Pearls Of The Antilles... Llj's Planted Marine

[Biulu]

Thanks weez, a google search yielded results. Yes planted Marines are very pretty. I tried to get access to the article, but I had to subscribe. It's pretty, Typical of George's style. My tanks are never that elegant.

I'll voice a concern, though, Marine systems are not designed to be "set them up, grow, photo-shoot, then break them down" systems. There is a tendency in the planted community to do this, though I don't, nor do I encourage this here. These organisms are not disposable if the scape no longer suits your taste. I'm just a little concerned that people will see him with the Marine tank & then turn it into just that sort of a temporary system. Hopefully that system was conceived as a long-term system & my concern is for naught. Again, wish I had access to the article.

Liz

Well said Liz! I completely agree with you. Marine systems are very interesting but as long as I keep travelling that much, I won't start any. Plus I have been put off a bit by the illegal fishing in th strait of Cortes, the so-called 'aquarium of the world'. I don't want to be contributing to deteriorate nature...

 

[Biulu]

God, just read through all the 13 pages! It took me hours but great reading. Very interesting. Just a bit depressed now knowing that there are still 2 othe journals to go through...

And the actual plan for the day was to wash my laterite and put it under my betta tank substrates so my root feeders will start thriving....

 

[lljdma06]

God, just read through all the 13 pages! It took me hours but great reading. Very interesting. Just a bit depressed now knowing that there are still 2 othe journals to go through...

Those are much shorter, though Biulu! Keep pressing on... LOLOL

Yep, this is why I haven't been by the planted section as much.

llj

 

[Biulu]

God, just read through all the 13 pages! It took me hours but great reading. Very interesting. Just a bit depressed now knowing that there are still 2 othe journals to go through...

Those are much shorter, though Biulu! Keep pressing on... LOLOL

Yep, this is why I haven't been by the planted section as much.

llj

I am not sure whether that is a relief....

 

[lljdma06]

God, just read through all the 13 pages! It took me hours but great reading. Very interesting. Just a bit depressed now knowing that there are still 2 othe journals to go through...

Those are much shorter, though Biulu! Keep pressing on... LOLOL

Yep, this is why I haven't been by the planted section as much.

llj

I am not sure whether that is a relief....

Ohhhh!! LOLOL

 

[lljdma06]

NitrItes are going down. Thank goodness. Diatoms are getting messy. LOL... Some pictures for you. These aren't great, I've been enjoying some beer today.

fts

See, diatoms are definitely there. Have not seen Mr. Spinypants at all.

llj

 

[Donya]

See, diatoms are definitely there. Have not seen Mr. Spinypants at all.

Have you checked 2-3hrs after lights out?

 

[lljdma06]

Donya, I really try to be asleep 2-3 hours after lights out, but this is a long weekend, so I might stick around & look for Mr. Spinypants.

 

[bae1994]

Well it won't hurt at this Stage to flick the lights off early to look imo

 

[lljdma06]

Guess who I found alive in full light? Cheeky, Mr. Spinypants... Looks a bit worse for wear. I imagine a tank cycle is no picnic. He probably spent the time in hiding going "why am I living in filth??" Now that my nitrites are much, much less, he probably feels better to come out. Tis nasty stuff, a cycle. Nice to know he wasn't the cause of it.

Thanks for looking.

 

[bae1994]

At least he's alive ( agreed looks abit worse for ware but should pull through)

 

[lljdma06]

Yes, he looks pretty rough. Venturing out is a very good sign, though, & sure enough, when I tested my water this morning, params are good to add the CUC. I'll be moving some of the pico inhabitants & adding numbers To both systems depending on what I find at my LFS today. Look for some shifting about & lots of drip-acclimating going on today.

 

[Donya]

Yikes! Looks like urchin target feeding time if you want to make sure it recovers. If you put CUC in already, then it would be best to isolate the urchin somehow until it shows some small spines growing back in, perhaps in a breeder box or something in-tank. Otherwise, hermits and snails will almost always get to the food first and in a newly cycled tank there won't be a lot to go around unless you really go crazy adding it (which probably wouldn't be too great for the tank as a whole). Food supply, a lack of which is a big contributor to spine loss in many urchins, is something that needs immediate attention in bald urchins regardless of how they became bald (predator, injury, etc.) to maximize chance and speed of recovery. Try some combination of dried seaweed and sinking carnivore pellets.

 

[lljdma06]

Bleh... Why didn't I read this like an hour ago? Ok... Still at the LFS. Will get some of the stuff he needs.

 

[lljdma06]

Ok, got everything. Urchin rescue operation will commence soon. Hope he pulls through. Thanks Donya.