[spanko]

The pond netting is attached to a plastic frame I bought at Lowe's. It is screen frame with the track in it to push in the screen "roping"?? just like on a regular screen frame. No light spill over as the palm light has a goose neck that you can use to position it.

[nanoreef11]

I'll look into the frame thing at Lowe's. With the light can you see any of the light at night?

[spanko]

No it is in effect down below the back wall far enough to keep the light from shining in the room.

[nanoreef11]

awesome thanks spanko maybe the palm light is the best way for me to go. Could you possible post more pics of the frame as I can see what to look for when I go to Lowes?

[spanko]

I have just found about a half dozen Pseudocorynactis in the rock work out of the light in my tank. I believe they are the Caribbean type as they close up in the light. I think this because with my MH on yesterday I fed the coral, (Coral Frenzy, Frozen Cyclopleeze, Seachem Reef Plus and some DT's), with the return pump off but the Koralia's on. I started looking at the tank with the magnifying glass and saw one tucked up in a shaded spot on the rock. As I looked around more found another then another until I came across about 6 of the little buggers. When the feeding was done and I turned the return pump back on they started closing up. When closed you cannot tell what they are except for a white spot on the rock. Here is something from Julian Sprung on them.

Pseudocorynactis

Pseudocorynactis spp. are like Corynactis but are much larger (to about six inches (15 cm) diameter, and usually not colonial. They also reproduce by fission, but it is unusual to find more than about six clones together as a group. The so-called orange ball anemones that can be observed on coral reefs at night are Pseudocorynactis spp. The column varies in color from cryptic shades of brown to orange, red and magenta. The tips of the tentacles are commonly bright orange, but they can also be white. These tentacle tips are extremely sticky, like flypaper, due to the presence of powerful nematocysts. This fact makes the larger species from the Indo Pacific region unsuitable for aquariums housing fishes, which they readily capture. They also can catch mobile invertebrates such as shrimps and snails, and sometimes "attack" sessile invertebrates growing on adjacent rocks, enveloping them in the gastric cavity through a widely opened mouth. Pseudocorynactis spp. can be fed daily, but only require twice weekly feeding to keep them healthy. If they are not fed frequently enough, they shrink. There is a marked behavioral difference between the common Caribbean and Indo-Pacific species.
The Caribbean species, Pseudocorynactis caribbaeorum mainly opens its tentacles at night, and closes rapidly when it senses light. The Indo-Pacific species remains open both day and night, and is not sensitive to light. The presence of food smells (dissolved amino acids) in the water stimulates either species to open up and extend the tentacles, and the Caribbean species can be trained to open in the light by feeding it during daylight hours. The mechanism for its apparent memory is not known.

Whether you have a large reef aquarium or a simple small aquarium, any of the corallimorphs can be easily maintained and enjoyed for decades.

Mine are small at this point and I am starting to get information that the Lysmata wurdemanni (peppermint shrimp) will not destroy these as they will with Aiptasia. One person said to try boiling water. I suppose some of the Aiptasia control stuff might do the trick too, but have not verified this yet.

I want to say this tank and the rockwork in it are now about 1.5 years old. The only recent addition to this tank is a pc. of Pavona varians about 3 weeks ago. It was a small pc. about 2" x 1" and I examined it for anything on it before I added it and saw nothing. WHAT THE HECK!

My plan is to now try to control these corallimorphs with whatever means may work short of ripping out the rocks and "cooking" them. If I cannot I may move on to a new biotope (no more reef flat:cry:bw) possibly a patch reef or an island with an anemone and some clowns.

Don't have pics yet as when I saw them last night I was in shock that they have appeared so suddenly. Will get some as time allows.

Thanx all for listening.

[nanoreef11]

Never heard of these little guys. I guess you learn something every day.

[spanko]

Well I have been reading about Radium 150w 20k bulbs recently. Not as blue as other 20k's with higher PAR, so I got one to try out. Here are some comparison pictures. The pics are taken on full automatic setting on my camera with no photoshop or other enhancement. I really like it. Not as dark blue as the Phoenix 14k I was running and much brighter.

