I've never really tried out the video function on my camera, and that is reprehensible. So here is a quick shot of Boris and a few of his friends, partying it up as is their custom.
Labels: Fish, Invertebrates, Reef Aquarium, Video
Video: Boris and Friends
Monday, March 30, 2009
Blog: New Skin in Progress
Taking advantage of some project downtime, I'm trying to put a custom skin on this old blog. Apologies in advance to IE6 users, your browser is just too much work to bother with for someone who has a limited knowledge of CSS.
Update:
Something came up, so I've rolled back to the old template for now.
Update 2:
Simplified the design so I wouldn't hate it the morning after. I've only tested in Safari so far, but given how simple it is, I don't expect much to be broken. Also I've switched to a different comment system, so all old comments have disappeared until (if!) I bother to import them.
Also the colors are all wrong because my Photoshop color space got screwed up again. >:(
Links: Stunning Aquarium Video
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Eye Candy v2 from Greg Rothschild on Vimeo.
I would like to say that seeing an aquarium of this quality fills me with jealousy or a sense of failure regarding my own tank, but who has time for petty emotions when a video like this is playing. You could film a Planet Earth episode in this tank.
Reef Tank: Boris the Destroyer
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
This post was supposed to be an update on the new corals and fish I added a week ago, but first I'd like to introduce you to Boris the Destroyer, a superglue eating hermit crab:
The first inhabitants to take up residence in my tank were hermit crabs and snails, including Boris here. While the rest of the hermits are fairly mild-mannered, Boris is a special individual. At some point in the past year, he killed a Nassarius snail, took over the shell, and promptly grew to three times the size of his fellow hermit crabs. I've always wondered how he managed to grow so fast, and why he shows particular interest in new coral additions to the tank.
It turns out Boris has been eating the super glue (Cyanoacrylate) that I use to attach coral frags. Over the past week, each morning I've awoken to one particular Monitpora frag knocked loose from the rock work. I'd reattach it, only to have it knocked loose again the next day. Each time I re-glued the frag, Boris would make a beeline from anywhere in the aquarium straight to that coral. I thought he was picking delectable treats off the foreign frag plug, but after a few days I realized he was actually chipping off and eating the super glue. There can be no doubt that he has gained super powers from this diet, and poses a threat to civilization.
I had banned the naming of aquarium inhabitants ever since a pair of cichlids my girlfriend had named after F. Scott Fitzgerald characters were found floating upside down, but as Boris is surely immortal, I have no problem bestowing him with the name.
The Plectranthias inermis is doing great. Although still quite shy, I have seen it venturing further into the open. I was worried about how small it was compared to the other, more boisterous fish, but everyone seems to be getting along well.
The corals were, as usual with Live Aquaria, healthy and attractive frags. I noticed what could possibly have been STN setting in on a nub of the blue branching Montipora, so I snipped that off. The green branching piece took quite a beating, as it was a target of Boris, but seems to be recovering decently. The green cap is also good, although I am considering moving it to a position with more light.
You can also see in one of the following photos how insanely fast the Montipora caps I got a few months ago have grown. They have easily doubled in size, and one is moving in on its neighbors. I am hesitant to mess with success here, but something may need to be moved soon.
The first inhabitants to take up residence in my tank were hermit crabs and snails, including Boris here. While the rest of the hermits are fairly mild-mannered, Boris is a special individual. At some point in the past year, he killed a Nassarius snail, took over the shell, and promptly grew to three times the size of his fellow hermit crabs. I've always wondered how he managed to grow so fast, and why he shows particular interest in new coral additions to the tank.
It turns out Boris has been eating the super glue (Cyanoacrylate) that I use to attach coral frags. Over the past week, each morning I've awoken to one particular Monitpora frag knocked loose from the rock work. I'd reattach it, only to have it knocked loose again the next day. Each time I re-glued the frag, Boris would make a beeline from anywhere in the aquarium straight to that coral. I thought he was picking delectable treats off the foreign frag plug, but after a few days I realized he was actually chipping off and eating the super glue. There can be no doubt that he has gained super powers from this diet, and poses a threat to civilization.
I had banned the naming of aquarium inhabitants ever since a pair of cichlids my girlfriend had named after F. Scott Fitzgerald characters were found floating upside down, but as Boris is surely immortal, I have no problem bestowing him with the name.
The Plectranthias inermis is doing great. Although still quite shy, I have seen it venturing further into the open. I was worried about how small it was compared to the other, more boisterous fish, but everyone seems to be getting along well.
The corals were, as usual with Live Aquaria, healthy and attractive frags. I noticed what could possibly have been STN setting in on a nub of the blue branching Montipora, so I snipped that off. The green branching piece took quite a beating, as it was a target of Boris, but seems to be recovering decently. The green cap is also good, although I am considering moving it to a position with more light.
