WaterNotes

20: March!

I really havent had the time to commit to this tank as I’d like to, but nonetheless there has been some progress.  I purchased two A. ocellaris clownfish for the tank about twelve weeks ago and they passed quarantine with flying colors.  They’ve been happy in the tank about a month now. 

I’ve had trouble establishing H. engelmannii (stargrass) in this aquarium, which I’m sure comes down to my random lighting periods.  Basically, I need to rebuild the automatic timing system, the CO2 dosing system, the nitrate drip and make sure the lights are coming on at the right times!  So.. everything! 

The lights are new, 2 24W T5 bulbs, it was a retrofit from Hellolights.  I love the new look of them but dont really trust them yet to not burn down the house.  So, they’re on while I’m here and off when I’m not.  I promise to work past the paranoia soon. 

Caulerpa prolifera is doing okay in this tank, though the clownfish are constantly tearing it up out of the sand.  What have been a phenomenal success are the two species of red macroalgae in the tank, one from Gracilaria, the other Agardhiella.  Compare the photo below to those posted for the January log.  Pretty serious growth, and I even pruned it three times in the interval period. The clowns love it, sometimes host in it. 

The finer and smaller branched macroalgae has also done well.  The Gracilaria produces prodigious amounts of bubbles during the photoperiod - as you can see.

I’m also looking to upgrade the flow system in this tank to something much more grown up (goodbye Aquaclear powerheads!) and rebuild all the other systems.  For now, just imagine a little carpet of stargrass in the foreground and some shoal grass to the right open spaces.