on her. He told her it would do fine in her reef tank as long as she broadcast fed it a couple times a week. I think he was wanting $40 for it.

Pretty, definitely scleronephthya, hard to get. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Tested and bought for $50. Runs perfect. Chiller 1/4hp In planning stages for new tank design.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Getting her ready for summer, maybe Memorial day

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Waiting on dendronephthya colonies, Papua New Guinea, hopefully.
Get ready to grill some chicken

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Still waiting on dendronephthya colonies
Marinated chicken

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

So still waiting on colonies.
Since returning to reef keeping on 10/2017 I've been trying to figure out how to deal with the heavy feeding and keeping the water crystal clear and healthy. I figured it out D.E. filtration. As you know I've been experimenting for some time since returning with different tank setups and filtration so I have a new tank build and at this time gathering everything I need for the build at least to cycle the tank so I have at this time about 70% of what I need. Stay tune

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Trying to upload have issues

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Eventually this D.E. filtration system, it's a monster.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Tomorrow if work permits, going to the Backwoods Lab, aka storage container in the boonies. Will take pictures of D.E. filtration system and related parts. Here's a parts list in photos

Have most, stay tune

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Been to the backwoods lab yet? Curious on the DE setup you have going. I am working my way to setting up an NPS only tank once we move.

But for now, I will show you a pic of my new friends that just came out of QT and got added to the mixed reef 90. I also have one of our local LFS on the search for some more NPS for me. They have awesome suppliers and had no issue getting me the carnation coral. Now I have them on the hunt for some not so often seen stuff.

has not opened up all the way yet today, but in a few hours will be a big puffy fool.

New massive gorg, my dad has had for 3 years. I brought it back from a visit with him, and 2 sun corals that finally opened up yesterday for a bit after being mad they got moved from 80 days of QT lol.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Very nice, I'm drooling. If possible shine some normal lite on your dendro, right now to me it looks like a sclero. the sun polyp corals you have if one or all are yellow they will produce baby polyps I've noticed I have orange and black different types of black and no go still Love the yellow finger beautiful. I picked up some skimmers last night near the Backwoods lab and went to check on my children of the sea and the de filtration is doing its job ,so very cool. here's my yellow finger about 1 month I've had. Thanks for the comments and for sharing comrade.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I forgot to mention I will be at the Backwoods lab and 20 minutes

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

On your dendro, try spot feeding , cut bottom of water bottle or something similar and spot feed through that cut up bottle YouTube should have some videos on doing that

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Sclero colonies I have was never a healthy one but what polyps it has left which has lost its tentacles they're open so that's a good sign hopefully they'll get healthy again, hopefully. When I return last night to check on my children of the sea I increase the food so we'll see what happens.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I picked these up last night so I was able to come and check on my children it was nearby, besides using the de filtration, which should be sufficient I'm going to set up two skimmers eventually I'll pick up a real skimmer. right now we are in test mode so I tried to get whatever I can use,because there's no guarantee what I'm trying to do will be successful so why spend good money,for now

okay, here's the sprinkler valve I modified it to be controlled by water through a quarter inch tube or air. Where I'm setting up the new 46 gallon tank there's a hose bib next to it so I'll use the pressure of the water, open and close by the solenoid valves to control this valve.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Heres whole house canister filter converted for de filtration I just ordered a clear housing so I can see when the time comes to charge filter. And the Eheim pump connected to it

 

[Eagle_Steve]

On your dendro, try spot feeding , cut bottom of water bottle or something similar and spot feed through that cut up bottle YouTube should have some videos on doing that

I can shut off all flow with my reef pi to this tank, and feed once it all settles down. I do understand the picture sucks lol. I will snag one this evening for you and you will be able to see the thistles and all that with the lights on 100% white. The blue just ruins the color and definition of it. Grated whites are at 75% in that pic, but my phone just hates blues lol.

As for the suns, they are orange and black and just now starting to shows the tips of the polyps after the move a few days ago.

That gorg is looking good also. I hope it grows like mine did from a nub and yours ends up like the one I got from my dad. As long as they have food, it seems they do well. You just have to be diligent and make sure to feed them. Another thing is to drip or dose phyto all day long lol. I use a dosing pump and put phyto into my tank 24/7. I grow my own and use 20 oz. bottles at a time. Another good benefit from it is pods. My mandarin pair is a fat happy couple. The best ting I have noticed is I clean my glass once every 2 weeks or so now. Algae seems to not grow, the pods eat it at night, or the phyto just out competes it for nutrients. Not sure there, but it has been a plus for sure.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I picked these up last night so I was able to come and check on my children it was nearby, besides using the de filtration, which should be sufficient I'm going to set up two skimmers eventually I'll pick up a real skimmer. right now we are in test mode so I tried to get whatever I can use,because there's no guarantee what I'm trying to do will be successful so why spend good money,for now

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I picked these up last night so I was able to come and check on my children it was nearby, besides using the de filtration, which should be sufficient I'm going to set up two skimmers eventually I'll pick up a real skimmer. right now we are in test mode so I tried to get whatever I can use,because there's no guarantee what I'm trying to do will be successful so why spend good money,for now

OMG lol. I have one of those in my garage. "Sea Clone Skimmer". Bad thing is, it actually worked very well. I did do a few mods to it and it made it better. I need to get you some pics of the mods, as doing a needle wheel pump makes a big difference in how it performs. With the normal pump and setup, you skim OK, but doing a needle wheel upgrade or modding the existing pump with mesh, makes a huge difference in what they pull out of the water.