keithtanbb

I have previously bought my culture disc from "florida farm" but then I do find the live phytoplankton you buy from LFS equally good.Theres a lot of information free off the internet if you google it---(maybe you will find relevant info from my previos posts on this subject) I have since stopped my culture due to lack of time maintaining it...also cannot resolve the phostphates issues from the fertilizers I was using (initially the plankton growth formula from florida farm, then "miracle grow" brand....

I dont see why you cannot use the OHF as a mini refugium.......choice of macro algae is key....I have chaeto. Mangrove pods, in mine.....(not a OHF).dont think you will have space for coral chips, charcoal....as you need to provide space for growth and 24/7 lightings

I am keen on one...please keep me advised

I bought mine legally with out strings attached from fellow singapore reefers...twice, just to see off any difference as I was experimenting with pythoplankton's and refugiums concepts....even grew some in my mangrove tank under natural lightings...very nice!....anyway ...search no further....I am selling my home grown chaeto's But I must say I also did tried to get a sample specimens from the AC stash!(as not many selling that then) But explanation was not enough......see you at the reef gathering....some will be distributed there...... Anyhow....I have mine now.....contented....which brings to mind? so no more gathering ah?

I have so far been successful in culturing phytoplankton, and then feeding that to my rotifers factories.....before harvesting and dumping that stuffs into my refugium (sea horses+ copepods+amphipods) I am seriously considering supplying that magic potion to reefers staying near my place...which is next to tanah merah MRT station. For reefers who believe in the natural eco-system....please do PM me....but will need substantial numbers to warrant a "production line!" of course cost like the salt + filtered water+ electricity willbe factored in....product line up 1) phytoplankton....my special garden culture concept 2) Live and kicking rotifers 3) chaetomorpha algae .............................XXXXXXXXXX......................................... ....................... scraped ideas! (just do you know I tried! 1) copepods+amphipods (to catch them involves up setting my refugium and sump! 2) green or red grapes algae....dont recommend these as they can turn asexual and are invasive

do a taste test

Nice ! jackal....I get those green algae growth at my water edge, I scrape those , I ran a refugium full of chaeto's and some grapes, and a rowaphos fluidised reactor...guess it is the light and my over feeding conditons that promote such growth.My starfishes and turbo snails seems to enjoy them though...so I left it as it is! In my refugium I find that allowing it to run without my hands disturbing them , the macro algaes grows nicely!!!

my solution, get reef helpers 1) black sea cucumber, turbo snails, blue legged hermit crabs 2) divert your water flow to "blow" gently on your sand bed without disturbing your corals!! 3) if you are using tap water for your salt mix, use a filteration....R/O is best ( I am using 3 cannister filters to exclude silicates and some phosphates

NO YOU MAY NOT!, elegance are highly territiorial and will expand out to reachyour hammer even if you place it 4 to 5 inches away.you will find your hammer being the worst off in this confrontation.Separate them...elegance dont do well in high flow in my experience.

agree. give thm sometime to adapt, check if you got other tangs or more aggressive fishes that will compete with it for territory.My 2 purple tang bullied my sohal,(they were in the tank 1st)

why not go for the ideal/desired tank size that you want as 1) the investment of equipments onset ..e.g protein skimmer, calcium reactor, good quiet, energy efficient chiller. 2) larger water volume afford water chemistry stability 9you need to start slowly on accumulating various species of corals, but you need to learn about their proper living conditions, feeding, water flow requirements 3) start off with easier soft corals, minimal fishes, a good mix of clean up crew 4) you can learn along the way on dosage of minerals I started right off from a 3 feet planted fresh water tank, to a 7 feet tank with additional refugium and planted mangrove. (wished I had learned the jaubert monacco system earlier.....so I can incorporate it in.

IMO best is to use R/O water and a good salt mix. this was you determine what goes into your tank. You dont really know the chemistry of shop purchase water...I tried collecting from our shores as well.Did not do much to improve my corals well being so I stop. these days I use filtered tap water, oceanic brand salt.and I grow phytoplankton in this salt mix before doing water changes....but i do run a fluidised reactor with rowaphos.