14k #1


14k #2


20k #1


20k#2

[migget]

I think the 14k brings out more of the pinks and reds in the ank and makes it look brighter, were as the 20k brings out the greens and blues and purples in the tank and makes it look more subdude and like its a deep water tank,imo.
When you did this tank i thought you were going for the reef look, which from your pics was very close to the surface of the water, were as this look is alot deeper. Am i wrong or are you trying soemthing different now?,
It looks very good though, i love to see how well things are doing in other ppls tanks esp. when they start form scatch.
If i my ask what elements and you subing to help growth and colors in the corals.

john

[spanko]

John, great evaluation and thank you for taking the time to do it. What I am looking for in the light is what I have read about the Radium, limited blue compared to other 20k bulbs, higher PAR value and a brighter look. To me, especially in person, the tank is much brighter in both the light and the blue coloration. In the pics it can be seen in the greens, the Monti caps on the right and the zoas on the left. I personally think it gives more of the shallow brightness of the water look to the tank. The 14k looks like a darker more deeper coloration. It is great to get other opinions like this and I think what is important is what is pleasant to our tastes when we are trying to achieve a certain look. I do think you are correct though with your idea that the reds and pinks are more noticeable with the 14k and this would in fact be true in more shallow waters as the reads are the first of the spectrum to be filtered out by the water.
I think we need to keep in mind that it takes about 100 hours for the Halides to actually "burn" in and the visible spectrum may change over this time. I will post some updated pics in about 19 or so days to see what has evolved with the lights.

If you mean by subing what am I adding I use ESV B-Ionic 2 part additive. It has a calcium part and alkalinity part. This allows you to dose what ever is needed from testing for either and not over dosing the other. I also do 20% weekly water changes using NutriSeawater natural seawater.

Again John, thank you for looking and commenting you have a keen sense for the aesthetics of the tank.

By the way I love the Maroons in the anemone picture in your gallery What species anemone is it?

[migget]

Thank you for responding, i can see tht with the 20k it does give the tank and overall better look, like there was a huge cloud passing slowly over, i was jsut wondering why and i got tht. I do knw what you mean about buring in , and would love to see what it looks like when tehy do.

I dose all Kent products, calc, coral accel, esstial elements , magnes, and a new product im testing tht one of the LFS i go to said works wonders for the corals. Its called zooplanktonos-M, made my brightwell aquatics. Havnt seen much difference yet but ive only doesed it for about 4 days now.

They are a pair of goldstriped maroons, The bigger of the 2 is the female, i got her from a buddy, she was straight out of the ocean and not doing well in his tanks so i got her, she has hers ticks lke not likeing to be in the open like osme clowns you see, but she is wild. Shes hosted 5 different anemoes ive had inthe tank and currently hosting 3 i have in there now. The smaller is the male, i felt bad for her and wanted a mate, i did alot of research and found tht adding another would a be a crap shoot but i did it anyway, he got his butt kicked for about 3 hours but after tht she slowly look a liking to him and now there inseprable. I got him when he was just getting his stripes, about a year old i read, she was alrdy about 3" so i know there would be no issues in which on would be the female, lol. There doing great now, both with wonderful personalities in there own right.

Thanks John

[spanko]

I forgot to mention I use Seachem Reef Plus and DT's about twice per week forthe coral and other things that can take advantage of it also. Are you doing testing prior to the calcium and mag you are dosing? Very important to know your values prior to putting in those additives.

[migget]

yes i do test every time i dose anything. I know what hapens when you dose to much, and i would hate tht, plus my wife keeps me in chk, lol.

[spanko]

So here are some new pics as of 24 June 08. Mostly top down with a new 20k Radium HQI bulb.

Green Slimer


Green Monti


Hispada Monti


Orange Monti


Orange Polyped Digitata


Porites worm rock


Purple Digitata


FTS


Thank you for looking.

[Fishhead Junkie]

Sweet tank. I keep waiting for some fellow reefer to PM me and say...HI, I think you are a cool dude and just wanted to know if you wanted all my stuff.

I really want to upgrade my lighting for free.. Think that will ever happen???

Steve

[spanko]

check out my new thread here.

http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/n...beginning.html