You can also see in one of the following photos how insanely fast the Montipora caps I got a few months ago have grown. They have easily doubled in size, and one is moving in on its neighbors. I am hesitant to mess with success here, but something may need to be moved soon.
Labels: Coral, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef Aquarium
Reef Tank: New Livestock
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Fresh off a plane ride from the Live Aquaria facility in Wisconsin:
Plectranthias inermis (Geometric Pygmy Hawkfish)
I have been following the Diver's Den RSS feed for a few months, waiting for a unique fish suited to a smaller reef aquarium, and I'm hoping this will be it. Given my recent issues with nitrates, likely from heavy feeding, this will probably be the last fish I introduce into the tank. As such, I was looking for a lively and interesting specimen.
Montipora sp.
I have had great success with the growth and general health of Montipora species in my tank, especially when compared to other stony corals. Hopefully these new specimens will do just as well. All of these corals were grown in an aquaculture facility, while the fish was likely wild caught.
Plectranthias inermis (Geometric Pygmy Hawkfish)
I have been following the Diver's Den RSS feed for a few months, waiting for a unique fish suited to a smaller reef aquarium, and I'm hoping this will be it. Given my recent issues with nitrates, likely from heavy feeding, this will probably be the last fish I introduce into the tank. As such, I was looking for a lively and interesting specimen.
Montipora sp.
I have had great success with the growth and general health of Montipora species in my tank, especially when compared to other stony corals. Hopefully these new specimens will do just as well. All of these corals were grown in an aquaculture facility, while the fish was likely wild caught.
Labels: Coral, Fish, Reef Aquarium
Turtle Aquarium: Step 3 - Finishing Touches
Monday, March 16, 2009
After allowing the silicone seals holding the shelf installation to cure overnight, the final step in this project was to finish the landscaping. I began with the back wall above the land area, which I wanted to cover with cork. This required cutting three pieces, including a notched middle piece to sit over the divider between land and beach areas.
By doing some fine tuning with a jig saw, I was able to get these three pieces to fit flush and tight enough that adhesive was not required. The plastic rim of the aquarium was helpful with this process. This also means that I could remove and redo the land area without having to cut off the back panel, should future renovations be necessary.
With the cork in place, I filled the beach area with an inch of coconut fiber soil, then topped it with three inches of aquarium gravel. I added some mondo grass, Ophiopogon japonicus, a plant that is mistakenly sold as purely aquatic but actually does quite well partly submerged, as I will be using it. This species did particularly well in the early iteration of this tank. For the land area, I added a bottom layer of large gravel for drainage, and then filled it to the top with coconut fiber.
The final step was a layer of terrarium moss and a few more terrestrial plants for the land area. This looks good now, but previously I have had trouble with moss growing under the bright UV lights I use for the turtle. Additionally, he tends to claw a lot of it into the water when climbing around. I was willing to try it once more just because of how good it looks, but I expect that in the future I may be going back to regular lawn grass which roots better.
One thing I failed to account for when moving to wood for the construction of this shelf was the added thickness. As such the land area ended up being a few inches higher than I wanted, leaving little room for plant growth under the light fixture and glass lid. It is also harder to view. I'm looking into a few options, the most appealing being some sort of screen riser for the tank that will provide additional vertical height and ventilation. There are a number of pre-made options for smaller tanks, but I have yet to find one in the size I need.
I will add a final post about this project with finished photos and an analysis of what went right and wrong with the project.
By doing some fine tuning with a jig saw, I was able to get these three pieces to fit flush and tight enough that adhesive was not required. The plastic rim of the aquarium was helpful with this process. This also means that I could remove and redo the land area without having to cut off the back panel, should future renovations be necessary.
With the cork in place, I filled the beach area with an inch of coconut fiber soil, then topped it with three inches of aquarium gravel. I added some mondo grass, Ophiopogon japonicus, a plant that is mistakenly sold as purely aquatic but actually does quite well partly submerged, as I will be using it. This species did particularly well in the early iteration of this tank. For the land area, I added a bottom layer of large gravel for drainage, and then filled it to the top with coconut fiber.
The final step was a layer of terrarium moss and a few more terrestrial plants for the land area. This looks good now, but previously I have had trouble with moss growing under the bright UV lights I use for the turtle. Additionally, he tends to claw a lot of it into the water when climbing around. I was willing to try it once more just because of how good it looks, but I expect that in the future I may be going back to regular lawn grass which roots better.
One thing I failed to account for when moving to wood for the construction of this shelf was the added thickness. As such the land area ended up being a few inches higher than I wanted, leaving little room for plant growth under the light fixture and glass lid. It is also harder to view. I'm looking into a few options, the most appealing being some sort of screen riser for the tank that will provide additional vertical height and ventilation. There are a number of pre-made options for smaller tanks, but I have yet to find one in the size I need.
I will add a final post about this project with finished photos and an analysis of what went right and wrong with the project.
