WMAS Discussion Forum : Question about my Cheato

Question about my Cheato : In thinking about this new tank,...

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 09:54:36 +0000

Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 31 2016 at 9:54am

In thinking about this new tank, and knowing that there have already been some crab deaths, both Hermit and Emerald Crabs, I'm suggesting that Caulerpa growing across the sand would also provide something for those crabs to forage on while the tank matures. Caulerpa stretching across the sand or on a rock looks nice and is extremely easy to remove. Again, as I have said before, small Tangs/Rabbitfish can be very happy and healthy when introduced into a small tank where Caulerpa has been allowed.

Aloha,

Mark

Question about my Cheato : LED does have the advantage of...

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 09:12:59 +0000

Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 31 2016 at 9:12am

LED does have the advantage of putting off less heat.

I love the color green. I love algae. I love the look of it. I even love the taste and smell of it. It may have something to do with my childhood summers, playing in ponds and swamps near my home. It may also have something to do with the first reef aquarium picture I remember seeing in a book (pre internet) which had a a few runners of bright green feather Caulerpa interspersed with LR, coral and a beautiful green tailed Six-line Wrasse.

Teknik777 wrote:

I have found that you get what you pay for. For example if you want to do this hobby cheap you can defiantly do that with a display full of Macroalgae. Everyone's opinion of what looks cool is different. For example I think Macroalgae looks dumb af in the display and would only ever keep it in the sump. I would prefer to have mostly SPS in my display.

I understand and agree with some of this, but I don't recall ever hearing or saying that Macroalgae must be kept in the display in order for the tank to be affordable/less costly.

To set the record straight, this is what I do say:

A brand new tank will do much better, and very quickly, if Macroalgae is used as a major part of the initial biofiltration. As time progresses, the animal population (bacteria, bugs, sponge, worms, etc.) grows larger, so that the Macroalgae may be removed in steps. In tanks that have been running for over three years or so, Macroalgae, even in a Refugium, becomes practically unnecessary. This is also partly due to Coralline Algae and Sponge becoming more prominent in the biofiltration mix.

Aloha,

Mark

Edited by Mark Peterson - August 31 2016 at 9:19am

Question about my Cheato : I'm an all or nothing kind...

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 16:32:32 +0000

Author: Hogie
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 30 2016 at 4:32pm

I'm an all or nothing kind of person on Macro. I had a little 2 gallon pico macroalgae tank that only had different kinds of 'display' macro algae. I keep it well trimed and it was a pretty tank (sold it eventually.) However, in my main tanks, i don't want macro in them. To me, my tanks are akin to art and if there is macro in them, it looks like a mistake. Now that's not to say that macro in displays is bad or doesn't work. One of my all time favorite tanks was a sea horse/pipe fish/garden eel tank that was in Centerille. It had some softies and a few other things, but was 90% different kinds of macro algae and it looked so awesome! That said, if you look at Aaron Allen's tanks, they are fantastic! Absolutely beautiful colors, stunning growth, great polyp extension, and if there was macro in there, to me, it would look so out of place, it would ruin the look of the whole tank. It's 100% personal preference. So, google different tank pics and look at one with and without macro in the display and find which you like.

As for the bulb, I also use LED, but I didn't always. I had before a regular bulb in a cone reflector under my 45 gal and it was actually generating a lot of heat when it was on and was heating up in stand considerably. So I swapped to a Lowes LED light and it's been there for close to 4 years now and is still going strong. No problems.

Edited by Hogie - August 30 2016 at 4:36pm

Question about my Cheato : Teknik777 wrote:I have found...

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 16:08:08 +0000

Author: love2skiutah
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 30 2016 at 4:08pm

I agree. Most people don't want their displays looking like refugiums. Look at all the successful beautiful tanks (Like Teknik and Syphus) and they don't have their displays full of macro algae. Feed the fish some good quality foods and in the mean time, there is plenty of algae they can pick at, up and around your rocks.

Question about my Cheato : I have found that you get what...

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 16:04:02 +0000

Author: Teknik777
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 30 2016 at 4:04pm

I have found that you get what you pay for. For example if you want to do this hobby cheap you can defiantly do that with a display full of Macroalgae. Everyone's opinion of what looks cool is different. For example I think Macroalgae looks dumb af in the display and would only ever keep it in the sump. I would prefer to have mostly SPS in my display.

Question about my Cheato : It's all good.

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 06:35:06 +0000

Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 30 2016 at 6:35am

It's all good.

Question about my Cheato :

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 20:11:16 +0000

Author: Reefer4Ever
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 29 2016 at 8:11pm

Question about my Cheato : Mark Peterson wrote:BTW, the...

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 20:05:54 +0000

Author: sabeypets
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 29 2016 at 8:05pm

Mark Peterson wrote:

BTW, the Caulerpa pictured in the OP is both Grape and Feather Caulerpa. The Feather Caulerpa I see looks like it was not disintegrating. Each strain/variety of Caulerpa can withstand different minimum levels of nutrients. Macroalgae kept in a container is not the best method. It does not get a good flow of water and may starve because it's receiving only a portion of the nutrients swirling around in the system. Macroalgae growing freely in the tank is easy to remove if harvested often and as it grows it looks beautiful.

For lighting I like fluorescent because it emits a broader spectrum of light for growing a great crop of Macroalgae. PC/CF (power compact/compact fluorescent) twist bulbs are so inexpensive these days. Three of those will last ~2 years for only ~$9. The cone reflector at ~$10 will last forever.

Buy the PC Twist bulb that is as high wattage as possible and Daylight color, not warm or cool white.

See the pic below of my favorite system ever, with Mr. Ray and Batfish swimming around the suspended reef.

Aloha,

Mark

Upon closer observation there are a couple strands of feather caulerpa mixed in there.

Question about my Cheato : Mark Peterson wrote: reefnfeef...

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 16:08:55 +0000

Author: bstuver
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 29 2016 at 4:08pm

Mark Peterson wrote:

reefnfeef wrote:

aaaaaaaaaaaaaannd.... I'm broke

Follow my methods/advice and you might not be broke. After the initial $10 purchase of the Cone Reflector at HD/Lowes, the ongoing yearly cost is about $5. Compare that to the $15/yr cost of the LED, of which you seem to be so fond.

Just saying.... this hobby does not have to be

expensive.

Aloha,

Mark

You do realize Mark that the aaaaaaaaaaaaand...I'm broke is his signature line and had nothing to do with a sump light;)

Question about my Cheato : reefnfeef wrote:aaaaaaaaaaaaaannd.......

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:47:18 +0000

Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 80769
Posted: August 29 2016 at 3:47pm

reefnfeef wrote:

aaaaaaaaaaaaaannd.... I'm broke

Just saying.... this hobby does not have to be

expensive.

Aloha,

Mark