keyna tree

[doctorthompson]

Originally Posted by Plasticreefer

Doctorthompson wat are u refering to when you say "one of those plastic floating breeder containers " ????

A floating breeder trap is what I meant - they're cheap and available anywhere that sells freshwater aquarium stuff (walmart, etc...). I love these things.

For xenia I used to use a floating "2-way breeder" lined with a thin layer of 3mm-5mm aragonite or similarly sized chunks of crushed (er, sledgehammer smashed) oyster/snail/conch shells (which I found can be purchased quite cheaply in bulk from landscaping supply places, just soak everything in bleach for a couple days) for the xenia to attach to. (then I found out how fast xenia grow so the 2"x4" breeder trap was upgraded to a 37g tank a month later)

For frags and dropped branches from the various "tree" corals (Nephthea/Lemnalia/Capnella) I'd use a slightly larger one with heavier rubble, but kept it light enough that it would still float. An old maxi-jet hanger kept the floating traps from floating away from the back corner.

For Rhodactis and Protopalythoa I used 2 of the freshwater breeding nets, filled with 1" - 1.5" of 1cm-diameter rubble. The nets are a lot bigger than the breeder traps though so they got put in their own 20g tank (my QT) until all the frags had settled and secured themselves onto "glueable" sized chunks of rock.

I wish I could find my digital camera... I'm in the process of moving right now but I've still got 5 rubble trays going in a tank on the kitchen floor. I'm only keeping/moving a few of my favourite inverts, the rest are being given away and I chopped up my last Sarcophyton and my last Nephthea/Kenya/Thing into about 50 chunks 3 nights ago. They're sitting in 3 of those two-way breeder traps and 2 old Fluval 4xx media trays in a little 10g (not floating since the water is only 2cm higher than the trays).

Either I packed my camera already by accident or I've managed to misplace it in a house where every room except the kitchen and the living room is empty, and those rooms only have assorted tanks and rubbermaids! (total furniture: 3 tanks, 5 rubbermaids, 1 computer, 1 desk, 1 chair, no bed!!!)

[Phurst]

I keep a couple of these:



in my sump full of rubble. When I need to get somthing to attach, I move one into the DT on the sandbed and toss the frags in.

[doctorthompson]

Hah! I use an old Hagen reptile/herp travelling carrier (dubbed the "Faunarium" by the manufacturer I think) for storing unused rubble in my sump. I keep a maxijet 900 aimed at one side of the ventilated top and within a week (even if the rubble was dry cuz I left it out all night!) it's a full blown pod/mysis farm with various zooplankton shooting out the side opposite the powerhead nearly 24/7.

[Phurst]

Yeah, they're real microfauna farms. I have mysis coming out of my wazoo!

[Plasticreefer]

Originally Posted by Phurst

I keep a couple of these:



in my sump full of rubble. When I need to get somthing to attach, I move one into the DT on the sandbed and toss the frags in.

is this wat u use thompson? if so how do you set them up floating in the tank or do you plumb them in wiht all the others?

[Phurst]

I think the good Dr. was referring to somthing like this:

Lee's Multi-Purpose 3-Way Breeders at PETCO

When I use the Critter Keepers, I just set them on the sand on the bottom of the tank.

[Plasticreefer]

oh ok thank you... how and were would you put the three way breeder????

[Phurst]

Well, they float, so they'll be on the surface. I would figure some way to tether it in place so it doesn't float around.

[doctorthompson]

Originally Posted by Phurst

Well, they float, so they'll be on the surface. I would figure some way to tether it in place so it doesn't float around.

I used to have one superglued to a cheap walmart cleaning magnet but after only 3 days in the water the tank side of the magnet started leaking out what looked like rust or some other sort of oxidized metal so I threw it in the garbage as I bolted out the front door to buy a copper test kit to put my mind at ease.

I just use an old maxi-jet clip with the long end extending into the trap and keeping one wall pressed against the wall of the aquarium - or sink them to the bottom of a shallow grow-out tank.

[clownfish4me]

i have used the cheap disposable food containers that you store left overs in. you can use the lid and drill holes for water flow rather easy.... i attached it in the tank by hanging it with a piece of fishing line by tying it to the legs of my lights ......

[JeffDubya]

That is a tremendous idea.

[JeffDubya]

Originally Posted by clownfish4me

of coarse i am forced to use tap water for my water changes at the moment. (i know its a bad idea, but i cant help it wright now)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

(Quoting your reef inhabitants...)

[clownfish4me]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

(Quoting your reef inhabitants...)

i know i feel there pain, and i can definitely hear them. i hope to afford a good ro/di unit in the next coming months.

[CarmieJo]

Can you find a water machine at a store like Wal-mart or Whole Foods? It would be far better than tap water. You are setting yourself up for problems.

[JeffDubya]

Hey now my kenya tree is budding too! Must be something going around... that time of year...

[Pinecone_Jeff]

Originally Posted by Phurst

Yeah, they're real microfauna farms. I have mysis coming out of my wazoo!

Man, these are some really awesome ideas for pod farms. I'm going to incorporate these when I finally get my tank designed and leave room for one or two of these, hidden behind some rocks, yet easily accessable. Certainl beats making rubble mounds that will eventually all get knocked over anyway. I love this board!!!