Labels: Aquascape, Design, Turtle, Turtle Aquarium
Turtle Aquarium: Step 2 - Shelf Installation
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Last night I drained the 40 gallon aquarium and moved the turtle into a temporary 10 gallon tank on loan from a friend. Needless to say much hissing, clawing, and snapping was involved in this transfer, and someone is completely irate over his temporary home.
The shelf dropped into the aquarium quite easily, leaving only a quarter inch of clearance between the glass and the shelf on either side, while fitting perfectly flush to the rear of the aquarium. This is much more than I could ever hope for given my limited woodworking skills, and I attribute the success entirely to slow and careful planning and measurements. I placed the half logs on the bottom glass of the aquarium and then maneuvered the shelf to sit on them. Currently only the weight of the shelf is holding them in place, but I plan on evaluating the possibility of drilling through the platform and screwing it directly to the log columns. It was not possible to do this prior to installing the shelf and still have it fit into the tank.
Once the shelf was in its final place I used a healthy amount of silicone to affix it to the sides of the tank, creating what will (hopefully) become a water tight seal. This involved filling the quarter inch gaps on either side of the aquarium. Since these are not load bearing seals, I'm hoping this will be fine.
I also hydrated a brick of ZooMed coconut fiber substrate. This is basically a freeze dried block of shredded coconut shells, the planting substrate I used in the previous iteration of this aquarium. It has the benefit over other soils of being completely organic and holding up well under constant moisture. Placing the brick of fibers in a bucket with some water results in rich, moist substrate material.
Tonight I will evaluate the strength of the silicone, and make any patches if necessary. Then I will cut and affix the final cork panels to the rear wall of the aquarium above the land area, and begin filling in with substrate. Hopefully I will be able to return the turtle to the primary aquarium and break down the temporary tank.
Labels: Aquascape, Design, Turtle, Turtle Aquarium
Turtle Aquarium: Step 1 - Shelf Construction
Sunday, March 8, 2009
This weekend I finally got started in earnest on construction of the new turtle tank, building out the shelf that will form the land area. Originally I had intended to use plexiglass for this, but after cutting the pieces, I noticed they were bowing in the middle between the support columns. This would stress the silicone seals holding the pieces together, especially when the landmass was added. I looked into thicker plastic options, but they were both expensive and unavailable locally.
Instead I decided to go with wood. I was worried about well this would hold up when partially submerged, but I was assured by an accomplished boat build (dad) that it would hold up fine. Thinking back to when I worked on a lobster boat in Maine and traps were built out of wood slats, it made sense.
I followed the same plan, modifying the measurements to take into account the extra thickness of the wood over the acrylic I had planned to use. Construction went as smooth as you could hope for when doing woodworking in your city apartment kitchen. The three pieces (shelf, front edge, and divider) were assembled with stainless screws and Gorilla Glue. I sealed the joints with silicone.
Next I cut some cork paneling to fit across the front. I had bought two 18x24 pieces, so two 6" strips sufficed to cover the front panel. I made a diagonal cut in beach area piece to disguise where the divider piece is. The beach area will be slightly below water level, making it easy for the turtle to haul himself out. This area will be filled with gravel and rocks for basking.
There is a bit of a seam between the two pieces. I should have put a bevel on the edge so the fit more seamlessly, but I think when the cork is in the water it will swell up and close this gape somewhat. Below you can see the shelf on its half-log supporting columns:
Next step is to get a small temporary aquarium to hold the turtle, so I can drain his current tank and get this shelf placed in. I need to silicone the edges of the shelf to the glass to create a seal separating the land from the water as much as possible. After that comes the fun part: landscaping!
Instead I decided to go with wood. I was worried about well this would hold up when partially submerged, but I was assured by an accomplished boat build (dad) that it would hold up fine. Thinking back to when I worked on a lobster boat in Maine and traps were built out of wood slats, it made sense.
I followed the same plan, modifying the measurements to take into account the extra thickness of the wood over the acrylic I had planned to use. Construction went as smooth as you could hope for when doing woodworking in your city apartment kitchen. The three pieces (shelf, front edge, and divider) were assembled with stainless screws and Gorilla Glue. I sealed the joints with silicone.
Next I cut some cork paneling to fit across the front. I had bought two 18x24 pieces, so two 6" strips sufficed to cover the front panel. I made a diagonal cut in beach area piece to disguise where the divider piece is. The beach area will be slightly below water level, making it easy for the turtle to haul himself out. This area will be filled with gravel and rocks for basking.
There is a bit of a seam between the two pieces. I should have put a bevel on the edge so the fit more seamlessly, but I think when the cork is in the water it will swell up and close this gape somewhat. Below you can see the shelf on its half-log supporting columns:
Next step is to get a small temporary aquarium to hold the turtle, so I can drain his current tank and get this shelf placed in. I need to silicone the edges of the shelf to the glass to create a seal separating the land from the water as much as possible. After that comes the fun part: landscaping!
Labels: Aquascape, Design, Turtle Aquarium
