A Marine planted tank, look, no corals.

[plantbrain]

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=2810752&uid=1473668&members=1

James P. can kiss my hairy behind:) I don't care if people do not think Marine tanks should be considered plant tanks or not. I think it's pretty clear that is a plant tank, there's no Coral, hydroids, sponges etc in this tank, it's either macro algae of seagrasses etc. I'm still taking photo's and tweaking this tank.

Main thing is to get the experience and be able to reproduce this type of aquascape using marine plants.
I'll tell you, this was not easy, but it can be done and I may find some ways/methods to make this easier as I progress.

This part of the hobby genre is in it's infancy

The methods and approaches to that of FW planted tanks are distinctly different.
Getting algae to attach in a certain place is not as simple as replanting/pruning!

I also needed more light than I had though to have good dense growth.
This tank gets fed a little and KNO3, iron, Mg, Kalk(for Ca and alkalinity) weekly.

I only hope that this tank will get better and better. Marine tanks tend to be less pruning, hassles, water changes but care is needed and patience. Generally after a year or more they settle in nicely.

I am certain to get a chiller later, this tank cannot go about 78F or so, the algae are temp sensitive, I figured this out quickly, some species are quite temp tolerant, most are not.
Regards,
Tom Barr

[125gJoe]

Wow!
Good job -- looks real good!!
:)

[Slappy*McFish]

Wow..that's awesome. That is quite possibly one of the coolest tanks I've ever seen. I hope that one day these kinds of 'plants' would be available to the general public, as I would definitely like to try my hand at starting a tank like that. Thanks for sharing, Tom.

[plantass28]

How do you avoid having the Caulerpa Go sexual on you? It seems almost always the Caulerpa goes sexual and your tank goes cloudy for days, and half/all your Caulerpa goes up in a cloud of spores.

[plantass28]

That is a seriously nice tank though!!! Did you pick all those species up at your local fish store?

[plantass28]

Also to anyone else thinking about doing this, be very careful, the federal government has banned several varieties due to the fact that some are very invasive and have gotten into our waters and are taking over smothering out the local seaweads and wildlife. Escpecially stay away from Caulerpa Taxifola.

[RTR]

Spectacular, Tom!

[joe schmoe]

http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL130/1473668/2810752/39435489.jpg
Now quite sure how to say this....kinda like someone telling someone that they've got something hanging from their nose...but please wear pants next time you do photos....:D

[DIYMatt]

LOL.........I really prefered having a virtual image of you Tom, it was a much better picture than the real thing:D I'm a little disturbed actually....

But, I would like to get some more information about these types of tanks. I have a couple of tanks and lights(halides) sitting around that I think would be perfect.

Is there "live" rock in that tank? I hope not, because at my skill level, I prefer not to purchase anything taken from a natural reef.

Thanks!

[hineigger]

LAME. Get some corals.

Just kidding.

[plantbrain]

The Caulerpa is local and so are the others. Hard to ban native marine plants.

Shipping ballast water discharges cause more issues than aquarist ever will, but still folks should be prudent, few aquarist feel a desire to set the plants free like fish/critters.

I'm happy with the tank but would like to work on designs more but it's touchy still and I am not in complete control enough to play around with it too much.

Folks can get the algae on a Marine plant field trip this June and it might be cheaper than buying these.

All plants are from the Keys.

There is no live rock, some rocks are used, but no coral/live rocks etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[lesley]

I don't think many aquarists would set their plants "free", but we should be conscious of the fact that many street drains flow directly into waterways... without treatment. Invasive critters can cause problems even if they are released unintentionally.

[superjohnny]

Beautiful tank. Can you give more detail on how this idea came to you and how you've pulled it off?

[plantbrain]

Well, marine plants, FW plants, they are all the same right?

But really, it was like this pretty much.
After diving and snorkeling around them, just made sense to try this and few had done that much except for a couple of species of Caulerpa's etc and few had done much with design.

I'll tell you making the jump is not easy to Marine plants. I've kept SW for many years and know many SW experts etc and am a Phycologist myself.

I'm not ready yet to share my experiences but I will later. But I wanted folks to know that this type of tank can be done.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[joe schmoe]

Wow...he completely glossed over the whole 'standing there in is underwear' thing. Thumbs up for being comfortable with yourself :p

[hineigger]

Dude am I looking at your package in one of those pics?

[Slappy*McFish]

Dude am I looking at your package in one of those pics?

Well....are you?

[plantbrain]

Well it does look like there's some in there... but I only wear boxers. Hehe, I gotta send that one in for submission:)


Regards,
Tom Barr

[joe schmoe]

Maybe Tom's watching some good wholesome TV entertainment....heck...I dunno

Sorry, gotta do this: :cool:
http://webpages.charter.net/res0t2li/1.jpg

(Tom, PM me with a dollar amount if you'd like me to make the pic disappear) HAHAHA. J/K

[Stephen]

Absolutely gorgeous pics. I hope that you'll share your sucess secrets with us soon.

[plantbrain]

Joe, do you think it'll make it by the judges or a an editor?
It'd be a great joke to play. I'm leaving it up for sure now.

Regards,
Tom bare *** Barr

[anonapersona]

Wow, you are truly a trailblazer, going where no gardener has gone before.

[plantbrain]

Well, it will be interesting to see what Amano/ADA does with it in the competition.

