Marine Plants

[Bryn]

Update on my purchase from the company I'm not sure about. Well the products where to be shipped out today, but I asked for shipping to be delayed until Monday. This evening I received an automate phone call telling me that at my request the shipping date had be put off. Unfortunately I was on the interstate and was not able to hear everything, but I got the impression that it will be shipped sometime later. I must say that communication has been good so far. If a company would put the infrastructure in place to have such automation, hopefully the products should be as as good. Maybe this company is trying to make a difference, makeup for previous bad service. I will wait until the products arrive, before I disclose the company. I have also another order of Algae coming from another company to review. It will be interesting to compare the shipping practices, I should make some videos I suppose. I cannot wait to get the 100mm macro lens working on these macros. Come to think of it, I need to follow up on a promise I made to take some photos of corals for a member. Not sure how many are reading these ramblings, but it is a little like my own personnel blog.

 

[bknapp]

Hope the companies deliver on their promises, I've only bought algae on purpose to feed tangs, lol.

And as far as the testing kits are concerned I agree with Chris. Hanna's are easier to read and use as compared to any tritation type kit.

 

[Bryn]

WOW, what a difference a few dollars make. The Maxi-Jet is working well, and the suction cups have worked well so far, but having bought two used Hydor 750's and installed them, WOW.

What I noticed was the noise difference, from a high pitched, high frequency clicking, to silence. As this system is in the garage, I'm not too worried about the noise, but in a living area I can see why a pump like this would be a first choice. The hydor although an AC pump, it opens up the possibility of using a wave maker at some point. Thinking of controllable pumps, the Vortex MP pumps, the direction of the flow, is it changeable, or is it always perpendicular to the glass?

Well I have been informed that my package from one of the companies I bought from has shipped. The second is due to ship Tuesday, so it will be interesting to see the difference in packaging. I will keep you posted.

 

[dwilliams87]

Bryn, I hape the Vortex Mp Pumps on my systems. There is no need to worry about direction of flow, because it moves the water everywhere. I have one on my 40 at about 80% and it creates flow at every point in my tank. You are more than welcome to come by and see anytime.

 

[Bryn]

Ok, no photo but I have a 40g breeder up and running. 60 pound of sand, 20 of that was live sand, and 40 was dry. Have two Hydor 750's moving water with rock in the tank. At present it looks like a sand storm, but slowly clearing out. Have not got a clue where the rock is sitting, but it is in there, and one shipment of algae is due to arrive tomorrow. Hopefully the other will arrive Thursday. Rinsed the dry rock very well I thought, but still a blinding storm of milky white water. The 750's are giving good water movement on the surface.

Some parameters:
pH 7.6
Salinity 1.025sg maybe 1.026sg
Alkalinity 4.5 meq/L
Calcium 410ppm
Nitrates about 5ppm

Alkalinity may not be that high, first time using the test kit, so should retest.

Hopefully get a picture tomorrow before the planting. As my water is not meant to be super clean, I might venture into LPS, maybe a Sun Polyp (Tubastrea aurea) to start.

 

[gmoney243]

Just remeber when testing there will be air in the tube bcause of the tip. Just pull it to the 1ml mark and slowly drip while shaking till color change

 

[Bryn]

I noticed the air in the tube, having used many syringes I removed the air. My biggest problem was reading the scale LOL.

 

[gmoney243]

Yea dont remove the air. It wil give false reading. Just pull to 1ml leave the air

 

[Bryn]

Got it. That would drop my readings down somewhat.

Thanks

 

[Bryn]

A few pictures of some of the macro algae.

 

[Bryn]

A couple more

 

[scooterc268]

Here's my macro in the making. It acts as a remote fuge for my 120g mix, also helps with remove the extra CO2 from the Ca reactor.

40b

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Bryn]

Snails

 

[Bryn]

Beautiful coloration on the Ochtodes. What is the macro behind the Ochtodes?

 

[scooterc268]

Beautiful coloration on the Ochtodes. What is the macro behind the Ochtodes?

Dragons Breath. I only have a cell phone camera and it doesn't show the true red/orange.

This is a system acts as my refugium. It is next to my 120 on its own stand. It shares the sump below the 120 (40g breeder) and everything else the 120 uses. Only thing in the macro tank's stand is my Ca reactor. But both share the same water.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[gmoney243]

Nice macros both of you

 

[Bryn]

Last of my posting of macros pictures.

There you have it.

 

[dwilliams87]

Looks great Bryn!

 

[Bryn]

If you are in need of macro algae, I would highly recommend this company. Service, quality, everything about them has been 110%.

Macro Algae: Your Source For Quality Marine Plants and Macroalgae | Gulf Coast Ecosystems

The other company I used was so disappointing that I will not say who it was, but I should have done my home work. It would not take a lot to improve the service, so unsure whether to complain to help them or just let it go. If they handle macros so poorly, I could not consider buying something more fragile.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Last of my posting of macros pictures.











There you have it.

Hey buddy this is Bill, You dropped off the refractometer for me. Your Macros are awesome and will want to talk to you in depth about adding these to myFuge on my new build. Looking real good!
Bill AKA poolkeeper1