Talkingreef Live - Episode 2

[Rob]

Here are a list of items discussed in this weeks Talkingreef Live show
Thanks again for everyone that joined in for this first show

Keeping multiple dwarf angels
- WWM link: DwfAngCompFAQs (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dwfangcompfaqs.htm)
Lighting needs for Anemones and stony coral
- Should we use a Watt per gallon rating
- BTA and Rose Anemone
- Anemone Podcast: Anemones-TR-Ep40 (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=577)
- T5 Lighting with Individual reflectors
- - See also: Talkingreef - Lighting Part 2 Fluorescent - Podcast Episode 76 (http://talkingreef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550)
Acquiring Rare or hard to find fish
Costs to start up a saltwater fish tank
- Live Rock
- Base Rock
- Types of Sand beds:
- - Substrate-pt2-TR-Ep28 (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/podcast-episodes/215-substrates-pt2-podcast-episode-28-a.html)
- - Substrate-pt1-TR-Ep27 (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/podcast-episodes/188-substrates-pt1-podcast-episode-27-a.html?highlight=substrates+part)
- Downloading The Talkingreef Podcasts: FAQ's (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/faq.php)
Controlling Algae
- Water changes
- Marine S.A.T.
Using Silica based sand in a Marine saltwater tank.
- KolorScape Sand in saltwater tank
Controlling Nitrates in a saltwater tank
- Downloading The Talkingreef Podcasts: FAQ's (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/faq.php)
- Nitrate Sponge in a PhosBan Reactor: Phosban Reactor: Aqua Buys (http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=tlf_phosban_reactor&Category_Code=)
Running PhosBan and Carbon in the same PhosBan reactor
- PhosBan Reactor: Phosban Reactor: Aqua Buys (http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=tlf_phosban_reactor&Category_Code=)
- Daisy chaining or piggy backing Phosban reactors with a small maxi-jet 400
Molding and sculpting Marco's Base rock
- AquticEco systems (http://www.aquaticeco.com)
Height for a DIY Metal Halide hood on a 30" tank
Events & Local Discussion (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/events-local-discussion/)
- Down Under Frag Swap - Near Raleigh NC (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/local-swaps-meetings/4808-down-under-frag-swap-near-raleigh-nc.html)
- LMAS is proud to Announce our 1st Annual Frag Swap (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/local-swaps-meetings/4880-lmas-proud-announce-our-1st-annual-frag-swap.html)

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[doctorthompson]

Darn... missed another one! Just wanted to add my $0.02 to the anemone lighting subject:

While I've piped up a lot over the past few months about anemone lighting and the fact that you can probably keep most them in near darkness as long as you feed them enough, I would wholeheartedly agree with the T5 recommendation for anyone trying out anemone keeping for the first time, as it will give you some leeway if you're not providing it enough food.

I'd also like to note that food should really not be considered as a secondary or supplemental nutritional source for anemones. Light/zooxanthellae will mostly (only?) provide the non-nitrogeneous portion of the animal's nutritional requirements. For an anemone to truly thrive it must be fed regularly. Some will prefer fish, some will prefer shrimp/crustaceans, some will prefer a mix of both -- do your research and keep in mind the anemone should be considered a part of the waste-producing bioload in your tank, whereas most corals and other cnidarians usually aren't.

One more thing since the caller was looking for lighting coral AND an anemone... be aware that the common recommendation of not keeping anemones in mixed tanks is well founded. I'll go out on a limb and suggest that if you're willing to put in the time to keep an anemone and are hard-set about keeping it in a mixed reef that you try a carpet anemone rather than a bubble-tip. They aren't as hardy as bubble-tips, and require much cleaner water, but they also tend to wander less when they're well fed. (hopefully this suggestion doesn't cause any angry, "tang-in-a-10g"-level flames)

FWIW: the lighting vs feeding applies to "host" anemones such as Entacmaea quadricolor, Stichodactyla sp. and Heteractis sp., as well as commonly sold Caribbean species such as Condylactis sp.. not tube anemones (which are mostly temperate, not tropical!) or anemone-like corallimorphs such as Cornylactis sp.

[CarmieJo]

Lucas,

You've probably noticed that we are not much on flaming here at TR. We keep a kinder, gentler board.:)

Great information.

While some may disagree with you I have certainly read the food and light advice before. Thinking about it, my BTA does not look any better/bigger/faster growing with my Solaris than it did with my PC's. It did split after a couple of months under the Solaris but the clone died. I guess that could be light but it could just as easily be critical mass.

Learning to judge enough food to thrive vs enough to survive is tough. I do believe that a newer reefkeeper will likely be more successful with an anemone with at least moderate light just because it provides more cushion.

[doctorthompson]

I was mostly joking about being flamed :)

Actually, it is probably during and shortly after the splitting process that these creatures WILL tend to rely on photosynthesis more than feeding (mostly because the mouth doesn't reform for a while). I've been reading all the info I can find on carpets and anemones in general lately because I'll be moving my S. haddoni and it's tank this month and I've noticed a trend with host anemones being kept under low lights tending not to not split as often as those kept under bright halides.

Brighter light provides a cushion and something I forgot to mention is that since these things are mostly wild caught, lighting can provide a "comfort zone" as well, even if the animal doesn't actually need the light from a nutritional standpoint. I'm sure if my carpet anemone was caught near Thailand it would have been scrambling around my tank like crazy to get near the light... they live in such shallow water there that they're often exposed to air for several hours during each low tide!

PS. the whole "live in dark as long as they're fed well" stuff is paraphrased from Dr. Ron Shimek, who probably knows more about these creatures than most people and has kept specimens for decades (!!!!). I'd highly recommend his published works on the subject (Issue #8, Vol. 1 of AHABS, Ron's Aquarium Husbandry Articles By Subscription (http://www.ronshimek.com/ahabs.htm) is a good start for those who don't mind delving into some marine biology to better understand their anemones).

[Amphibious]

Rob,

I listened to the TR episode 2 show. That was well done. I apologize for not being available at that time. That's 2 I've missed. Shame on me.

There was a good deal of discussion on Aragonite sand for DSBs. I greatly appreciate plugging my business, The Cultured Reef. We do have it in stock and can get more. Still looking for the "right" box for shipping.

Dick

[CarmieJo]

Here is a recent thread http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/reactors/5192-phosphate-carbon-reactor.html on running Phosban and carbon at the same time.