It is a PURE biotope tank also.

I'd just like to see folks in the USA not be 10 years behind the Germans and Japanese in aquarium design/methods and have folks here have their own style of "Marine planted aquariums".

The tank is about 1 year old also.
AND YES, I HAD TROUBLES.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Captain Hook]

Very nice Tom. Does Amano do marine planted tanks? I don't think I've ever seen one.

[Timmain42]

I wasn't even aware that Amano did marine tanks, much less SW planted.

Well Tom, you rock. I'd like to know more about the setup, please. And please keep us informed on how they grow out.

[plantass28]

The Caulerpas needs arent that much different from Salt water corals and anyone that has any experience with these would be able to easily keep Caulerpa. I am suprised more people have not tried this. Main thing to worry about are regular water changes (imho. if done in the proper percentages replace in balance the ions needed by the more efficiently and simpler than dosing), keep your calcium at 450ppm since a lot of the algaes are calcerous.

Also wanted to point out that technically you have corals in their, I noticed on the rocks some Coralline Algae. *Ducks* :p

[plantbrain]

Coralline algae is just that, algae.
Just the name:-)

But the amount of Ca used is greater than the reef tanks, the plants grow faster depending on species. One could even argue that the refugiums drain the coral's Ca supply more than the corals themselves.

There are only a couple of small regions here with Caulerpa's and then only the rarer species(two varieties of C paspolides etc.) There are a total of 5 variety/species of Caulerpas in here, but the tank is mostly soft greens, reds and some Coral like reds called Neogoniolithon which grow slow.

Amano has several SW tanks but heck, I thought they looked like a cheesy store display truthfully, he used his quartz tall rocks as the main theme but did not use much else.

There are in a few of the ADA journals, other Asian mags etc.

Joe, I'd never pay to have it removed:-)
Sounds dreadfully painful:-)

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantass28]

Hey Tom,

I thought that Coralline Algae was a symbiosis between an algae and coral like creature.

Also I totally agree with the Caulerpa sucking up calcium more so than corals. I have had it happen.

Have you ever looked at Japanese Reef Tank, do a search if you havent you will be majorly rewarded as far as sw aquascaped go. Some real Eye Candy.

Great job the more I look at your tank the more I love it.

I wish there was a market for Coldwater Reef Creatures, here on the West Coast, we have a stunning variety of Critters/Algaes that can rival any tropical reef.

[plantbrain]

I will keep cold water marine plant tanks when I move back to the Bay area this summer.

I need a chiller since FL is too hot and cooks my marine tank way too much to do anything over the summer months. I use one of those small thermoelectrics and for smaller tanks, these work well and are cheap/quiet and efficient-no freon/like chemicals.
Perfect for the tank I have.

But it can pull down the temp to 58F nicely, Bolinas low tide or Sonoma is great and SB area is good also. Montery has tons etc. Zonaria is particularly beautiful.

The species of algae is called Titanoderma pustulatum(what I have anyway, there are other species of coralline algae).
Some heavily calified species form bumps to ward off snail and urchin attack and there are even ball forming coralline "Rhodoliths".

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantass28]

Originally posted by plantbrain
I will keep cold water marine plant tanks when I move back to the Bay area this summer.

I need a chiller since FL is too hot and cooks my marine tank way too much to do anything over the summer months. I use one of those small thermoelectrics and for smaller tanks, these work well and are cheap/quiet and efficient-no freon/like chemicals.
Perfect for the tank I have.

But it can pull down the temp to 58F nicely, Bolinas low tide or Sonoma is great and SB area is good also. Montery has tons etc. Zonaria is particularly beautiful.

The species of algae is called Titanoderma pustulatum(what I have anyway, there are other species of coralline algae).
Some heavily calified species form bumps to ward off snail and urchin attack and there are even ball forming coralline "Rhodoliths".

Regards,
Tom Barr

Wow! I go to all of those places on a regular basis!

I always wondered how powerful those thermoelectric Chillers were. I may have to try a cold water reef it has always been a dream of mine.

Sometimes grocery stores upgrade their lobster tanks which are usually great for coldwater reefs just an fyi.

[plantbrain]

I sold an old one to the college of Marin(lobster tank) for Joe's bio marine class.

The termo's are great for tank's in the 55 gal and less range for large pull downs.

I use the little one, runs about 160$ and is great for my 25 gal.

Remove the skilter skimmer and place it right in there.

The tank is also opem topped BTW, it has a raised leg for the PC's like those light rail "feet".

I like good access to a tank I need to work on inside often.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[joe schmoe]

Originally posted by plantbrain
I sold an old one to the college of Marin(lobster tank) for Joe's bio marine class.

Who me?? :confused:

[plantbrain]

Naw, a twisted Bio professor name Joe:)
Sorry about that.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[MrGoodbytes]

Wow, those pics are amazing. You're a regular pioneer.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is there some kind of Dutch or Eurpoean type reefscape that uses some types of macroalgae?

I'd love to hear some more details about your tank, like cost, lighting, fertilizer routines, etc.

Once again, amazing tank,

Graeme

[plantbrain]

I've seen a couple of tanks from Europe a few years back, nothing even close to this though. Some Cauleropa got lose and made a nice green tank with coralline algae poking out here and there.

It was certainly NOT anything like a Dutch FW plant tank.

Regards,
Tom Barr