Invest in 1 refractometer, a china made one cost 80 dollars....beats guess works and wrong reading from those cheap plastic type. Get a new pail, with a hand scoop. You can fill the scoop with salt and fill the pail with water, mixing the salt. After a while you can estimate visually the correct amount to mix.! salinity is ideal 1.21 to 1.25. the evaporation rate will be quite constant when you add the chiller, so top up of water when you do water changes may be less saline. Get a refractometer, I got mine from Jireh, and have since gave up on the less accurate plastic ones

are you dosing anything that may add to the high phosphates? Over feeding, overcrowding also adds to the problem. Consider getting a REVERSE OSMOSIS filtration system?

consider this.....you can buy a ready plastic T-5 2 feet 3 feet complete set for around 25 to 28 dollars..all you need is a place to hook it up or atttached to.From any lighting stores with 2 or 3 variation in quality.

hey beaver, do you have good current over that area that the diatom are growing on? I experience some growth in the "dead" area as the diatom/algae are free to propagate! installing a small pump over the area to provide some current may help

it is alway good to have additional volume of water to maintain a healthy reef. I encourage you to habe that refugium.If ever you need a "hospital" for your corals or fish. I maintain a 2 feet mangrove nursery and a 3 feet refugium where I grow macro algae's and have seen lots of copepods and amphipods! these are additional food for your corals and fishes.I have to keep my bali clowns in my mangrove nursery as other more aggressive fishes "bullies" them, SO YES... hook up your refugium for added possibilities!

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?...topic=44468&hl= heres the thread

I have contributed some articles and photos on mangroves, along with my system.. please search my threads. Mangroves are additional ways to reduce nitrates, phosphates issues. I have a mangrove nursery, along with a macro algae refugium. I grow my own phytoplanktons and because they need fertilizers to propagate fast enough. I need the mangroves,algaes and I am running rowaphos thru a fluidised reactor. mangroves are not only natural they are lovely plants.I keep them near a window to absorb natural sunlight.You should get the red "walking" mangrove variety. BUT I think a refuguim fill with chaetos and some grapes caluerpa's are better.

this is an okay macro algae to use to get rid of some phosphates and nitrates.. if your conditions are right they will grow and double in size in 3 to 4 weeks...need rocks to cling on!.when they reach out.. ...but you need longer photoperiod. I operate a 2 feet refugium and incorporated some of them along with ulva, red grapes and chaetomorpha's..your 2 feet tank will not accomodate them well IMO.. why dont you try to incorporate a fuge? http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?...topic=46282&hl= I have 2x 2 feet white florescent 6,500k each running 24 hours.....it is on all the time.some photo's decription of algaes. http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/stender/ma...ds/seaweeds.htm I will vote for chaeto's. grapes and ulva algaes for nutrients export....also mangroves if you can ! check my posts...i have some old photos there.

no dude! have been experimenting for a while on culturing the wonderful planktons,rotifers, brine shrimps to provide steady supply of beneficials food to the reef tank. Found the florescent lighting method not energy efficient.But if we "grow" plankton without too much hassle then it will be just great! Cleared nmy 1st batch using LFS planktons, now will break out my last disk of florida farm pure Phytoplankton! ...wish me luck, will post my findings here.

now with this start up, I can carry out my rotifers, brine shrimp factories!! all for my tank.Please comment if you like. But this is just one way to culture the plankton.I have tried the other methods , but due to climate different , we need our own energy efficient methods.Also need a good strong strain of the plankton to endure the heat...confined radiated heat can be up 38 degrees! here..

look lovely!! the green in my pics.Comparing them to the LFS brands and mine is the top right..started feeding my tank with this. Running rowa phos to get rid of excess phosphates from the fertilisers., (I HAVE TRIED CULTURING PHYTO"S IN MY CABINET USING FLAME ANGEL formula before, but since we get nice natural sunlight..came up with this tropical plan.

basic ingredient; 1) Phytoplankton culture, soup, bottles from the LFS, tried the german brand - that didn't work , maybe they nuke them so they wont reproduce??need that microscope..... 2) Sunlight -thats free in our tropical climate but please take away the heat! 3) fertilizers, bought some from florida farms, but trying to replicate using miracle grow formula...friend took in from australia ($4 a pack) 4) air tube to circulate the mixture. 5) time.... 6) need to harvest and restart the culture in 7 to 10 days....(( mine is at 7th day on these pics.

finally put my plans into actions!!!....hey Fuel need your input bro....(haven't gotten that microscope yet to view upclose, but thats part of my plan.